Senior Reader

Dr Katherine Backler is an Examination Fellow at All Souls College and the Departmental Lecturer in Ancient History in the Faculty of Classics, with University College. She received her BA in Literae Humaniores (Classics) and her DPhil in Ancient History from the University of Oxford. Her research, at the intersection of history and literature, has two related strands. First, recovering the perspectives and experiences of ancient women, and reconsidering how we might access those perspectives. Second, working outwards from the study of individual relationships to re-examine larger-scale social structures. She is particularly interested in the complexities of emotional and bodily intimacy in exploitative relationships, and in the potential for approaching epigraphic texts commissioned by women as women’s efforts to inscribe themselves into their cultural landscapes. She is currently working on a monograph on women’s relationships in classical Attica, and the notes to a new translation of the Greek speechwriter Lysias with Oxford World’s Classics.

Senior Reader

Professor Nick Barber joined the Oxford Law Faculty in 1998 as a Fixed Term Fellow at Brasenose, moving to a tenured Fellowship at Trinity College in 2000. He holds an MA from Oxford and the BCL, and is a non-practicing barrister and member of Middle Temple. In 2013 he was appointed University Lecturer in Constitutional Law and in 2017 he was appointed Professor of Constitutional Law and Theory. In 2012 and 2013 he was a visiting Professor at Renmin University, China. He has lectured extensively on constitutional law and theory in many countries. He has published many papers in these areas, and his book The Constitutional State was published in 2011, and was widely reviewed. His second book, The Principles of Constitutionalism, was published by Oxford University Press in 2018. Professor Barber was founding editor of the United Kingdom Constitutional Law Blog, and was a co-author, with Jeff King and Tom Hickman, of the blog post that sparked the litigation in Miller, a post which first advanced the arguments eventually adopted by the High Court and Supreme Court. Alongside Richard Ekins, he is co-director of The Programme for the Foundations of Law and Constitutional Government.

Senior Reader

Professor Stephanie Barclay is a Professor of Law at Georgetown Law School, and the Faculty Co-Director of the Georgetown Center for the Constitution. Her research focuses on the role our different democratic institutions play in protecting minority rights, particularly at the intersection of free speech and religious exercise. Barclay‘s work is published or is forthcoming in journals such as the Harvard Law Review, the Chicago Law Review, the University of Pennsylvania Law Review, and the Yale Law Journal Forum. One of her articles was also selected for the 2020 Stanford/Harvard/Yale Junior Faculty Forum. Barclay is also a Faculty Affiliate at the Constitutional Law Center at Stanford Law School. She is reading a DPhil in Law as a Tang Scholar and Clarendon Scholar at Balliol College on the appropriate role of the judiciary in a democracy.

Senior Reader

Dr Teresa M. Bejan is Associate Professor of Political Theory and a Fellow of Oriel College, University of Oxford. Before coming to Oxford in 2015, she taught at the University of Toronto and Columbia University. Her work brings early modern perspectives to bear on questions in contemporary political theory. She is the author of Mere Civility: Disagreement and the Limits of Toleration (2017), as well as numerous peer-reviewed articles and book chapters. She is currently completing her second book for Harvard University Press, First Among Equals: Early Modern Equality in Practice and Theory.

Senior Reader

Professor Paul Billingham is Associate Professor of Political Theory in the Department of Politics and International Relations, University of Oxford, and a Fellow of Magdalen College. Previously, he was a Junior Research Fellow at Christ Church, Oxford, having also studied at Oxford (BA, MPhil, DPhil). His work focuses on the implications for politics of the diversity of citizens’ beliefs and values, especially in relation to religious beliefs. He is currently working on a debate book entitled Does Faith Belong in Politics?.

Senior Reader

Dr Nuno Castel-Branco is a Research Fellow at All Souls College, Oxford. He completed his PhD in the history of science at Johns Hopkins University in 2021 after earning an MSc in Physics at the University of Lisbon. Previously, he was a Loeb Brice Fellow at Harvard University’s Villa I Tatti in Florence, and a Postdoctoral Fellow at the Max Planck Institute for the History of Science in Berlin. His work examines the intellectual and social intersections between areas of knowledge, especially the life sciences, mathematics, and religion in early modern Europe and its global expansion. His first book, The Traveling Anatomist, uses Nicolaus Steno as a tour guide for science, medicine, and religion in seventeenth-century Europe. His writing has appeared in places like the Wall Street Journal and Scientific American, as well as in research journals such as Renaissance Quarterly, Notes and Records of the Royal Society, and Annals of Science.

Senior Reader

Dr Mehmet Ciftci is the Public Bioethics Fellow for the Anscombe Bioethics Centre and Custodian of the Library at Pusey House, Oxford. Previously he was Étienne Gilson Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Toronto. After undergraduate studies at the University of Manchester, he received the PGDip, MPhil, and DPhil in Theology from the University of Oxford. He has published widely in academic journals on various subjects, such as liberation theology, the Qur’an, the critique of political ideologies, and Mariology. He published a monograph entitled Vatican II on Church-State Relations: What Did the Council Teach, and What's Wrong With It? (Palgrave Macmillan, 2024). His future research will be on the theological origins of constitutionalism. 

Senior Reader

Dr Marysia Czepiel is a Leverhulme Early Career Fellow at the Centre for the Study of the Renaissance at Warwick. She is interested in humanism, religion and literature in the Spanish Golden Age, and has published widely on the Spanish and Neo-Latin poetry of the sixteenth century. Her forthcoming monograph (Humanism and the Bible in the Poetry of Benito Arias Montano (ca. 1525–1598)) studies the complex relationship between religion and humanist learning in the poetry of the humanist Benito Arias Montano. At Warwick, she will be studying how late sixteenth-century humanists used their learning to campaign for social change.

