Ally Caldecote, Physics

I've worked in the physics department at the University for 11 years. Previously a secondary school physics teacher giving advice to sixth form students applying to university, I promote science in general and physics in particular through varied and creative channels such as the Warwick Christmas Lectures, public science fairs and visits to schools. I'm enthusiastic to share the work of my colleagues with the public and demystify the research that happens here. Ally was a foundation fellow of WIE upon its establishment in 2021.

Anne-Marie Broomhall, Physics

I'm an astrophysicist who studies the Sun and other stars. As our closest star, the Sun is vital for all life on Earth but it is also an object of great mysticism and beauty. In my public engagement activities I aim to convince people how amazing and scientifically interesting the Sun is, but also to demonstrate how much of the science associated with the Sun and stars can be related to scientific experiences we can have on Earth. I do this using a number of interactive tools, including our solar telescopes, which give people the opportunity of safely observing a real star, our star, up close and personally. Anne-Marie was a foundation fellow of WIE upon its establishment in 2021.

Christopher James, Engineering

I am a biomedical engineer with a chair in biomedical engineering at the School of Engineering, I am also the director of the Biomedical Engineering Institute within Warwick. I am a great supporter of STEM outreach wherever it happens and thoroughly enjoy using biomedical engineering as a perfect example of STEM in action. My research is in Brain and Behaviour and so I draw on that for my inspiration – so from my work in brain-computer interfacing my team of keen undergraduates have developed a “brain controlled Scalextric” game which always goes down a hit. I am interested in making my outreach sustainable so have been running a 4^th year undergraduate group project within the school of engineering called “biomedical engineering in a box”! to develop new and interesting interactive demos – these have included (and will include) the “brain-o-meter”, a model beating heart that beats in sync to yours, a simulation of a CT scanner (using a scavenged laser-pointer), and more. My biggest project to date is BME Pod, the Bioengineering Mobile Exploration Pod – still a work-in-progress (look here for more details: www.bmepod.org). I am not afraid to try new things, I see STEM outreach as a voyage of discovery for all concerned – above all I think STEM outreach should be FUN!

Claire Dancer, WMG

I’m a Reader in WMG where my research focuses on developing manufacturing processes to make ceramic materials using lower amounts of energy and/or at lower temperatures. I am particularly interested in making architectured systems, such as metamaterials, which require the use of multiple materials together with finely controlled structural elements. I am a Materials Scientist by training, and greatly enjoy carrying out materials-based outreach activities. I lead the UK EPSRC Metamaterials Network Outreach and Engagement Activities, and have presented at the British Science Festival, Cheltenham Science Festival, Pint of Science, and a wide range of other drop-in and classroom activities.

Claire Rocks, Computer Science

I’m an Associate Professor in the Department of Computer Science where I teach Mobile Robotics and Visualisation. I’m also a WIHEA Fellow. My first post-doc was managing the EPSRC-funded project Walking with Robots, which was awarded the Rooke Award for the Public Promotion of Engineering by the Royal Academy of Engineering in 2010. Working with over eight robotics research labs in the UK, the project engaged over 80,000 people with events such as Robotic Visions; a nationwide programme of five conferences that fostered two-way discussion between young people and robotics researchers; a parliamentary seminar on the future of robotics; and the first UK festival of robotics.I’ve previously managed FameLab, an international competition to identify, train and mentor researchers and aspiring science communicators wishing to engage public audiences with their work. I’m responsible for Outreach in the Department and is Co-Investigator on Play Code Share - a project that brings together Computer Science and the Arts to teach computing in a creative and playful way. My interest in this area has led to undertaking an MSc in Computational Arts.

Deepak Parashar, Warwick Medical School

I'm an Associate Professor at WMS and a Turing Fellow. My research focuses on mathematical methods in cancer clinical trials. I delivered a sold-out lecture on ‘The maths of personalised medicine’ at 2019 British Science Festival and I'm keen to enhance public communication of statistical data science via WIE.

Edgar Wong, Physics

I am a current undergraduate maths and physics student who is passionate about cultivating interest in physics from a wider audience, especially underrepresented groups. I love sharing about my own connection with physics with others and hopefully inspiring them to be interested in physics as well.

Eleanor Hoverd, Warwick Medical School

I'm a Research Nurse and work in GP practices in inner-city Coventry. I'm passionate about engaging with people of diverse cultural and ethnic backgrounds, to improve representation of all individuals in health research. I have experience of leading on Patient and Public Involvement activities within the West Midlands.

Ellie King, WMG

I’m currently a doctoral researcher with WMG and Oxford University Museum of Natural History researching visitor experience and evaluation of museum exhibits. I have developed and published a conceptual framework for understanding visitor engagement with exhibits, the model for Museum Exhibit User Experience (MEUX), and have developed several evaluation methods to measure the impact of this. These evaluation methods combine quantitative and qualitative approaches and can capture and understand the impact of museum activity in exhibits, exhibitions, and events. I am keen to train and support professionals working in public engagement to understand and evaluate their impact in a systematic and efficient way, as well as using this data to develop further activities and exhibits.

Eric Holub, Life Sciences

I'm a geneticist with expertise in plant health, culinary breeding and food hub development. I'm adapting haricot beans as a novel food crop for UK farmers, and selecting other Mexican native crops for production from British sunshine. The aim, Brex-Mex: nudging British diets to more homegrown pulses and fresh produce.

Felicity Boardman, Warwick Medical School

I'm passionate about engaging the public with research and facilitating their role as active participants in both the processes and outcomes of research. I'm particularly interested in the development of innovative and creative methods of public engagement. Previous projects have seen me collaborate with an artist and a theatre/media company to use film, sculpture, song, digital media and theatre to stimulate dialogue around my research findings on genetic screening. The outputs of these projects, I:DNA and Pandora’s Box, have been displayed in the Science Museum (London) and Millennium Point (Birmingham), amongst several other cultural venues and science festivals.

