Dr Kingsley Edney is an Associate Professor in International Relations of China at the University of Leeds' School of Politics and International Studies. He holds a PhD (International Relations) and MA (Political Science) from the University of Melbourne, along with a BA(Hons) in Politics and Anthropology from Victoria University of Wellington. Fluent in Chinese and with experience living in Shanghai and Beijing, his research focuses on China's non-material international security dynamics, including cultural diplomacy, propaganda, and ideological strategies to manage global information flows. His expertise includes Chinese soft power, the role of ideology in foreign policy, and the intersection of domestic political cohesion with international security objectives. He teaches undergraduate and master's courses on China's domestic and international politics. Current postgraduate researchers under his supervision are Jinru Huang, Yanyu Lu, and Hengfeng Zhao. Edney's research outputs span topics like public perceptions of China in the Anglosphere, Chinese youth nationalism, and environmental governance. His work often bridges theoretical frameworks with empirical analysis of China's evolving global engagement strategies. He maintains active academic engagement through platforms like Google Scholar and ORCID.
Royal Holloway, University of LondonUnited Kingdom
Katherine Brickell is Professor of Human Geography at Royal Holloway, University of London (RHUL), where she serves as Research Lead for the Department of Geography. She is editor of the journal Gender, Place and Culture and former Chair of the RGS-IBG Gender and Feminist Geographies Research Group. Her work spans social, political, development, urban and legal geography with a feminist orientation. Brickell's research centers on three interconnected themes: home and home unmaking, labor precarity, and feminist legal geographies. Her longstanding interest in the domestic sphere and home unmaking aims to reaffirm the home as a political entity. Her monograph Home SOS: Gender, Violence and Survival in Crisis Ordinary Cambodia brings together 15 years of research on domestic violence and forced eviction. Since 2017, she has conducted collaborative work in London and Dublin on modular housing for homeless families. She has also led significant research on labor conditions in Cambodia, including the ESRC-DFID funded 'Blood Bricks' project (2016-2019) studying climate change impacts on rural families migrating to brick kilns. Her recent publications reveal a strong focus on debt, microfinance, and climate vulnerability in Cambodia, with multiple 2022-2024 articles examining how over-indebtedness intersects with social reproduction and climate adaptation. Her work consistently applies feminist lenses to understand spatial dimensions of power, particularly in Southeast Asia. Brickell has published in top journals including Transactions of the Institute of British Geographers , Progress in Human Geography , Antipode , and Annals of the American Association of Geographers . Gill Memorial Award (2014) Philip Leverhulme Prize (2016) Times Higher Education Research Project of the Year (2020) Brickell has supervised numerous doctoral students and mentored postdoctoral fellows working on topics including remittances during COVID-19, climate mobilities, moral geographies of garment work, and women's experiences with domestic violence. Her research has been funded by ESRC-DFID, UKRI GCRF, and the Urban Studies Foundation, among others. She collaborates extensively with colleagues in Cambodia and across Europe, with current projects examining climate resilience, credit-taking, and nutrition in Cambodia and South India, as well as the economic impacts of the pandemic on Cambodian garment workers.
Professor Amy Maguire is a leading academic in human rights and public international law at the University of Newcastle, Australia. She holds roles as Deputy Head of the School of Law and Justice (2021-2024) and co-founder Director of the Centre for Law and Social Justice. Her research focuses on human rights accountability, Indigenous rights, climate change displacement, and refugee rights. She has secured over $2.7 million in grants, including an ARC Mid-Career Industry Fellowship (2024-2028) for national human rights reform initiatives. Maguire advises the Queensland Parliament on human rights compliance and collaborates with global institutions like the Australian Human Rights Commission. Her work has influenced policy, including Australia’s death penalty abolition strategy and Indigenous rights frameworks. She has been awarded multiple accolades for research and teaching excellence, including the 2020 Leadership Excellence Award and 2016 Early Career Researcher of the Year. Maguire’s education includes a BA, LLB (Hons), and PhD from the University of Newcastle. Her interdisciplinary approach bridges law and social justice, addressing issues like climate migration and legal responses to global crises. She leads projects such as the Hunter Region climate displacement study and the Human Rights Measurement System. Maguire’s public engagement includes over 70 articles for The Conversation, reaching 920,000+ readers, and expert media commentary globally. She advocates for inclusive education through initiatives like early entry programs for Indigenous and refugee students, earning a 2021 Senior Fellowship from Advance HE. Her research outputs span 60+ publications, with key works on MH17 litigation, climate justice, and Indigenous legal frameworks. Grants include a 2021 stimulus grant to establish the Centre for Law and Social Justice, supporting postdoctoral research and international collaborations. Maguire’s leadership extends to global networks, including the UN Human Rights Council evaluation project and the Human Rights for NSW Alliance. She remains committed to translating research into policy, education, and community impact through clinics, youth forums, and law reform advocacy.