Senior Reader

Dr Edward A. David is the McDonald Postdoctoral Fellow in Christian Ethics & Public Life, based in the Faculty of Theology and Religion and affiliated with Christ Church, Oxford. His current research investigates the empirical and moral dimensions of character development amongst aspiring and established leaders within the financial services sector. Edward also publishes in the field of law and religion, and is the author of A Christian Approach to Corporate Religious Liberty (Palgrave Macmillan 2020). In addition to his academic work, Edward is a senior consultant for the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses UK programme, and is a lead author of the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Women programme on Coursera. Edward holds a Bachelor of Music from New York University as well as an MSt and DPhil in Theology (Christian Ethics) from the University of Oxford.

Senior Reader

Professor Richard Ekins KC is Professor of Law and Constitutional Government in the University of Oxford and a Fellow of St John’s College.  He is also a Global Distinguished Professor of Law in Notre Dame Law School. He received his BA, LLB (Hons) and BA (Hons) degrees from The University of Auckland, before going on to read for the BCL, MPhil and DPhil at Oxford.  He was a Senior Lecturer in Law at The University of Auckland for several years before moving (back) to Oxford. He leads Policy Exchange’s Judicial Power Project and, with Nick Barber and Timothy Endicott, the Programme for the Foundations of Law and Constitutional Government.  He serves as co-editor of the American Journal of Jurisprudence and was made King's Counsel Honoris Causa in 2022. Professor Ekins additionally serves on the Canterbury Institute’s Academic Committee for selection of the Barry Scholarship.

Senior Reader

Paul Elbourne is Professor of the Philosophy of Language at Oxford University and Tutorial Fellow in Philosophy at Magdalen College, Oxford. He read Greats and completed an MPhil in Indo-European comparative philology at Oxford before doing his PhD at MIT. There he followed the interdisciplinary PhD programme in semantics, which involves training in linguistics and philosophy. Before coming to Oxford, he taught at Marlboro College, New York University, and Queen Mary, University of London. He works mainly on natural language semantics and the philosophy of language. He also has research interests in ethics.

Senior Reader

Professor Chiyuma Elliott is the author of Vigil (2017) and California Winter League (2015). Her poems have appeared in the African American Review, Callaloo, the Notre Dame Review, the PN Review, and other journals. A former Stegner, Cave Canem, and American Philosophical Society Fellow, Professor Elliott teaches African American Studies at the University of California, Berkeley. She additionally serves on the Academic Committee of the Canterbury Institute’s Barry Scholarship.

Senior Reader

Charles Foster is a Fellow of Exeter College, Oxford, a member of the Law Faculty (where he is a Visiting Professor), a Senior Research Associate at the Oxford Uehiro Centre for Practical Ethics, a Research Associate at the Ethox and Helex Centres, and an Associate at the Oxford Human Rights Hub, all at the University of Oxford. He is also a barrister, practising at 4-5 Gray’s Inn Square, and a part time judge of the Crown Court and the County Court. He has been involved in many of the key cases in medical law and ethics over recent years, including the assisted suicide litigation in the House of Lords, the Supreme Court, and the European Court of Human Rights. His research primarily concerns questions of identity and personhood, the use in medical law and ethics of the notion of human dignity, and the use of abuse of the principle of autonomy. He is the author of many academic books and hundreds of articles, and publishes widely outside academia - for instance the New York Times Bestseller Being a Beast, which also won the IgNobel Prize for Biology. A complete list of publications can be found at www.charlesfoster.co.uk.

Senior Reader

Dr William Ghosh is Associate Professor of World Literatures in English at the University of Oxford, and an Official Student of Christ Church. Prior to this, he taught Victorian and Modern Literature at Jesus College, Oxford. He works on writing from Britain, the Caribbean, and South Asia from 1800 onwards, with particular interests in prose form and technique and in literary pedagogy. His publications include a monograph, V.S. Naipaul, Caribbean Writing, and Caribbean Thought (Oxford University Press, 2021). He was a founding convenor of the Oxford University Caribbean Studies Network, and is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy.

Senior Reader

Dr Cosima Clara Gillhammer is a Career Development Fellow in Medieval English at Lady Margaret Hall. Previously, she was a Junior Research Fellow at Christ Church and a Stipendiary Lecturer at Trinity College, Oxford. Previous positions include that of Postdoctoral Researcher at the English Faculty, Oxford, and Erika and Kenneth Riley Fellow at the Huntington Library, California. She holds a DPhil in Medieval English from the University of Oxford, and two postgraduate degrees in English Linguistics and Literature, German Literature, and Classical Archaeology from LMU University of Munich. Her research focuses on textual criticism, medieval English Bible translation and biblical scholarship, and manuscript studies. She is the founder of the Oxford Medieval Commentary Network, an interdisciplinary forum which brings together research on commentary as a textual form. Her most recent book looks at the cultural impact of liturgical texts in Light on Darkness: The Untold Story of the Liturgy (Reaktion, forthcoming April 2025).

Senior Reader

Sherif Girgis is Associate Professor of Law at Notre Dame Law School. His work in constitutional law and theory has appeared in venues including the Columbia Law Review, the New York University Law Review, the Virginia Law Review, the University of Pennsylvania Law Review, and the American Journal of Jurisprudence. He is coauthor of What Is Marriage? Man and Woman: A Defense (Encounter, 2012), and Debating Religious Liberty and Discrimination (Oxford University Press, 2017). He served as a law clerk to Justice Samuel Alito of the U.S. Supreme Court and Judge Thomas Griffith of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit. Now completing a Ph.D. in philosophy at Princeton, Girgis earned a J.D. at Yale Law School, a master’s (BPhil) in philosophy from the University of Oxford as a Rhodes Scholar and a bachelor’s degree from Princeton, Phi Beta Kappa and summa cum laude. Professor Girgis serves on the Academic Committee of the Canterbury Institute’s Barry Scholarship.