Gala Dalgety, Physics - PhD Student, RLT Member, Lab Demonstrator

I’m a Physics PhD student designing gadgets to be fixed to my small army of robots. One robot was even driven across stage in Warwick Christmas lectures! Previously a leader within the NCS, I love helping young adults enact positive change towards meaningful causes. Outside of work I’m a residential tutor with experience in community building and providing pastoral support to students doubting their involvement in higher education. I’m passionate about engagement and delighted to join WIE.

Heather Cegla, Physics

I am an Assistant Professor in the Physics Department, within the Astronomy and Astrophysics group, and Director of the Centre for Exoplanets and Habitability. My research centres around developing a pathway to the confirmation and characterisation of habitable alien worlds. Since growing up in Minnesota, I have been passionate about sharing science with the public and exploring the big questions, e.g., ‘are we alone in the universe’?

I have enjoyed sharing my research through numerous public talks and a variety of outreach events both in the classroom and at external venues (e.g., such as art/exhibition centres and university campus settings). I am an advocate for combining the Arts with the Sciences, and was previously the host and presenter for the Freeview TV series entitled ‘Behind the Science’. I have experience organising local, national, and international conferences and workshops via platforms in-person, online, and hybrid ranging in size from several 10s to 100s of attendees. Promoting STEM subjects and increasing equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) is very important to me. I was recently a co-organiser for the Warwick Astronomy Knowledge Exchange am currently the staff lead for 'Equitea' – a monthly forum to discuss topics related to EDI in Astronomy, Physics, and STEM as a whole.

I look forward to the opportunity to enhance my public engagement skills and helping Warwick do the same as a university. Please do not hesitate to contact me.

Helena Verrill, Mathematics

I've been teaching at Warwick mathematics department for over 12 years. Outside of university teaching, I've run several "fun maths road show" sessions for school groups; ran a young children's maths club; and ran the mathematics section of the university's Slice of Science event in 2022. I also enjoy artistic applications of mathematics, including origami and creative coding. Origami can be used from a hands on way to teach children geometry. There are also plenty of advanced mathematics topics that lend themselves to expression and investigation through origami. Creative coding can be used to illustrate mathematics visually, e.g., from explorations of hyperbolic space, to concepts from elliptic curve cryptography.

Hesam Khajeh Saeid, WMG

I’m an Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering in WMG. I am involved in teaching and learning support for degree-apprenticeship programmes which have been designed with a distinct shift to a greater level of engagement utilising technology-enabled learning. We closely work with our partners from industry to inspire and train the next generation of engineers.

My research focuses on predictive modelling of smart materials and structures as well as developing numerical tools for material modelling.

I am a chartered engineer and member of the Institute of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE). I am also an IMechE STEM ambassador active in careers support activities.

Ian Hands-Portman, Life Sciences

People know me as the slime mould guy but there’s more to life than maze solving amoebae. I’ve run ultrasounds scans on pregnant jelly babies at the Big Bang Fair, trawled the depths of school ponds for rare and exotic viruses, stormed goblin castles with Roman siege engines and performed late night comedy routines on the mating habits of bees. I believe knowledge should be freely and openly shared and that as a university we have a duty to engage with the public.

Jianhua Wong, WMG

I am an Associate Professor (T-focused) at the Warwick Manufacturing Group. As a Student Engagement Coordinator for the Faculty, I am interested in student engagement in general, and in particular for those students with widening participation, ethnic minority backgrounds, and part-time students. I’m keen on working with peer Fellows and setting up cross-faculty student engagement projects that fall into WIE’s strategic priorities.

Katy Angliss, WMG

'I’m looking forward to being involved with WIE, working with other Fellows on widening engagement, sharing my research interests in multi-projects and portfolio management together with my varied engagement experience spanning from postgraduate students, alumni and schools to industrial partners and professional bodies.

I believe in engagement for all with no boundaries, learning together, sharing knowledge and experiences, embracing innovative ideas and diversity, with inspiring and thought-provoking communication, broadening horizons and enabling engagement for everyone'.

Laiba Wahab, Engineering

Lauren Doyle, Physics

I am an astronomer in the Astronomy and Astrophysics group here at the University of Warwick where I focus on studying other planets orbiting other stars outside our Solar System. Communicating my research to the public and inspiring new scientists is something I am very passionate about. During my academic career, I have organised and delivered many large events ranging from public talks to in-school workshops and have recently co-written a science activity book. Astronomy is such a tangible science; anyone can look up at the stars and search the sky to find hidden wonders. Star gazing is also accessible for everyone and is the most popular topic requested in the planetarium. Being able to talk about and explain my research and how important it is to society while making it still accessible to all is something which is extremely important to me.

Lazaros Andronis, Warwick Medical School

I am a Reader in Health Economics, based in the Centre for Health Economics at Warwick. I regularly engage with members of the public who I see as valuable partners in my research. Over the next four years, I’ll be working closely with a team of children and young people (CYP) to design, disseminate and manage a research project aiming to tease out the (monetary) value CYP place on their time.

Marie Diebolt, WMG

I have worked for the past eight years as an Outreach Officer at the University supporting our community to remove economic, social and cultural barriers that have prevented talented and vulnerable people from working and studying at university. First, with the Widening Participation and Outreach Team where I designed the Bright Stars Primary School Outreach programme in collaboration with our departments and ran the Realising Opportunities access programme. I am now working with WMG and lead on their Student Outreach projects; support their school outreach activities as well as help organising and delivering high profile outreach events such as the International Day of Women and Girls in Science or the Slice of Science School day for British Science Week. Prior to this, I worked as a Primary School Teacher for seven years in Milton Keynes where I worked with children from a range of backgrounds (with a majority of pupils who were refugees, children in care and children with autism). I am very passionate about social inclusion and public engagement which are two very important aspect of my role. They help me bring some of the inspirational work from our staff, researchers and students to our local community and especially to its most vulnerable members. I love hearing the impact our work has on young people and how it has shaped their dreams, aspirations and careers. The ideal workday for me is one where I get to meet a Warwick student who interacted with us in Year 9 or Year 10 and who is now studying Engineering at WMG working on a university outreach event as they want to inspire young people in return. Aside from my work, I volunteer as an ED&I champion as well as lead the university first BSL choir. I feel very lucky to be a WIE Fellow and work for a department and a university committed to equal opportunities and to raising aspirations and supporting success at university and beyond.