Rizwan Ahmed is a Senior Lecturer in Accounting and Finance at the University of Kent 's Kent Business School . He serves as Director of Studies for the Department for Accounting and Finance, with prior experience as an Assistant Professor at institutions like the University of Birmingham, Cardiff Business School, and Birkbeck University of London. His research focuses on Sustainable Finance , FinTech , and Corporate Governance , with funding from the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) for collaborative projects. Fellowship of Higher Education Academy (HEA-UK) Associate Fellow Member, Chartered Institute of Securities and Investment (CISI-UK) His publications in journals like Energy Economics and International Journal of Finance and Economics examine intersections between climate risk, financial markets, and regulatory frameworks. He supervises PhD research in areas including Sustainable Finance, Climate Finance, and Corporate Governance in the financial sector. Research Trends Recent articles analyze climate change impacts , energy market spillovers , and ESG performance under sanctions, utilizing empirical methods and data from the UK, China, and emerging economies. Methodological innovations include cross-quantilogram analysis and portfolio optimization frameworks. Scientific Awards Fellowship of Higher Education Academy (HEA-UK) Associate Fellow Member, Chartered Institute of Securities and Investment (CISI-UK) Rizwan also acts as a peer reviewer for journals including International Review of Financial Analysis and Technological Forecasting & Social Change .
Malcolm McCulloch serves as Professor of Energy Systems and Group Leader of the Energy and Power Group within the Department of Engineering Science at the University of Oxford. He also holds the position of Co-Director for the Oxford Martin Programme on Integrating Renewable Energy and maintains affiliation with Christ Church college. His research spans four primary domains: domestic energy systems, electric vehicle technology, renewable generation, and energy solutions for developing regions. McCulloch's research focuses on practical energy transition challenges. His domestic energy work develops user-centric demand side management technologies and behavior change interventions, leading to the spin-out Intelligent Sustainable Energy (now Navetas Energy Management). In transportation, he pioneered the Morgan LifeCar hydrogen sports car project, resulting in high-efficiency motors and the Oxford Yasa Motors spin-out. His renewable generation research includes lightweight tidal turbines through Kepler Energy, while his Energy for Development work creates nano/micro grid solutions for distributed electrification. Analysis of his recent publications reveals a strong emphasis on integrating variable renewables through innovative market mechanisms, grid flexibility solutions, and electric vehicle integration. His work consistently addresses the technical and economic barriers to decarbonization, with increasing focus on peer-to-peer energy trading, thermal storage, and climate-resilient cooling solutions since 2020. McCulloch previously served as Co-Director of the Institute for Carbon and Energy Reduction in Transport (2008-2013) under the Oxford Martin School. His leadership extends to creating the Integrated Transport Network for Oxford and developing practical applications through multiple successful spin-out companies that bridge academic research and commercial implementation.