Senior Reader

Dr Daniel D. De Haan is the Frederick Copleston Senior Research Fellow & Lecturer in Philosophy and Theology in the Catholic Tradition at Blackfriars and Campion Hall, University of Oxford. He is the principal investigator of the Conceptual Clarity Concerning Human Nature project sponsored by the Templeton World Charity Foundation and hosted by the Ian Ramsey Centre for Science and Religion in the Faculty of Theology and Religion at the University of Oxford. His research focuses on philosophical anthropology, philosophy of mind and neuroscience, moral psychology, the metaphysics of hylomorphism, philosophy of religion, and medieval philosophy and theology especially in the work of Thomas Aquinas and Avicenna. He is the author of Necessary Existence and the Doctrine of Being in Avicenna’s Metaphysics of the Healing (Brill, 2020).

Senior Reader

Dr Victoria De Haan is a lector in Catholic Theology at Blackfriars Studium, Oxford. She obtained her doctorate in theology from KU Leuven, Belgium, and was the recipient of a PhD fellowship from the Flemish Research Fund. Her doctoral thesis examined the work of the Russian Orthodox theologian Alexander Schmemann and its relation to Catholic mission of the new evangelization. She teaches a range of subjects within systematic theology, with a special focus on liturgy and sacramental theology, the Church Fathers, especially St Augustine, and Vatican II.

Senior Reader

Dr Andrew Hegarty is a graduate of Merton College, University of Oxford, and obtained his DPhil from the same University. A historian, he specialises academically in the history of universities, particularly Oxford, Salamanca and Paris, and that above all in the early-modern period. Some years ago he investigated the role of the Spanish Dominican, Bartolomé de Carranza in reforming the University of Oxford in the reign of Queen Mary Tudor. He has contributed nearly two dozen entries to the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. He was Assistant Editor of, and a significant contributor to, a comprehensive history of Magdalen College, Oxford, from the fifteenth century to the present day. A lengthy prosopographical work on the members of St. John’s College, Oxford, in its first century to 1660, was published in 2011. He is interested in Church history and has written on interventions by academics in early-modern Church-State relations. The first volume of the recent History of Oxford University Press contains a chapter and a number of other contributions by him. He has served as Warden of a hall of residence for students in London. Since 2004 he has been Director of the Thomas More Institute in London. He continues to develop wider interests in the role of the university as an institution, and on friendship as a crucial ethical concept.

Senior Reader

Professor Zena Hitz is a Tutor at St John's College in Annapolis, where she has the joy of teaching great books of mathematics, science, and literature, as well as in her home fields of classics and philosophy. She received an MPhil in Classics from Cambridge University (1996) and a PhD in Philosophy from Princeton University (2005). Her most important scholarly work argues that Aristotle’s account of the influence of law on human character unifies his ethical and political works, illuminating what is lost when his thinking is carved into arbitrary parts by current academic disciplines. More recently, she has offered public defense for learning for its own sake and liberal education. Her book Lost In Thought: The Hidden Pleasures of an Intellectual Life (Princeton, 2020) is being translated into seven languages, including Arabic, Catalan, Turkish and Vietnamese. Her essays on the importance of humanistic study have appeared in Commonweal, New Statesman, Washington Post, Womankind and elsewhere. In 2020, she founded the Catherine Project, a non-profit which hosts serious conversations on great books, open to everyone. Her new book for general audiences, A Philosopher Looks at the Religious Life (Cambridge, 2023), gives an account of the Christian ascetical tradition and its importance in everyday life. Professor Hitz serves on the Canterbury Institute’s Academic Committee for selection of the Barry Scholarship.

Senior Reader

Dr Lewis is the Stirling Professor of Constitutional Studies at Utah Valley University and a senior fellow in constitutional studies at the Jack Miller Center for Teaching America’s Founding Principles and History. His research focuses on the interaction of political ideas and institutions in American political history. His books and articles have been published by Oxford University Press, Cambridge University Press, Political Science Quarterly, Studies in American Political Development, Presidential Studies Quarterly, Party Politics, Perspectives on Political Science, The Forum, The Wall Street Journal, and The Washington Post, among others. His first book, Ideas of Power: The Politics of American Party Ideology Development, won the American Library Association’s Choice Outstanding Title book award. His second book, The Myth of Left and Right: How the Political Spectrum Misleads and Harms America, won the Leonard Read Book Award. He has earned degrees from Brigham Young University, Cambridge University, and the University of Virginia, and has held academic fellowships at Stanford University and Harvard University. Dr Lewis is a Visiting Professor to the Canterbury Institute for Michaelmas Term 2024.

Senior Reader

Dr Rebecca Lowe is a political philosopher, whose interests range from moral property rights, to the value of democracy, to fiscal decentralisation. In her doctoral thesis, she advanced a Lockean-liberal common-good justification for private property. She works on political and economic research issues as a consultant, including an ongoing engagement as research director for a patient-capital investment company. She is the former director of FREER, a think tank advancing economically and socially liberal ideas. She has worked for various other research organisations, including Policy Exchange, where she was State and Society Fellow, and convenor of the Research Group on Political Thought. She co-founded Radical, a civil-rights campaign for freedom and truth on matters of sex and ‘gender’. Her recent and upcoming publications include a chapter on the democratic state’s obligation of transparency, for an edited volume called ‘Political Philosophy in a Pandemic’; a paper on property rights in space, for the Adam Smith Institute; and an entry on Locke’s conception of justice for the Encyclopedia of the Philosophy of Law and Social Philosophy.

Senior Reader

Dr Anne Makena is the Programme Coordinator of the Africa Oxford Initiative (AfOx), a vibrant platform for all things Africa at Oxford. Dr Makena is responsible for developing and implementing the overall strategy of the Initiative, as well as managing core AfOx programmes. AfOx supports a wide range of activities including a travel grant scheme and visiting fellowships for African academics, supporting high quality meetings and providing academic and mentorship support to African students and research staff in Oxford. Dr Makena read her DPhil in Chemical Biology in Somerville College, Oxford.