Meera Unnikrishnan, Health sciences

I am an Associate Professor at the Warwick Medical School and lead the public engagement and outreach group at WMS. I am a microbiologist by training, and my research group is trying to understand how harmful bacteria cause infections and how they overcome our defence systems. We are particularly interested in bacteria that are antibiotic resistant and difficult to treat. I am passionate about communicating the research we do with our local communities. I enjoy interacting with school children and I believe that it is important to inspire the younger generations to keep asking scientific questions.

Negar Riazifar, WMG

Nikita Asnani, ITLR Student Co-Creation Officer, Engineering

I am very fond of writing pieces that explore intersections between themes of interest such as sustainability and the circular economy, inter-disciplinary and intersectional design, mental health, storytelling and my identity. I think it is so important for young people to hear from a diverse range of people of different ethnicities, accents, socio-economic backgrounds, body images and educational affiliations to truly build a mode of learning that is truly transformative.

https://nikitaasnani.wixsite.com/website 

As a humanitarian engineer, design thinker and facilitator, I have facilitated workshops on science, sustainability, educational technology, design, and inclusion for audiences of all ages, from playful LEGO themed STEM workshop for 7–8-year-olds in Coventry, circular economy workshops for Year 7 and 8 students in Coventry to university students as part of the EUTOPIA Innovation Conference.

Additionally, I have facilitated the 2020 Warwick Employability Challenge and the more recent 2022 Warwick Sustainability Challenges, wherein I led teams of students and staff members to use design thinking tools such as storytelling, crazy-8s, empathy mapping and user journeys, to frame, reframe and finally co-create solutions to employability, sustainable public transport and waste in Coventry (respectively).

As a student researcher for the WIHEA-funded project Empowering Authentic Student Voices in a Disciplinary and Interdisciplinary Context, I co-created a podcast called Snakes and Ladders wherein I invited diverse members of the student and staff community to share their perspectives on decolonising, queering and challenging ableist views in the curriculum at Warwick.

https://open.spotify.com/show/76l3K5sr2vSMdblS7O27u0

Ninna Makrinov, WMG

Oksana Trushkevych, Physics

I'm a researcher in Physics and Engineering and lead “The Science of Music” module. I love sharing my passion for liquid crystals, music and ultrasound. I'm a regular helper at Open Days, school visits and Warwick Christmas lectures and have led an event at British Science Festival 2019.

Paul Goddard, Physics

I am an experimental physicist trying to figure how out how new materials work. The exploration of new and exotic states of matter is as fundamental to our understanding of the universe as is the detection of elementary particles or the discovery of celestial objects. What is more, many of these states exhibit properties, including superconductivity, magnetism, or merely a marked response to external stimuli, that could have significant impact upon future technologies in areas as diverse as the generation, transmission and storage of electricity; fast and secure communications; quantum information processing; medical imaging and treatment; and advanced sensors and actuators. Typically I use low temperatures and high magnetic fields, often combined with molecular chemistry and applied hydrostatic pressure, to understand how the structure of these materials relates to their electronic and magnetic properties. In my outreach activities I try to get across the interest in today's most exciting materials. In particular, I have built a magnetic levitating train set and use it to highlight the amazing properties of high-temperature superconductors.

Quasim Malik, Life Sciences

I hope to be able to contribute to the excellent work undertaken by the colleagues in the Warwick institute of engagement by promoting the learning circles in Warwick medical school along with the vision and pedagogy of public engagement. My unique perspective within roles in the charity and volunteer sector, has led me to acquire experience in public speaking and stakeholder engagement and management. I hope to use this experience of working with both national stakeholders and underserved communities to benefit the institute and help develop relationships and partnership between the institute and local community. I believe my unique insight and experience of volunteership and working in healthcare and pedagogical sectors will allow me to contribute to the dynamic discussion that take place in the learning circles and wider strategic vision of the institute.

Raquel Nunes, Warwick Medical School

I strive for opportunities to engage the public and communities with my research. My work has been influenced by and focused on societal problems associated with climate change, specifically extreme weather events such as heatwaves and cold spells (since 2011). I aim to engage the public and communities in the design, implementation and outputs of research. Among others, I am also especially interested in media engagement and have been working with the media to reach wider audiences with my research to help inform and educate diverse groups and those most vulnerable to extreme weather events and extreme temperatures (heatwaves and cold spells) about the risks and impacts, as well as opportunities and solutions to stay healthy and well.

Rebecca Nealon, Physics

I am an Assistant Professor and Research Fellow that focuses on how black holes grow, how planets are formed and how we can connect theory to observations. To do this I use three-dimensional numerical simulations that are run on supercomputers – sometimes taking months to complete. In my outreach activities I have led the development of Coding with Sophie, a program that teaches children how to code. We have designed problems with a physics twist so that children engage in both science and practical coding skills. I have also delivered a Warwick Christmas lecture and led the outreach organisation at the National Astronomy Meeting in 2022.

Reza Kashtiban, Physics

I'm an Assistant Professor at the Department of Physics. I study nanomaterials for their optical, electronic and magnetic functional properties. This involves compositional and structural analysis of materials in atomic scale using advanced electron microscopes. Studying materials in atomic scale is important in tailoring their structure in order to improve or change their properties. One of important aspects of my job as a scientist, public engagement activist and STEM ambassador has always been to explain the complex behaviour of the atoms and their effects on the materials properties to the layman and general public. I have been involved in Royal Society Science Exhibition visited by 40,000 people. I am also a regular volunteer in open day events for 13 years here at Warwick, visited local primary schools and have given presentations to secondary school pupils. Inspiring next generation, diversifying the science and research and playing my part in enabling social mobility among less privileged communities are the amongst driving forces in my job.