Professor Elaine Fahey is a leading scholar in EU law and global governance at the City Law School, City St George's, University of London, where she serves as Professor of EU Law and Deputy Head of Department (academic programmes). She is co-convener of the Institute for the Study of European Law (ISEL) and the UACES James Madison Trust EUFUtures initiative (2022–2025). Her academic career includes visiting professorships at Washington College of Law (American University), Keio University, and NYU, as well as fellowships at the European University Institute and the University of Graz. LLB, Trinity College Dublin LLM, Sidney Sussex College, University of Cambridge PhD, Trinity College Dublin Barrister-at-Law, Honorable Society of King’s Inns, Ireland Attorney-at-Law, State of New York Senior Fellowship, Higher Education Authority UK Her research focuses on the intersection of EU law with global governance, digital regulation, transatlantic relations, and the Area of Freedom, Security and Justice. She explores how the EU navigates legal frameworks beyond the nation-state, particularly in digital trade, cybersecurity, and data protection. Her work critically examines the EU’s role as a global regulatory actor and its interactions with international institutions. Her extensive publication record includes the monograph The EU as a Global Digital Actor (Hart, 2022) and numerous articles on digital sovereignty, data transfers, and transatlantic cooperation. Recent research analyzes the EU–US Trade and Technology Council (TTC), the evolution of the Privacy Shield, and strategic litigation in digital rights. Her work reveals a strong trend toward understanding how soft law, institutional design, and judicial decisions shape EU external relations and digital governance. Erasmus+ Jean Monnet Chair in Law & Transatlantic Relations (2019–2022) Emile Noël Fellow, NYU Law School Max Weber Fellow, European University Institute Senior Land Steiermark Fellow, University of Graz Senior Fellowship, Higher Education Authority UK Professor Fahey has supervised multiple PhD students, including Isabella Mancini, Giulio Kowalski, and Christos Karetsos, on topics such as algorithmic collusion, digital markets, and investment law. She has led significant research projects, including the ESRC-funded TRILATTRADE grant and the Marie Curie ITN on EU and Transatlantic Investment and Trade (EUTIP). She previously held leadership roles as Associate Dean (International) and interim Associate Dean (Research) at the City Law School. She is an elected member of the EU Studies Association (EUSA) Executive (2021–2025). She has also contributed to public policy through briefings for the Welsh Parliament and reports on CJEU litigation in Ireland. She is associated with research initiatives such as the Institute for the Study of European Law (ISEL) and has collaborated on interdisciplinary projects on Facebook regulation, transatlantic relations, and EU technological sovereignty. Her work bridges legal scholarship, policy, and international academic collaboration.
Patrizia Riganti is a Professor in Tourism at the University of Glasgow's School of Interdisciplinary Studies. She holds an MPhil in Urban Design, MSc in Urban Planning, and PhD in Economic Valuation Methods in Heritage Conservation. Affiliations include ICCROM (Fellow) and ICOMOS International Scientific Committees (Economics of Conservation, Energy & Sustainable Development). Her research focuses on heritage-led sustainable development, cultural tourism policies, and non-market valuation techniques. She has secured over €8.5M in research grants from RCUK, EU, and World Bank. Notable projects include the CAVEAT Project on cultural heritage valuation and the Scoping Culture and Heritage Capital Report for UK government. She chairs international conferences on Culture, Economics, and Cities with Prof David Throsby. Her work spans urban regeneration (e.g., Milan’s Navigli, Syracuse’s Ortigia), smart cities integration with heritage conservation, and post-pandemic blue economy recovery. Over 58 peer-reviewed articles and 28 invited speeches highlight her contributions to cultural heritage economics and sustainable development.
Katherine V. Gough is Professor of Human Geography at Lund University, Sweden, with a 30-year research focus on housing/home, work/entrepreneurship, youth/elderly geographies, mobility, urbanisation, and climate change across Africa, Latin America, and Asia-Pacific. She collaborates with Loughborough University's Clear Climate team on extreme heat mitigation in Ghana and leads the 'Trocha de Paz' project for Colombia's 'Total Peace' agenda. Research Themes Extreme Heat in Ghana Peacebuilding in Colombia Rural-Urban Dynamics Her multidisciplinary approach bridges academia, policy, and communities through projects like VEWEC, REFIT, and Paz Alto Cauca. Current work emphasizes: Climate-resilient housing design Post-conflict governance Informal sector innovation Scientific Engagement: British Academy funded VEWEC and REFIT projects Principal Investigator for Trocha de Paz (Colombia) Her collaborative research strengthens stakeholder networks in: West African urban livelihoods Colombian territorial peacebuilding Tropical climate adaptation
Samir Dani is a Professor of Operations and Supply Chain Management at Keele University’s Keele Business School. He holds Chartered Manager status and is a Fellow of multiple professional bodies, including the Higher Education Academy and Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport. Prior to academia, he worked in India’s automotive industry. His research focuses on supply chain resilience, sustainability, food logistics, and Industry 4.0 technologies like AI and Blockchain. Affiliations: Keele University (current), University of Huddersfield (2014–2019), Loughborough University (2005–2008) Leadership: Former Head of Logistics, Marketing, Hospitality, and Analytics Department at University of Huddersfield Industry Engagement: £5M Leeds City Region LEP Supply Chain Program, UK-India trade advisory roles Research Interests: Supply chain risk and resilience Food supply chain sustainability AI, IoT, and Blockchain applications Industry 4.0 transformations Recent Article Trends: Focus on climate action impacts, blockchain trust mechanisms, and SME net-zero strategies. His work bridges academic theory with industry challenges, emphasizing technology adoption and sustainability. Awards: Prix des Associations (2015), UK Top 100 Logistics Professional (2017/18) Grants: £800K+ from EPSRC, IMCRC, and KTP Advisory Roles: Editorial Board member of Supply Chain Management: An International Journal, Academic Review Board member of International Journal of Operations and Production Management.