Senior Reader

Ryan Meade is a Fellow of Blackfriars Hall, where he is also Research Fellow of the Aquinas Institute. He is a member of the Oxford Faculty of Law. He teaches jurisprudence, bioethics, and Roman Law at Hertford College. His academic work in legal philosophy explores metaphysics, action, and ethics in law and the role of prudence in drafting, complying, and enforcing positive law. He also keeps up specialties in administrative law, medical law, and state-required compliance and ethics programmes for firm governance. He is the founding co-convenor of the Oxford Common Good Project. Prior to teaching at Oxford he was the founding Director of the Center for Compliance Studies at Loyola University Chicago School of Law and Director of Regulatory Compliance Studies overseeing the curriculum and faculty of the Center’s LLM programme in regulations and administrative law. He received a BA in history from Northwestern University and a Juris Doctor from Cornell University, where he cross-studied in Cornell’s Sage School of Philosophy. He completed a post-graduate programme in law at the University of Edinburgh Law School.

Senior Reader

Professor Mark Philp researches political theory and political sociology, most recently on justice in relation to ageing, political corruption and issues relating to standards in public life, as well as in the history of political thought and British history at the time of the French Revolution. He is currently working on the re-imagining of democracy at the end of the eighteenth and the beginning of the nineteenth centuries, John Stuart Mill’s Autobiography, the Godwin Diaries, political realism and political ethics, and the history of political thought. Professor Philp chairs the Research Advisory Board to the Committee on Standards in Public Life and contributed the paper Public Ethics and Political Judgment to the Committee’s inquiry on Ethics in Practice in July 2014. From 2007-2010 he ran a three year digitization project on the Diary of William Godwin, 1788-1836, funded by a Leverhulme Major Research Grant. Professor Philp is the author of numerous books including Thomas Paine (Oxford University Press) and Political Conduct (Harvard University Press). He is Professor of History and Politics in the University of Warwick and resides in Oxford.

Senior Reader

Dr Jonathan Price holds a dual fellowship as Pusey Fellow of St Cross College, Oxford, and Barry Lay Academic Fellow of Pusey House - the continuing home of the Oxford Movement. He has been teaching philosophy and law in Blackfriars Hall since 2011. He is a visiting researcher at the University of Leiden Law School, and a Research Associate of the Programme for the Foundations of Law, in Oxford’s Faculty of Law. Dr Price is the founding editor of the peer-reviewed journal Politics & Poetics.

Senior Reader

Professor Christian Sahner is Associate Professor of Islamic History at the University of Oxford and Margoliouth Fellow in Arabic at New College. His work explores the history of North Africa, the Middle East, and Central Asia during the transition from Late Antiquity to the Middle Ages. Professor Sahner is the author or editor of four books: Among the Ruins: Syria Past and Present (Hurst/Oxford, 2014); Christian Martyrs under Islam (Princeton, 2018); Conversion to Islam in the Premodern Age (California, 2020, co-editor); and The Definitive Zoroastrian Critique of Islam (Liverpool, 2023). Born in New York City, he earned an AB from Princeton, an MPhil from Oxford as a Rhodes Scholar, and a PhD also from Princeton. Prior to joining the Faculty of Asian and Middle Eastern Studies in Oxford, he was a research fellow of St John’s College, University of Cambridge. He writes about the history, art, and culture of the Middle East from time to time for publications such as The Wall Street Journal, The Times Literary Supplement, and others.

Senior Reader

Dr Lola Salem graduated from the École Normale Supérieure, Lyon, in 2015 (MA Musicology), the Sorbonne in 2018 (MA Philosophy of Arts) and the University of Oxford in 2023 (DPhil Musicology). She is a Lecturer in Music (Oriel) and French (Wadham, St Catherine’s). Her research lies in the fields of opera, performers, and other material conditions related to creativity during the long seventeenth century. She was trained as a professional singer at the Maîtrise de Radio France between 2005 and 2010, and worked as an art critic across Europe between 2016 and 2020.

Senior Reader

Professor Santiago Schnell is the William K Warren Foundation Dean of the College of Science at the University of Notre Dame, as well as a professor of biological sciences and applied and computational mathematics and statistics. A Fellow of the Royal Societies of Chemistry and Medicine as well as the American Association for the Advancement of Science, he is also the winner of the 2023 Arthur Winfree Prize from the Society for Mathematical Biology. Dean Schnell’s research program derives from the premise that there is a continuum between health and disease, and he has made substantive contributions to the standardization of models and protocols to measure enzyme catalyzed reactions in the life sciences. He is internationally renowned for deriving the Lambert W function equation of enzyme kinetics, also known as the Schnell-Mendoza equation. Dean Schnell is a member of the American Academy of Sciences & Letters.

Senior Reader

Professor Tom Simpson is Associate Professor of Philosophy and Public Policy at the Blavatnik School of Government, University of Oxford, and a Senior Research Fellow at Wadham College. He is an AHRC/BBC Radio 3 New Generation Thinker for 2017. Professor Simpson works particularly on trust, and issues at the intersection of technology and security. He convenes the speaker series Aspects of Conservatism. He joined the University of Oxford from Cambridge, where he was a Research Fellow at Sidney Sussex College, and was also educated (BA, MPhil, PhD). Between degrees he was an officer with the Royal Marines Commandos for 5 years. He served in Northern Ireland; Baghdad, Iraq; and Helmand Province, Afghanistan. The academic life is undoubtedly a privilege, but he remains conflicted about its sedentary nature.

Senior Reader

Audrey Southgate (DPhil, Merton) is a Lecturer in Old and Middle English in Lincoln and Hertford Colleges, University of Oxford. Her research concentrates on medieval literature, with a particular focus on Psalm reception in late medieval England. Her DPhil on Lollard translations of the Psalms served as a nexus for questions relating to biblical interpretation, poetic translation, the scholastic and devotional traditions, and the history and philosophy of education. More recently, she has begun a project on English translations of the Book of Hours and their putative influence on the Book of Common Prayer. She also composes poetry, and was recently awarded a prize from Oxford's English Faculty for her poem 'Saeculum'.  Audrey currently convenes the John Colet reading group at the Canterbury Institute, which explores the history and principles of 'classical' education, and has enjoyed helping to deliver the Awakening Project programme.