Saba Alhagagi, Life Sciences, UG Student

I first delved into engagement to get children and young adults as excited about Biology as I am, which somehow led to my current role in co-ordinating community engagement activities and supporting science communication initiatives at non-profit organisations. Science and Society are intimately intertwined, and with an engaged and informed public, I believe that we can make further strides in our own research and subsequently build a healthier and more inclusive world.

Sam Trouton, Chemistry

I’m a Teaching Fellow in the Department of Chemistry, often found guiding students through physical and analytical chemistry experiments within the teaching labs. I also lead on software and science communication skills assessments. You can see some of my students’ excellent work creating 5-minute educational videos here.

Alongside my teaching, I engage in chemical education research with a focus on game-based learning and promoting student interest and engagement within the teaching labs. As part of the Department of Chemistry’s outreach working group, I coordinate and deliver a range of outreach activities including school visits to our teaching labs, dry ice demonstration lectures, and gamified analytical chemistry masterclasses.

Sarah Wilson, WMG

Hi! I am the Research Manager for WMG, supporting all of the academics and researchers with their research activities. This can range from thinking about sustainable research group strategies, horizon scanning for funding opportunities to support these, helping with networking and developing collaborations, and reviewing applications, to supporting the outcomes from projects such as publication strategy and facilitating and capturing impact from all of our great research. I also support talent development for researchers and academics at WMG. My current role and my previous life as a secondary school maths teacher have both allowed me to indulge in an area I enjoy hugely: engaging with stakeholders of all ages about maths, science and engineering. I’m really looking forward to being a member of Warwick’s Institute for Engagement to promote the work of the University and continue my passion for inspiring both the current and next generations in STEM.

Scott Habershon, Chemistry

Saskia Bakker, Advanced Bioimaging

I love playing with the electron microscopes in the Advanced Bioimaging RTP and I'm fascinated by viruses. I've been involved in engagement since my PhD and now run 'Virus Hunters' to find viruses in pond water. I especially enjoy encouraging primary school children to investigate the world around them.

Shirley Sturzaker, Warwick Medical School, WMG

I am the Marketing & Communications Manager for Warwick Medical School, currently on secondment from WMG. Whilst I work primarily within the Science faculty, I really enjoy working collaboratively with all teams across the university to promote engagement both internally and externally. I have been delighted to be involved in projects such as British Science Festival, Your Future Moves, Family Days and Open Days to promote the work of the faculty and the university. I have always been passionate about public engagement in previous roles across the public and private sector, and really enjoy creating opportunities to inspire the next generation through our innovative research and education.

Steven Servin-Gonzalez, School of Life Sciences

I’m Dr Steven Servin, a cell biologist and flow cytometry specialist at the School of Life Sciences. I love science and storytelling. I always read about these great adventures with people discovering new things and often felt despair that the discovery age was over. However, I soon found out that I could be a cell cartographer and chart the unknown corners of the cytoplasm.

I believe that sharing our passion for science in a fun and understandable way helps us engage with the public, and if there’s something as close to magic is science, therefore I love to share the magic of scientific discovery with everyone.

My position as a Flow Cytometry specialist allows me to literally shoot lasers at cells and other particles, to discover what they are made of and how they work super cool!

Tom Ritchie, Chemistry

I am an Assistant Professor and Director of Student Experience in the Chemistry department, where I teach innovation, research skills, and more recently AI Ethics. My PhD was in the History of Computing with the Science Museum in London. As part of my thesis, I rebuilt the machine at the centre of my work – a working differential analyser made from the children’s toy Meccano – that I used to engage the public with my work in the UK and USA throughout 2018 and 2019, including the British Science Festival. I am excited to be a WIE fellow to both contribute to the Learning Circles and increase public engagement opportunities for students and staff in Chemistry.

Trudy Spencer, WMG

The overriding theme across my time at Warwick has been work-based, industry focussed education to ensure learners and their employers benefit. My engagement experience ranges from working with organisations to deliver guest lectures and site visits for students, working with PSRBs and government to create new learning opportunities, to working in partnerships with large organisations to develop and deliver education to their senior leaders. I enjoy creating connections between the University, community and industry for mutual benefit.

Adam Richards-Gray, Sociology

Amy Stickels, Warwick Foundation Studies

As a parent, ex-secondary school teacher, member of the local community and a member of teaching staff at the university, I understand and experience engagement from a variety of perspectives – the really interesting part is bringing it altogether for mutual benefit, creating a community of belonging and sharing.

Anna Tranter, Warwick Foundation Studies

As a teacher on the Warwick International Foundation Programme, I am particularly keen to maximise effective engagement: to deliver good quality student centred teaching and learning and to enable all students to successfully access higher education.

Christopher Strelluf, Applied Linguistics

I'm an assistant professor of linguistics. My work explores the things people do with language and the things language does to people. I've shared linguistic research in radio, television, print, public lectures, and workshops in the United States, United Kingdom, and Cameroon.

Ellen-Smith Denis, Applied Linguistics

I’m an Associate Professor of Linguistics. My research centres around describing the grammars of lesser-known languages; discovering how the world’s languages are similar/different and why; and investigating what happens when speakers of different languages interact - how the vocabulary and grammar of their languages change, and how they may or may not maintain the use of their language(s). Since 2011, I’ve collaborated with an endangered language community in Papua New Guinea to document and describe their language and create language revitalisation materials. Since 2020, I’ve been working with Coventry’s community language schools and Coventry City Council to research the impact of these schools in supporting minority language maintenance in Coventry, and to implement changes that will improve publicity, enrolment and quality of provision.

I’m passionate about public engagement because I want my research to make a positive difference to people’s lives and because I enjoy meeting new people from diverse backgrounds and learning about their experiences. Over the years, I’ve shared my research in the media and at many public engagement events including festivals, national public conferences, and international teacher conferences. In 2021, I contributed to the launch event ofCoventry City of Languages, a project which aims to improve language teaching in Coventry and involves partnerships with local stakeholders. From 2016-2020, I served as my department’s Widening Participation Lead, which included introducing linguistics topics to school students from under-represented groups. I’ve also used my research to convene and deliver Professional Development linguistics workshops for school teachers, both on campus and in schools, since I joined Warwick in 2016 and when I was at UCL (2015-2016), where I worked on an AHRC-funded Knowledge Transfer project,Teaching English Grammar in Schools.