Goran Strbac is a Professor of Energy Systems at Imperial College London's Faculty of Engineering, holding the Chair in Electrical Energy Systems. He leads the Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering and directs the joint Imperial-Tsinghua Research Centre on Intelligent Power and Energy Systems. His roles include IPCC WG 3 Leading Author, OFGEM RIIO-2 Challenging Group Member, and member of multiple EU energy platforms. Strbac's research focuses on multi-energy systems integration, energy market design, renewable integration, distributed energy resources, and grid resilience. Notable contributions include whole-energy system modeling across operation and investment scales, market mechanisms for flexibility services, and security assessments for low-carbon infrastructure. His work emphasizes resilience and decarbonization, with over 500 publications and 4 co-authored books. He advises governments and regulatory bodies on energy policy, including contributions to UK Smart System Forum and European Technology and Innovation Platforms. His recent articles explore AI-driven grid optimization, hydrogen integration, and transactive energy systems. Strbac leads major initiatives like the UK Centre for Grid Scale Energy Storage and chairs resilience-focused research clusters. His research bridges academia and industry, informing policy through rigorous systems analysis and innovative modeling frameworks.
Dr. Mo Adda is a Principal Lecturer at the University of Portsmouth's School of Computing, part of the Faculty of Technology. He holds a PhD in Distributed Systems and Parallel Processing from the University of Surrey. His research focuses on network security, distributed systems, wireless networks, and cybercrime prevention. He leads projects in the Centre for Cybercrime and Economic Crime, exploring fault management in networks, blockchain applications, and IoT forensics. With 16 supervised theses, he advises on topics like energy-efficient cloud systems and machine learning for environmental modeling. His work bridges academia and industry, addressing challenges in software-defined networks, traffic control, and secure data sharing in social networks. Education: PhD in Distributed Systems (University of Surrey) Affiliations: Centre of Excellence in Defence, Risk & Resilience; Portsmouth Centre for Advanced Materials and Manufacturing Research Interests Dr. Adda's research spans: Network security and fault detection mechanisms Blockchain applications in IoT and forensics Energy-efficient cloud data center optimization Machine learning for climate modeling Self-organizing network protocols Grants & Collaborations His projects include collaborations with industry partners on secure data leakage detection in cloud systems and resilient wireless protocols for harsh environments. He has pioneered fault classification systems using clustering algorithms and fuzzy logic. Labs & Teams He contributes to the Centre for Cybercrime and Economic Crime, focusing on digital forensics and network intrusion analysis. His team develops frameworks for privacy management in social networks and proactive routing in software-defined networks.
Richard E. Turner is a Professor of Machine Learning at the University of Cambridge's Department of Engineering and Research Lead for AI for Weather Prediction at the Alan Turing Institute. He serves as Cambridge Lead for the EPSRC Probabilistic AI Hub and previously held roles including Visiting Researcher at Microsoft Research, Co-Director of the AI4ER CDT, and Course Director for the Machine Learning and Machine Intelligence MPhil program. Current research focuses on probabilistic machine learning fundamentals, environmental prediction (weather/climate), and spatio-temporal modeling combining deep learning with Bayesian methods Supervised 26 PhD students (13 graduated) and 7 research assistants/associates Secured over £30M in research funding from EPSRC, Microsoft, Toyota, Google, DeepMind, Amazon, and Improbable Featured in BBC Radio 5 Live's The Naked Scientist, BBC World Service's Click, and Wired Magazine His recent publications demonstrate expertise in diffusion models for PDE simulations, Gaussian Processes for environmental applications, and Bayesian methods for spatio-temporal forecasting. Key trends include climate modeling using ML, neural PDE solvers, and scalable probabilistic inference. Awards : Cambridge Students' Union Teaching Award for Lecturing; supervised Qualcomm Innovation Fellowship winner Collaborations : Microsoft Research (AI4Science), Alan Turing Institute, EPSRC Probabilistic AI Hub Turner leads the Turner Group within Cambridge's Machine Learning Group, focusing on uncertainty-aware ML for scientific applications. Current research assistants work on topics like meta-learning, Bayesian inference, and climate science applications.