Senior Reader

Dr Michael Wee is a Postdoctoral Researcher in Global Mental Health Ethics at the University of Oxford Psychiatry Department, where he is part of the Neuroscience, Ethics and Society group. His current research is on the ethics of genomic research for neurodevelopmental disorders, with a particular focus on the ethics of cell line creation, philosophical issues surrounding informed consent especially for persons with intellectual disabilities, and the role of genomics in conceptualising mental illness. He completed his PhD in Philosophy at Durham University, with a thesis on ‘Action and Necessity: Wittgenstein’s On Certainty and the Foundations of Ethics’. His doctoral work examined the nature of normative reasoning and ethical concepts, through engagement with Wittgenstein's philosophy of language and logic, alongside Anscombe's thought on action and the practical syllogism. He is an Associate Research Fellow of the Anscombe Bioethics Centre, where he is contributing to a project on ethics and the Mental Capacity Act 2005, and he is also a member of the Pontifical Academy for Life, the Vatican’s bioethics advisory body.

Senior Reader

Dr Bond West teaches Old and Middle English at Regents Park College and holds a DPhil in English from Lincoln College, Oxford. His research specialism is the interplay between the Latin learning and the vernacular languages and literatures of medieval North Atlantic Europe, especially England, Iceland, and Ireland. He holds a BA in Classics and History from Baylor University, an MA in Medieval Icelandic Studies from the University of Iceland, and an MPhil in Anglo-Saxon, Norse, and Celtic from Cambridge. He is a former recipient of a Fulbright Research Grant in Iceland and Latin teacher.

Senior Reader

Professor Paul Yowell is a Fellow of Oriel College and Associate Professor in the Faculty of Law. Previously, he was a lecturer at New College. He did his postgraduate studies at Oxford (DPhil, MPhil, BCL), having previously practiced law and studied in the U.S. (JD, BA, Baylor University). He is also on the adjunct faculty of the University of Notre Dame. He is the author of Constitutional Rights and Constitutional Design: Moral and Empirical Reasoning in Judicial Review and co-author of Legislated Rights: Securing Human Rights through Legislation. He researches public law and legal theory, with particular interest in the separation of powers, constitutional theory, comparative constitutional law, and human rights.

Middle Reader

Howard Anglin is reading for the DPhil in Law at Linacre College. He previously received an MPhil in Law (with distinction) from Oxford, a JD from New York University, and a BA (with honours) in English Literature at McGill University. Before coming to Oxford, he served as Principal Secretary to the Premier of Alberta, Canada, as Chief of Staff to the Canadian Minister of Citizenship and Immigration, and as Senior Advisor - Legal Affairs, Deputy Chief of Staff, and Acting Chief of Staff to the Prime Minister of Canada. He also clerked on the United States Court of Appeal for the Ninth Circuit, practiced law in London and Washington, DC, and was the executive director of a legal charity defending constitutional rights and freedoms in Canada. Howard is a recipient of a scholarship from the Programme for the Foundations of Law and Constitutional Government, and a Scholarship in Legal Philosophy from the Canterbury Institute. His MPhil thesis considered the impact of judicial review on the process of governing and suggested why and how governments might resist internalising the judicial perspective as they govern. His DPhil research explores the concept of a constitution. Howard is a regular contributor to print and online publications in Canada on topics ranging from law, political philosophy, and public policy to literature, food, and drink.

Middle Reader

Abigail Anthony is reading for the MPhil in Linguistics, Philology, and Phonetics at St Hugh’s College. She is a senior at Princeton University majoring in Politics and earning certificates in Linguistics and Creative Writing. On campus, she served as President of the Princeton Federalist Society, Chief Copy Editor of The Princeton Tory, Vice President of the free-speech organisation the Princeton Open Campus Coalition, and Treasurer of the Princeton Network of Enlightened Women chapter. She has written for National Review, USA Today, The Washington Free Beacon, The College Fix, and other publications. Prior to attending university, she was a professional ballerina. Abigail is a 2023 Barry Scholar.

Middle Reader

Francesco Banfi is reading for the DPhil in Medieval Philosophy at Corpus Christi College. He previously studied at Roma Tre University in Rome, reading his undergraduate and master’s in Philosophy. His master’s thesis focused on the relation between definition and demonstration in Aristotle’s Posterior Analytics II 6,7. Francesco is now working on Thomas Aquinas’ reception and the interpretation of some of Aristotle’s logical and metaphysical themes, such as real definitions essences and hylomorphism. Whilst interested in the whole history of philosophy, in focusing on ancient and medieval thought, Francesco’s main goal is directed towards the rediscovery of a contemplative notion of nature abandoned by the main philosophical streams of modern thought. As a matter of general philosophical interest, Francesco is also concerned in thinking more carefully about the interaction of a proper metaphysical concept of nature and essence through key notions particularly developed in the modern period such as person, subjectivity and history.

Middle Reader

Drew Basile is reading for the MSt in English Literature (1900-Present) at Mansfield College. He graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with a major in English and a minor in Philosophy. His senior thesis focused on the narrative role of free indirect discourse in Flaubert and Musil. Also at Penn, he served as an Undergraduate Fellow for the Collegium Institute and an editor for the Penn Review. He received the Mellon Undergraduate Summer Fellowship for a digital humanities project tracking Russian translation, as well as the Terry B. Heled Travel and Research Grant for a travelogue following Goethe’s Italian Journey. Drew hopes to blend continental philosophy with modernist literature in considering narrative worlds from a phenomenological perspective. In his free time, he writes fiction, plays Scrabble, and enjoys the television show Survivor. Drew is a 2023 Barry Scholar.

Middle Reader

Jye Beardow is reading for the BCL at St Cross College. He graduated with a Bachelor of Laws (Hons I) and a Bachelor of Commerce from the Australian National University, where he studied as a Tuckwell Scholar. Prior to coming to Oxford, Jye was a constitutional lawyer and litigator for the Australian Federal Government. Previously, he was an Associate to the Hon Justice Steward at the High Court of Australia (Australia's apex court), an Associate to the Hon Justice Bond at the Court of Appeal of the Supreme Court of Queensland, and a Research Officer to the Assistant Attorney-General of Australia. Having worked across all three branches of government, Jye is particularly interested in the separation of powers, the administrative state, theories of constitutional interpretation, and federalism. In his spare time, he enjoys reading, hiking, football, and film. Jye is a 2024 Ramsay Scholar.