Emil Kostadinov, Economics

I am a labour economist and a Teaching Fellow in the Department of Economics. As Economics studies a much broader set of issues than commonly perceived, I am especially keen on promoting the subject as an area for further studies to students in secondary education. I have taken part in enrichment events for high-school students and in the design of learning resources aimed at bridging the gap between diverse backgrounds in mathematics for students joining economics degrees.

Erin Stroud, Economics

I am a Research Fellow in the School of Life Sciences. My research lets me explore how plants perceive and respond to stress events. Although my background is in molecular biology, I have also spent time hosting podcasts, helping companies with their science communication, and advocating for early career researchers. From working in the laboratory, to chatting with carrot growers about cricket troubles and showing kids what their spit looks under a microscope, I'm passionate about mixing good science with public engagement.

Florian Reiche, Politics and International Studies

I'm keen to engage with those at the focus of my research and am more broadly committed to sharing academic knowledge with those within and outside the university in an inclusive and accessible way. My research explores the well-being of family members of disabled children and often involves engagement with families, charities, and practitioners to ensure that findings lead to tangible outputs and changes in practice. Recently I worked with a group of local fathers of disabled children to co-produce online video resources aimed at supporting other fathers’ well-being.

Georgiana Mihut, Educational Studies

I am a higher education researcher and an Assistant Professor in the Department of Education Studies. In my research, I look at tertiary education policy, international and comparative higher education, higher education stratification, prestige, and rankings, and the experiences and outcomes of students. Some of my work is comparative, and my publications cover higher education developments in over 20 national contexts. I am also a EUTOPIA Young Leader Academy fellow

Giulia Lorenzi, Philosophy

Giulia Lorenzi is an Early Career Research Fellow at the Institute of Advanced Studies and a Teaching Assistant in the Department of Philosophy at University of Warwick. Influenced by her musical practice as a horn player, her PhD research concerned the development of a philosophical account of the perception of music. She works at the intersection of philosophy of mind, perception, action, and music. For her teaching practice, she won the Warwick Award for Teaching Excellence in 2023 in the category “postgraduate who teach” and was commended for the same prize in 2022. Along side her research, to bring philosophy outside the academic setting, she devotes time to participate, design and deliver public engagement events such as "Musical Reflections: A Seminar Series on the Philosophy of Music" which was organised in collaboration with Warwick Arts Centre.

Holly Heshmati, Centre for Teacher Education

I’m an Associate Professor in the Centre for Teacher Education. Prior to working at Warwick, I taught Maths and Physics in a secondary school in Birmingham. My previous engagement work includes collaboration with researchers and school leaders in Tanzania and South Africa to drive changes and raise standards through creating inclusive classrooms. I'm currently leading an Initial Teacher Education (ITE) project for the Origin Maths Hub. The project involves working closely with the schools and ITE providers in Solihull, Coventry, and Warwickshire to promote the use of Teaching for Mastery within primary and secondary Mathematics curriculum. I’m also involved in organising and providing support sessions for women from underrepresented ethnic minorities to support access and participation in HE.

Jane Bryan, School of Law

I am a Reader in Warwick Law School and the Academic Lead of Warwick’s Community Values Education Programme. I see public engagement as an extension of my other efforts to make university an inclusive experience – shutting no one out, leaving no one behind and valuing knowledge and experience from a range of sources. My current engagement activities involve working with schools to share my research on the importance of names in building belonging.

Jessica He, WBS

My journey into public engagement began with my participation in the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, sparking my passion for volunteering and leading me to actively contribute to my local community. As a fellow, I am dedicated to making a difference through public engagement, believing in the power of collective action to create a more compassionate and connected community.

Jonty Leese, Centre for Teacher Education

I have worked in the Centre for Teacher Education at the University of Warwick for 10 years.  Prior to that, I worked in local schools for 11 years, teaching 11-18 year olds ICT and Computer Science.  I always enjoyed the principles that learning that took place outside of the classroom and travelled to multiple countries and continents with students to give them the different experience of language, culture and lifestyle that many would never get to encounter.  My current role gives me scope to represent Comp Sci at a national platform though BCS, NCCE, STEM Learning etc as well as allowing me to work with local schools, contribute to online learning platforms and to represent Comp Sci through outreach events such as the Warwick Christmas Lectures.

Joshua Fullard, WBS

Kavish Wall, Physics

I am currently a first-year undergraduate student at Warwick studying physics with astrophysics. In my view, good public engagement is subjective with regards to how it can be achieved - there are many different methods. But the outcomes must have some positive impact individually or in society for the public engagement to have been deemed ‘successful’. Growing up, I was always inspired by individuals who had contributed something to society, regardless of their field of expertise, coming to my school and engaging young students in an effort to inspire them. Now, as a WIE fellow, I have been given a golden opportunity to do the same, and WIE is the perfect platform that I can use to share my passion for physics and how it can be used to propel society forward. I hope to promote STEM subjects in general and its importance to all demographics of people and inspire them to get involved in something related to it. I hope to get into astronomy/astrophysics research in the future, where I can contribute to society by studying and researching what I love.

Laura Gelhaus, PAIS

I am a Teaching Fellow in Philosophy, Politics and Economics (PPE). My research explores the European Union’s external relations with its Eastern neighbourhood (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova, Ukraine) especially in the area of agriculture, food and rural development. Researching the European Union comes with ample potential for public engagement, especially in the United Kingdom, and I have shared some insights on EU-Eastern neighbourhood relations with local and national media as well as with policymakers. At the same time, I am keen to explore how to integrate public engagement into my teaching, especially considering the real-life relevance of the topics we explore in PPE.