Professor Ana Mijic is a leading academic in water systems integration at Imperial College London's Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering (Faculty of Engineering). Her work focuses on developing systems tools to balance economic growth with sustainable water use, flood management, and water quality under future uncertainties. She leads high-profile projects like the EPSRC VENTURA initiative and the NERC CAMELLIA impact programme, emphasizing adaptive planning and grey/green infrastructure integration in urban systems. Education: BEng (First Class) in Civil Engineering from the University of Belgrade (Serbia), MSc (Distinction) in Hydrology for Environmental Management, and PhD in Earth Science & Engineering from Imperial College London (2013). Previously served as a teaching assistant in Fluid Mechanics and Hydrometry at Belgrade University. Research interests include whole-water system modelling, socio-hydrological interactions, and nature-based solutions for resilient urban water systems. Her work bridges academia and practice through partnerships with regulators like the UK Environment Agency and global initiatives like the IAHS HELPING programme. Awards include the Satish Dhawan Visiting Chair Professorship (2022) and the 2019 Imperial President’s Award for Excellence in Research (as part of her Hydrology team). She co-leads Imperial’s Transition to Zero Pollution (TZP) Urban Ecosystems theme and serves on editorial boards for journals like Water Security . Her contributions span over 50 peer-reviewed articles (2020–2025), focusing on integrated water management frameworks, AI-driven monitoring, and systemic approaches to urban resilience. She advocates for participatory decision-making and policy coherence in water governance.
Dr. Livia Pancotto is a Senior Lecturer in Banking at the Department of Accounting and Finance, University of Strathclyde. She serves as Director of the MSc in International Banking and Finance and Deputy Director of the Responsible Business Institute (ReBI). She holds a PhD and MSc from Bangor University and degrees from Sapienza University of Rome. Her research focuses on European banking regulation, financial stability, and gender diversity's impact on climate finance. She chairs the International Accounting & Finance Doctoral Symposium and edits The European Journal of Finance. Awards include the 2014 Best Banking and Finance Master’s dissertation. She leads research on negative interest rates, non-performing loans, and green lending through EU-funded projects. Education: PhD Banking & Finance (Bangor), MSc (Sapienza), BSc (Sapienza) Research explores empirical banking dynamics, regulatory frameworks, and sustainable finance. Key topics include EU banking union evolution, climate change mitigation via gender-diverse bank boards, and market reactions to policy shocks. Recent work analyzes negative interest rate impacts on bank efficiency and Italy's NPL crisis. She has secured £153k in research funding (2023-2025). Grants: Research Excellence Awards (Strathclyde SRSS) Led workshops on Responsible Business and AI, presented at FSB Financial Innovation Network, and peer-reviewed for top journals. Supervises doctoral candidates through IAFDS. Active in editorial and advisory roles enhancing academic rigor in finance disciplines.
Dr. Hillary Briffa is a Senior Lecturer in National Security Studies and Assistant Director of the Centre for Defence Studies at King’s College London. She holds a Ph.D. in War Studies from King’s College London, focusing on small states’ grand strategy. Her roles include teaching National Security Studies, Small States and International Security at MA level, and leading BA3 Dissertation training. Research interests span small states’ security, climate security, grand strategy, and First World War propaganda. She leads the Climate Change and International Order portfolio at the Centre for Grand Strategy and co-organizes the annual U.S.-U.K. World Order summer school. Grants include maritime security for small states (with Georgetown University Qatar), national energy transitions, and foresight with the Estonian Defence Forces. Briffa advises the UK government on strategic reviews, international organizations, and defense policy. Awards include the U.S. State Department’s Emerging Young Leaders Award (2016), Hans J. Morgenthau Fellowship (2020/21), and Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (2023). She serves on King’s Academic Board, EDI committees, and chairs the Circle-U Climate Knowledge Hub. Her work bridges academia and policy, emphasizing small states’ strategic agency in global challenges. Publications include analyses of Maltese neutrality, Indo-Pacific maritime security, and small states’ pandemic responses. She co-authored sections in volumes on war studies, climate policy, and international order. Briffa’s research and outreach aim to enhance small states’ resilience and influence in evolving security landscapes.