Middle Reader

Cayla Bleoaja is reading for an MSc in Science and Religion at Worcester College. She completed an MSc in Sociology at Jesus College as a Barry Scholar, where her research on how communities heal from mass shootings was awarded the prize for best thesis, and has received a Peter Harrison Studentship from the Faculty of Theology to continue her work on how humans heal. Cayla previously spent a year in Romania as a Fulbright research scholar and received a Richter grant for a study published as a chapter in a Cambridge Scholars edited collection. She is a performing artist, published poet, and friend to all trees.

Middle Reader

Robert Bork is a student of St Hugh’s College reading for the DPhil in History. He previously read for the MPhil in Intellectual History and graduated with merit in 2023. Prior to coming to Oxford, Robert completed a BA with distinction in Political Philosophy, Policy, and Law from the University of Virginia. His research explores the influence of Adam Smith on American law and jurisprudence. By examining court opinions, records, oral arguments, textbooks, and academic materials, Robert looks to identify concrete examples of how the Scottish Enlightenment philosopher and economist continues to shape the American legal system. Robert is also co-president of the Disraeli Society for Law & Liberty, a society for the study of British, American, and European Law.

Middle Reader

Maria Buscemi is reading for the MPhil in US History at St Antony’s College. She graduated from the University of Oklahoma, summa cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa with degrees in Letters: Constitutional Studies and Spanish. While at OU, she served as Vice Chair of Adjudications for the University’s Integrity Council and President of the Oklahoma Undergraduate Mock Trial Team. She also served as a member of the Institute for the American Constitutional Heritage’s Society of Fellows. At Oxford, she is examining the relationship between constitutional theory, the law, and political action in antebellum America. In her free time, Maria enjoys baking new recipes, reading a good book, and training for the next half marathon in her local area. Maria is a 2024 Barry Scholar.

Middle Reader

Mariana Canales is reading for the DPhil in Law at St John’s College, where she read her MPhil in Law in 2021. She is interested in constitutional law and legal philosophy. Before coming to Oxford, she was a research fellow in the Institute for Social Studies (Instituto de Estudios de la Sociedad, IES) in Chile. She obtained her law degree from Universidad Católica and was appointed Adjunct Professor there in 2020.

Middle Reader

Fernando is writing a DPhil dissertation in Law at Oriel College. His main interests lie in public law and practical philosophy. The topic of his thesis is the theory and practice of the invalidation of norms. Before beginning the DPhil he studied law in Chile (Universidad Católica), where he later lectured in civil procedural law, and then completed an MPhil degree (Oxford). His MPhil thesis focused on John Rawls’ account of the political, with special reference to the idea of public reason. Fernando has published papers in law and translated the revised edition of Lon Fuller’s The Morality of Law into Spanish.

Middle Reader

Elizabeth Crabtree is reading for a DPhil in Theology at Blackfriars Hall. She earned a BA in History at Franciscan University of Steubenville and an MSt in Medieval Studies at Blackfriars. Her research interests lie in medieval Christian Hebraism. In particular, she is examining how the Hebrew language and Rabbinic exegesis influenced the biblical scholarship of Nicholas of Lyra, an early fourteenth-century Franciscan.

Middle Reader

Nathan Coundon is a DPhil student in the Faculty of Theology and Religion, specialising in Philosophical Theology. He is a member of Trinity College and a recipient of the Bampton - Christie Millar Scholarship. Nathan has an MPhil in Philosophical Theology from Oxford, which he completed as a Clarendon Scholar. He also has a BA (Hons) Class I in Philosophy from the University of Leeds. Nathan’s doctoral research is situated in the disciplines of Philosophical Theology and Philosophy of Religion, and his work concerns the theory of Divine Simplicity developed by the Cappadocian Fathers. Nathan argues that Cappadocian Simplicity can transform the modern philosophical understanding of Divine Simplicity, whilst he also studies the relationship between Cappadocian Simplicity and other theories of Divine Simplicity, especially Thomism and Palamism. Nathan’s other research interests include theological epistemology and religious rationality, whilst his background in theoretical philosophy sustains his academic interest in Philosophy of Mind, Metaphysics, Epistemology, and Logic.

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Levi Freedman is reading for the BPhil in Philosophy at Oriel College. Originally from Washington, DC, he graduated summa cum laude from the University of Chicago with a BA in Fundamentals: Issues and Texts. He is also an alumnus of Deep Springs College. His academic interests include German Idealism, existential phenomenology, and the relationship between philosophy and the arts. While at Chicago, he taught civics to middle school students on the South Side. He has worked as a high school teacher in rural Wisconsin, teaching both calculus and English. Outside of the classroom, Levi enjoys hiking, cooking, gardening, and reading poetry. Levi is a 2024 Barry Scholar.

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Colton Duncan is reading for the MPhil in Modern Languages. He graduated summa cum laude from Hillsdale College with a BA in Classics and International Studies in Business and Foreign Language. He hopes to study the relationship between aesthetic perception and moral education by researching the influence of Neoplatonic thought on German Romanticism. His senior thesis investigated Bernard of Clairvaux's use of paradox in the Sermons on the Song of Songs as a means to attain knowledge of the divine. Colton has served as a leader for Hillsdale’s Thomistic Institute chapter and as a member of the Catholic Society Executive Board. He enjoys backpacking, hunting, cooking, and film, and is a Gregorian chant aficionado. Colton is a 2023 Barry Scholar.