Lory Barile, Economics

I am an applied behavioural and experimental economist, with published research looking at nudge theory, and understanding how monetary/non-monetary incentives impact individuals’ behaviour and promote the formation of pro-environmental habits. I also maintain research interests in the field of applied economics education and have an interest on understanding the drivers of students’ attainment gaps and engagement (with classes and technology), with special focus on students coming from social mobility backgrounds.

Over the years, I dedicated significant effort to advancing diversity and inclusion within the field of economics, working with national and local schools, and striving to support individuals from various backgrounds, particularly those facing disadvantages, in realising their academic ambitions and discovering the exciting realm of economics. Additionally, I have considerable experience in collaborating with the local community sharing and facilitating their engagement with my research, and more broadly fostering connections between academia and external stakeholders. I am passionate about sustainability and education for sustainable development. I am excited to become part of WIE and eager to contribute to expanding public involvement in sustainability initiatives, thus enriching opportunities for collective action and positive change.

Luke Robert Mason, Centre for Interdisciplinary Methodology

I study the technological developments that will alter what it means to be human. I am currently an ESRC-funded PhD student in the Centre for Interdisciplinary Methodologies studying the public perception of humanoid robots. My public engagement journey began at the university as an undergraduate student when I organised a 2011 revival of Warwick’s mid-90s cyberculture conference, Virtual Futures. Since then, I became known for curating highly engaging futures-themed public events in partnership with various institutions including the British Library, Science Museum, Victoria & Albert Museum, IBM Watson & Nesta. I am currently the host of the FUTURES Podcast which explores the topics of artificial intelligence, human enhancement, space travel and virtual reality; and am regularly asked to contribute to BBC Television, BBC Radio, The Guardian, Discovery Channel, VICE Motherboard and Wired Magazine. I am a proud member of the artist collective, The Institute of Unnecessary Research (IUR).

More info:

http://lukerobertmason.net

http://futurespodcast.net

http://virtualfutures.co.uk

Mahek Vhora, Philosophy

I am currently a second-year PPE student from India. Having experienced how being around diverse people can be such an enriching and positive influence, I have become more passionate about widening the scope of participation and making academia more accessible. I have had experience with engagement through charities and I hope to expand that with the fellowship. I am very excited to be able to explore my interests with like-minded people and have the opportunity to create spaces for more productive engagement with the wider community.

Massimiliano Lacertosa, Philosophy

Massimiliano Lacertosa is a Teaching Fellow in the Philosophy department. He is actively engaged in the diversification and decolonisation of the curriculum. He has developed modules in Comparative Philosophy and Chinese Philosophy. His aim is to develop an inclusive engagement approach to Philosophy.

Nicholas Jackson, Economics/Maths

I'm a Senior Teaching Fellow in the Mathematics and Economics departments, and I've been very keen on outreach and public engagement for many years. I've given talks and run workshops on maths at festivals including Pint of Science, the British Science Festival, science fiction conventions such as Eastercon and the World SF Convention, and participated in conferences including MathsJam and Talking Maths in Public. I've helped run local Code Club and Coder Dojo sessions, teaching children to program computers. I'm a member of the BrumSciComm science communication group, and am currently publicity officer for the British Science Association Mathematics Section.

Rebecca Morris, Educational Studies

I’m an Assistant Professor in the Department of Education Studies. Prior to completing my PhD and working in universities, I taught English in secondary schools in Birmingham. My research and teaching interests include engaging with teachers, leaders and policymakers to produce and promote the use of high-quality evidence within education. I’m also the Widening Participation Lead in my department and I’m committed to working closely with schools and colleges across the region to support young people in accessing opportunities in higher education.

Rosanne Maguire, School of Life Sciences

“I am Research Fellow from the Warwick Crop Centre trying to understand how we can include more wholesome ingredients, such as locally grown dry beans, in our meals. I have been in a

research teamLink opens in a new windowLink opens in a new window

that is going into primary schools to explore with children, staff and caterers how can we all get excited about cooking and eating beans. I love coming up with fun activities to start a conversation about food, especially when it involves all the senses. I have organised a group of Bean Ambassador children to visit our working farm here at the University for loads of fork-to-farm hands-on experience. As the Community Innovation Director of a new start-up social enterprise, Nurtural Limited, I am now engaging with cooks and entrepreneurs in Coventry and Stratford-upon-Avon to help get

URBeansLink opens in a new windowLink opens in a new window

into our local communities.”

Sujaya Shrestha, Economics

Veeraja Kamthe, Economics

I am Veeraja, a UG Economics student. I am passionate about the social sciences and developmental issues, eager to participate in activities involving public engagement that would give me a better understanding of society. I’ve previously undertaken a lot of volunteering work and now am involved in multiple research projects delving into solving social issues specific to Rural India and women. I hope to learn how to use Economics for the betterment of society and continue elements of public engagement throughout my career and work.

Yu-Ting Lai, Education Studies

I am immersed in my studies at the University of Warwick, focusing on Drama and Theatre Education. Simultaneously, I hold the role of founder and CEO at a company based in Taiwan, where we have provided direct support to over 3000 adolescents and parents since 2017. My passion lies in engaging with children, adolescents, and youth, guiding them to explore the world and discover themselves through diverse creative approaches. My goal is to inspire and motivate them to open doors to academic studies and various forms of knowledge, embodying my commitment to meaningful public engagement.

Alice Pember, Film and Television Studies

I am an Assistant Professor in the Department of Film and Television. My current research is concerned neoliberal political-aesthetics and their propagation and resistance within contemporary screen media depicting the socially and economically marginalised, particularly working-class women and girls.

My forthcoming monograph, The Dancing Girl in Contemporary Cinema considers the centrality of images of dancing girls to the aesthetic reach of neoliberalism, particularly their embodiment of the social and economic ideal of ‘resilience’.

Outside of the university, I work with the Garden Cinema in London as a programmer and consultant, seeking to enhance public engagement women's cinema histories through public screenings, talks and other events. I most recently organised a series of female-directed films released in the US the 1970s and 80s entitled ‘Trailblazers', which emerged from my teaching and research on women filmmakers working at the margin of New Hollywood.

