Alison Porter

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 film The 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 for Synergy Theatre Project – a charity that works with prisoners and ex-prisoners, and for ThickSkin – 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.

Dannelle Gutarra Cordero

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. 

Eddie Wong

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.

Ellen Smith-Dennis

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 of Coventry 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.

Erin Stroud

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.

Evelin Sanderson-Nichols

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

Georgiana Mihut

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

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.

Ilia Ryzhenko

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

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.

Jessica He

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.

Jianhua Yang

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.

Jo Kukuczka

Jonty Leese

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

Kavish Wali

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.

Laiba Wahab

Laura Gellhaus

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

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

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

Lynsey Cullen

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.

Mahek Vhora

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.

Majd Massijeh

As an Arts Enterprise and Development Master’s student, I hold a firm belief in art and culture as catalysts for social change. My background includes impactful work with UNDP Syria, illustrating the potential of creative solutions in community development. I co-founded a social enterprise aimed at enhancing media literacy, blending my passion for societal betterment with entrepreneurial skills. With a seven-year journey as a freelance artist and illustrator, I am deeply committed to using storytelling and creativity to engage communities.

Martin Price

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.

Meera Unnikrishnan

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.

Michelle Watson

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!

Negar Riazifar

Ninna Makrinov

Rebecca Randle

My expertise spans quantitative and qualitative evaluation, community co-production, and mentorship, particularly with vulnerable adults and youth. Passionate about knowledge sharing, I've trained others in object-based learning, pedagogy, and presentation skills. Additionally, I excel in strategy development, bid writing, budget management, and leading cross-departmental initiatives. Proficient in digital marketing, network building, and driving transformative change, I am committed to making culture accessible and enjoyable for all. Let's connect and create together!

Rosanne Maguire

“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 team Link opens in a new windowthat 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 URBeans Link opens in a new windowinto our local communities.”

Scott Habershon

Sujaya Shrestha

Tara Morton

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.

Tom Ritchie  

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.

Veeraja Kamthe  

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  

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.

Zhiqiong Chen

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.