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Jessie Edgar is reading for a DPhil in Musicology at Linacre college and is affiliated with the Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics. She graduated from Columbia University with honours in music and psychology and went on to complete an MPhil in musicology at Lincoln College. Her work focuses on the effects of age-related hearing impairment on ensemble singing, looking at the physiological, acoustic and psychological results of aging on the voice. Her previous work detailed the vocal health ramifications of the idealised boy treble tone on female sopranos in Oxbridge chapel choirs. Jessie is published in the Journal of Women in Music and has discussed her work at conferences around the United Kingdom. She is also a professional soprano and has worked with the Oxford Bach Soloists, the Magdalen Consort, Instruments of Time & Truth consort, Edward Higginbottom, Orchestra Vox, and many other Oxford and London-based ensembles. In addition to ensemble work, her recent/upcoming work as a soloist involves much early opera, including Venus in Blow’s Venus and Adonis, Diane in Charpentier’s Acteon, Filia in Carissimi’s Jepthe, Handel’s Messiah, and Couperin’s Trois Leçons de Ténèbres.

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Nathan is reading for the DPhil in Philosophy at Oriel College with a project concerning the modal ontological argument for the existence of God. Prior to this he read PPE at Oriel College, an MA in Political Science at Baylor University and an MSt in Ancient Philosophy at Blackfriars Hall. His interests concern philosophy of religion, Aristotle, Aquinas, ethics, political philosophy, and metaphysics.

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Rose Elvidge is reading for the DPhil in Philosophy at Oriel College on a Faculty of Philosophy scholarship. She earned her BA in Philosophy from Baylor University, and her BPhil in Philosophy at Queens College. She focuses on issues of bio- and sexual ethics, especially abortion and sexual exploitation. Her wider interests include natural law theory, Aristotelian and Thomistic metaphysics, and philosophy of mind. Her dissertation seeks to critique value-neutral and relativist accounts of sex by raising contradictions within feminist attempts to make sense of sexual exploitation. She is also a Research Fellow of the Wollstonecraft Project of the Abigail Adams Institute, where she co-founded an online journal, Fairer Disputations, focusing on sex-realist feminism. She is married to fellow Philosophy DPhil and Middle Reader Nathan Elvidge and is pregnant with their second child. Rose Elvidge is a 2019 Barry Scholar.

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Gabrielle Epuran is reading for the MSt in Greek and Latin Languages and Literature at St. Hugh’s College. She received her BA in Classics from Columbia University, where she wrote her thesis on the character of Darius the Great as represented in Herodotus’ Histories versus Darius’ Behistun Inscription. At Oxford, she is researching the use of humour and fabulation in Herodotus and Tacitus’ rhetoric as part of building towards a larger project on ancient philosophy of history, as well as ancient emotion (how notions and experiences of joy, pain, etc in the ancient world differ from our own). Gabrielle has also served as the chairman and historian of a philosophy debating society at Columbia. Gabrielle is a 2024 Barry Scholar.

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Rachel Gambee is reading for the MPhil in Theology at Oriel College, Oxford. Rachel previously majored in Religion and Middle Eastern Studies in Dartmouth College. In her senior thesis, Rachel investigated the intellectual roots of Humanae Vitae. She is particularly interested in political theology and religious nationalism. At Oxford, she hopes to study the role of faith in theories of liberalism and the ethical questions raised by the influence of theology on public institutions. When not working, Rachel enjoys being outdoors hiking, cross-country skiing, or fly fishing. Rachel is a 2022 Barry Scholar.

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Nicolas Galvan is reading for the DPhil in Theology (Patristics) at Christ Church College. Before pursuing academics, he was a case manager for the chronically homeless in California, where he helped develop a multi-million dollar government-funded programme that eventually rehabilitated hundreds off the streets and into housing. This has reintegrated several back into society, stopped the cycle of homelessness for homeless families, and extended the lives of those considered critical. He then received a BA in Biblical and Theological Studies at Biola University, where he graduated summa cum laude and was elected to the Epsilon Kappa Epsilon Honour Society for distinguished scholastic achievements and Christian character. Afterward, he received an MPhil degree in Theology (Patristics) at Wycliffe Hall, where he received a distinction on his thesis which explored the connection between early Christian baptism and martyrdom. He argued for the martyr-image reshaping fourth-century baptism when the threat of government persecution and martyrdom had diminished. His current research follows the connection between Christian baptism and martyrdom found in the early Christian intellectual Origen of Alexandria. This focuses on the influence of Greek paideia on Origen and how it shaped his theology on the schema between baptism and martyrdom.

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Alberto Garzoni is reading for the DPhil in Theology (Patristics and Christian Ethics) at Keble College. He holds an MA in Philosophy (Hons) from the University of Padua and a Diploma in Moral Sciences (Hons) from the Galilean School of Higher Education. Part of the coursework towards those degrees was completed at Boston University. His current research focuses on the political theology of Augustine of Hippo, its connections with liturgy and its influence on contemporary debates in political theory. Other interests include Catholic social thought, virtue ethics, Gregorian chant, theatre, and the poetry of T. S. Eliot.

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Lexy Gillette is reading for the DPhil in Inorganic Chemistry at Worcester College. She graduated summa cum laude from Westmont College with a BSc in Physics and Chemistry. Her academic interests concentrate within the materials sciences at the intersection of chemistry and physics, particularly in how the chemical makeup and structure of a material affects its magnetic properties. She has previously worked with superconducting Chevrel Phases and is now working in the lab of Professor Simon Clarke at Oxford researching oxysulfides with unusual magnetic and electric properties. Outside of the lab, her interests include hiking, reading novels, and dancing. Lexy is a 2022 Barry Scholar.

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Prerita Govil is reading for the MSt in Asian and Middle Eastern Studies at Wolfson College. She graduated from American University in Washington, DC with a BA in Political Theory. While there, her research particularly engaged with Platonic thought, virtue ethics, and the Valladolid debate on the rights of the indigenous people. She was also awarded the Political Theory Institute’s annual prize for her essay on the role of philosophical leisure in Michel de Montaigne’s thought. At Oxford, Prerita focuses on a comparative approach to moral inquiries of free will and reason through the study of Catholicism and Hinduism as well as the study of Sanskrit grammar. She enjoys reading a good novel, trying new recipes, learning new languages, knitting, and writing. Prerita is a 2023 Barry Scholar.