My aim as a Fellow of the WIE is to continue to engage non-academic publics with women's counter cinema as resistant political praxis and to create opportunities to promote wider public knowledge of ‘resilience’ beyond the common-parlance use of the term, facilitating forms of public understanding of the connections between resilient aesthetics and societal inequality through engagement with non-academic communities.

Alison Porter, Theatre and Performance Studies

I’m a writer, producer and doctoral researcher in the Department of Theatre & Performance Studies investigating the use of performance to communicate complex social issues.

My filmThe Boyfriend Trick, about human trafficking from Albania, is based on real-life testimony and was recently shown at Warwick Arts Centre as part of the Resonate Festival. The film was made in collaboration with three charities, a professional dancer and a filmmaker. Outside the university I’m a trustee forSynergy Theatre Project– a charity that works with prisoners and ex-prisoners, and forThickSkin– a theatre company based in Wigan working mainly with young people. I’m hoping to use my experience of producing, governance skills and creative tendencies in exciting new contexts with WIE

David Coates,SCAPVC

Ilia Ryzhenko, Film and Television Studies

I am a final-year Film and TV Studies PhD student and have used my research to organise a public engagement event in the form of a general audience-focused film festival. The event, named Samizdat Eastern European Film Festival, was established in 2022 and has now successfully completed two editions in Glasgow, Scotland, to a total audience of more than 1,200, delivering additional events in London, Edinburgh, and online.

James Davis, Film and Television Studies

Hi! I’m James, a taught Film and Television studies post-graduate student with a passion for exploring representation in the arts and bringing this to a wider audience. Public engagement I’ve been involved in includes being a JUST Lincolnshire ambassador where my role is to help promote equality and fairness throughout the county. Additionally, I am the chair of my departments SSLC where I have been championing Equality, Diversity and Inclusive ideas such as arranging EDI screenings within the department.

Majd Massijeh, Centre For Cultural and Media Policy Studies

Mark Scott, PhD Candidate, Theatre and Performance Studies

Working in the cultural sector, I am passionate about engagement as it allows us to learn and share stories about life and what makes society work. Culture has the power to challenge and change the way we live our lives. Engagement is a key part of this work and provides opportunities to create paces for exchanging ideas and work. I have been privileged to work on Coventry UK City of Culture 2021 engaging communities and making new connections across the city and region.

Martha McGill, History

I'm a British Academy Postdoctoral Fellow in History at Warwick. I research ideas about the supernatural from 1500 to 1800, and I'm the author of Ghosts in Enlightenment Scotland (Boydell, 2018). I'm passionate about sharing my research with wider audiences, and have organised public lectures, performances and walking tours. I'm a regular contributor to BBC Radio Scotland, having featured in various other shows and podcasts, and been published in popular magazines. I'm currently preparing an exhibition about fortune telling, a card game about witchcraft, and a shadow puppetry performance about supernatural beliefs during the Enlightenment.

Paul Grigsby, Classics & Ancient History

I'm a Research Follow in the Dept. of Classics and Ancient History. Alongside Prof. Michael Scott, I run the Warwick Classics Network (WCN) whose teaching resources have been viewed almost 200,000 times during lockdown. I'm currently developing a project on Roman Coventry with local schools.

Ross Forman, English

I'm an Associate Professor in the Department of English and Comparative Literary Studies. I'm a specialist in nineteenth-century literature and culture and queer studies. Previous engagement work includes collaboration with the University of São Paulo, Brazil on 'The Novel without Frontiers.' I'm currently working with colleagues at Liverpool University on Covid-19's impact on Britain's Chinese communities.

Tara Morton, History

I am an Honorary Research Fellow in the History Department where I completed my PhD. I am also Creator and Director of Mapping Women's Suffrage, 1911 (

www.mappingwomenssuffrage.org.ukLink opens in a new window

) a digital citizen science project working with members of the public, heritage sectors, and community groups, in partnership with the University of Warwick, National Archives, and UK Parliament to map the lives, locations, and materials of Votes for Women campaigners across the country at the height of the movement. By (re)grounding in place, in their homes and communities, the extraordinary ‘ordinary’ lives of everyday women and men that fought for women’s political equality, the project seeks to connect through engagement events with diverse, contemporary community groups, using inclusive histories. Key events have included walks, talks, ancestry, and music collaborations for Coventry City of Culture and the ESRC Festival of Social Science.

Zhiqiong Chen, SMLC

Alongside teaching Mandarin at the SMLC, I enjoy delivering language and culture sessions to the public to promote language learning and culture understanding and appreciation. I have also encouraged and guided my students to run sessions for primary schools and to audiences at a local theatre. Together with my colleagues, we organized language competitions for schools as part of Tell Us A Story project, Y6 transition Day and multilingual workshop for the Resonate Festival. As a language tutor, I understand modern language teaching is facing challenges in primary and secondary education. I believe that through public engagement activities, we could use our resources to assist teachers, inspire young learners and support those who are learning to achieve their goals.

Adela Glyn-Davies, Design Studies

I'm a cross-disciplinary visual artist and designer specialising in systems and interactions. My practice focuses on the researching of system imbalances and mismatches through visual, radical cartographies, in support of interventions for systems change. The primary goal of my practice is engaging and co-designing with communities who are often excluded by established systems towards the furthering of the emerging discipline of Design for Belonging.

As the director of Design Studies, my aim is to embed the civic into our engagement methodologies and contribute towards a porous, multi-disciplinary institution of knowledge exchange.

Dannelle Gutarra Cordero, Academic Development Centre

Dannelle Gutarra Cordero is Assistant Professor in Liberal Arts and Director of Student Experience and Progression of the Department of Liberal Arts at the University of Warwick. Before joining the University of Warwick, she taught at Princeton University from 2016 to 2024 as Lecturer in African American Studies, Latin American Studies, and Gender and Sexuality Studies, while also being affiliated with the Global Health Program, the Centre for Digital Humanities and the Centre for Health and Wellbeing. At Princeton University, she was also Faculty Adviser of Forbes College, Director of the Archival Justice for the Enslaved Project and Chair of the Postcolonial Humanities Working Group. Gutarra Cordero has also previously taught postgraduate and undergraduate modules at the Inter American University of Puerto Rico and Virginia Commonwealth University, while also being selected as Fellow of the Royal Historical Society, Visiting Scholar of the Cambridge Centre for Political Thought at the University of Cambridge and Visiting Fellow of the Hutchins Centre for African & African American Research at Harvard University. Her first book, titled She Is Weeping: An Intellectual History of Racialized Slavery and Emotions in the Atlantic World, was published by Cambridge University Press in 2021. She specializes in the intersectional modern intellectual history of the Atlantic World and is currently working on two book manuscripts about scientific racism. Her priority as an anti-racist educator is her strong commitment to equity, diversity, inclusion, belonging, student wellbeing, student employability, decolonising the University, widening participation in academia and reparative justice in higher education. 

Jo Kukuczka, Academic Development Centre

Beth Russell, Graduate Management Trainee

Beth is a Graduate Management Trainee on Warwick’s Project Management Graduate Scheme. Her first placement is in the Institute of Engagement working on the Resonate three-day campus festival in April 2022. In her time with WIE, Beth has learnt so much about the importance of good public engagement, and in her role as a Fellow hopes to champion public engagement throughout the university, particularly in considering the needs of our local communities when crafting external events.

Evelin Sanderson-Nichols, Estates

I’m a Sustainability Assistant working with the Energy & Sustainability team at Estates to support the University’s sustainability commitments through various engagement activities. I’m responsible for managing the E&S team's communications, organising and facilitating events, and maintaining the social media platforms.

Kayleigh Buckingham-Pegg, Recruitment

Since joining Warwick in December 2019 I’ve embraced the challenge of building strong relationships during a pandemic and a highlight of my recruitment role is engaging with people globally through digital platforms. With WIE I am excited to connect with colleagues and the wider community!

Lynsey Cullen, Warwick Arts Centre

Hello! I’m the Creative Learning Manager at Warwick Arts Centre and I believe that creativity is for everyone. It’s integral to bringing people together and to enhancing wellbeing and has been central to my career since leaving university in 2008. I always strive to engage others with a cheery, friendly, and welcoming energy.

At WAC my role involves leading on programmes that bring people together to create and connect. From early years to youth, students and the over 60’s, I engage people from all ages and backgrounds and inspire them to embrace creativity across artforms. Creating a new Youth Leadership programme in partnership with Positive youth Foundation and the YMCA Heart of England has been a highlight in the last year and has taught me new ways to bring the arts to life for people from a range of backgrounds who might not ordinarily have thought of themselves as ‘creative’. I’m enjoying learning new engagement skills as I go on this project and can’t wait to share the Youth Leadership Collective’s curated exhibition,Activate / Assemble / Amplify,in the Mead Gallery throughout May/June 2024.

Before working at WAC I was an Outreach Administrator for Oxford’s Festival of the Arts. This position connected Magdalen College School with groups and schools from low socio-economic backgrounds, breaking down barriers and fostering relationships that have continued to this day. Participants took part in drama workshops that developed into a joint performance in Oxford Playhouse during the festival allowing friendships to form across the city.

In Scotland I worked as a Participation and Outreach Coordinator for a number of theatre companies who approached production in a collaborative and intergenerational way. Linking mother and baby groups with day centre visitors and by running reminiscence sessions in care homes, the theatre productions put inclusion, connection and collaboration at the centre of their work. The stories the companies told were created with the help from people with lived experiences of the worlds represented on stage and allowed participants to see their stories reflected authentically back at them and their communities.

Working with young people and community groups with the Stephen Joseph Theatre, Scarborough and at the York Theatre Royal and York Opera House, I learned that the best way to connect with people is to actively listen to what they think about, want and need from not only the project but in their everyday lives. Being able to engage someone in a creative project starts with learning about what makes a person tick, understanding what their motivations are, advocating for their needs to be considered and ensuring that their voices are heard.

Each role I’ve taken on in the last 16 years has taught me more and more about how to build trust by holding safe spaces for people to open up and speak honestly about their lives and interests. I passionately believe that all people deserve to be able to access creativity and benefit from the impact that it can have on confidence, wellbeing and ambition and this belief will always be at the heart of my work.

Martin Price, Strategy Group

Since joining Warwick in 2007 I’ve worked in a variety of roles, all of which have been focused on connecting the University with the outside world. I’ve worked with local government, other universities, the NHS, schools and colleges, local community groups and charities. I’m motivated by the difference the University can make to the people and places around it and always looking for more and better ways to work for the benefit of our communities.

Michelle Watson, Education

I am currently a Graduate Management Trainee on Warwick’s Management Graduate Scheme and will be continuing my Warwick journey in October 2024 as a Student User Experience Officer. My placements, as part of the grad scheme, have included the Health and Wellbeing Incubator ran out of Warwick Innovation District, Community Engagement in the Regional Strategy Group, and externally at a digital marketing company called White Chalk. My current placement is in the Student Experience department, running the first to second-year transitions project that looks at ways the university can support students during that time. I was a student at the University and am hoping I can use that first-hand experience, along with my experience as a staff member, to help expand WIE's public engagement. I’m passionate about making the world a more equitable place and finding unique and small ways to do that in everyday life. I’m hoping to build on those small ways as a part of my role as a Fellow, and hopefully have a much larger impact. I believe good public engagement is the cornerstone of helping others and want to use this opportunity to increase its reach and capability!

Rebecca Randle, Warwick Arts Centre

Roulla Philippou, RIS

I have worked as the Health Global Research Priorities Administrator for seven years. I have organised events such as industry days around health and diagnostics and health & wellbeing days at Gibbet Hill for staff and students. I have also been working with Cheylesmore Community Centre to develop a lasting legacy with the University and have held a public event at The Telegraph Hotel for the Great Minds brain series.

Reaching out to the public is a great way to promote the University’s activities, share experiences, ideas, thoughts, knowledge and understanding to help shape the future of research and increase awareness of the world around us.