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Fr Jack Green is reading for the MPhil in Modern Theology at Mansfield College. He was ordained a Catholic priest in 2018, after which he served in a parish in Sydney for three years before coming to Oxford. Fr Jack is interested in the nature/grace distinction as it manifests in ecclesiology and politics, and his thesis is on a particular application of this in the concept of transparency. Fr Jack has undergraduate degrees in philosophy (honours) and theology. Outside academia, he loves playing football, running, and a good cup of coffee.

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Isabella Griepp is reading for the MPhil in Theology (Ecclesiastical History) at St. Cross College. Her thesis focuses on evangelical women in the 18th and 19th centuries and their impact on society. At Stanford, she majored in Classics, specialising in Ancient History, and double minoring in Data Science and Modern Languages (Spanish and Russian). During her time at Stanford, Isabella served as a leader in Chi Alpha Christian Fellowship, the Society for International Affairs at Stanford (SIAS), and Scholars of Finance. She also interned in the Office of Condoleezza Rice, where her research on school choice was used to create an interactive map for the Hoover Institution. During her time as a staff writer for the Stanford Review, she published articles on faith and campus life. A lifelong competitor, she was thrilled to race as a scholar All-American for Stanford’s alpine ski team. Isabella is a coffee aficionado, language lover, avid traveler, and she is deeply passionate about literature. Isabella is a 2024 Barry Scholar.

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Paul Guajardo is reading for the MSt in Global and Imperial History at Wolfson College. A Kennedy Scholar, he graduated with honours from Brigham Young University where he double majored in English and history. After serving a two-year mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Guadalajara, Mexico, he developed an interest in Spanish and Atlantic history, which became his focus as an undergraduate. At BYU, he was president of the Student Association for Cultures and Languages Across the Curriculum and helped professors integrate bilingual components into their undergraduate syllabi. Paul’s honours thesis was a translation of poems by the Equatoguinean writer Zankús Mázé Menemádjimol, and at Oxford he hopes to continue exploring the cultural history of Equatorial Guinea. When he can get away from school, Paul enjoys creative writing, playing the piano, and trying new foods with his wife. Paul is a 2024 Barry Scholar.

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Isabelle Heinemann is an alumna of St Hilda's College and Researcher at the Pusey Centre for Theology, Law and Culture. She is currently pursuing a PhD in the History of European Civilisation at the EUI Florence. Her main research interests concern the genealogy of the twin ideas of universal empire and peace across the Renaissance Mediterranean as well as its interpretation as political theology in modern historiography, particularly in the work of Ernst Kantorowicz. She has previously worked on Byzantine history, the Vienna Congress, and Middle Eastern current affairs. She is a scholar of the Ernst Ludwig Ehrlich Foundation and former chair of the Oxford Interfaith Scriptural Reasoning Society.

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Nathaniel Helms is pursuing a DPhil in philosophy at Oriel College, Oxford where he focuses on free will, moral responsibility, and the ethics of belief. Prior to this, he read the BPhil (also at Oriel), an MA at Florida State University, and a BA at the University of Dallas. Originally from Texas, he has also spent time working for the Chaldean Church in Iraq.

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Katherine Helmick is reading for the DPhil in Medieval and Modern Languages. She completed the MSt in Comparative Literature and Critical Translation (Spanish and Zulu) at Keble College. She also holds a BA in Art with a Spanish minor and concentration in U.S. Politics from Hillsdale College. Her research focuses on language and literature in Africa, with particular attention to the implications of translingualism in multi-ethnic nations such as South Africa and Equatorial Guinea. An avid traveler, Katherine has taught with the JET program in Japan and served with the Peace Corps in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. She writes on philosophical and social issues for The Critic and previously studied political philosophy as a resident fellow at the John Jay Institute. In 2014, she founded Salt and Iron: SeasonedWriting.com, an online magazine dedicated to excellence in Christian writing. She enjoys partner dancing and public speaking. Katherine is a 2023 Barry Scholar.

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Nathaniel Hodson is reading for the DPhil in Theology (Patristics and Christian Ethics), funded by the AHRC-OOC-DTP and as a Clarendon Scholar at University College. Originally from California, he holds a BA in Philosophy with High Distinction from the University of California, Berkeley, where he was elected to Phi Beta Kappa and awarded the Philosophy Departmental Citation. Before beginning doctoral study, he also graduated summa cum laude from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School with a Master of Divinity and read the MPhil in Theology (Christian Ethics) with Distinction at University College, Oxford. Nathaniel is interested in all aspects of moral theology, and his research incorporates the Christological concerns of Augustine’s political thought into conversations in contemporary political theology. When not working, Nathaniel enjoys surfing, classical music, and film.

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Jack Hume is a Ramsay Scholar reading for a PhD in Philosophy at University College London. His research explores justifications for arts funding in the context of liberal political philosophy. Prior to his PhD, he undertook an MPhil in Philosophy, also at UCL, and a BA in Philosophy and Psychology at the University of Sydney. Outside of study, he also enjoys hiking and playing music.

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Jasmine Jones is a College Lecturer in English at Pembroke College, Oxford, and Stipendiary Lecturer in English (650–1550) at St Peter’s College, Oxford. She is completing her DPhil at St Edmund Hall, Oxford, where she has been the Clarendon Scholar and the Bruce Mitchell Scholar of Old and Middle English. Her thesis studies the earliest literature that survives in the English language: Old English religious verse composed by monastic poets around 700–850 AD. Her DPhil focuses on the theology developed by this poetry, researching the possible influence of diverse spiritual traditions on the early English Church. Jasmine has recently published in an essay collection on the Christian Literary Imagination by Vernon Press, and she has published an article on early medieval English Mariology in The Review of English Studies Jasmine is passionate about public outreach and has spoken about her research live on Radio Maria England and for online lectures as part of the Future of the Humanities Project based at Georgetown University.

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Davis Kline is reading for an MPhil in Greek and Latin Languages and Literature at Somerville College. He completed his bachelor’s degree summa cum laude in 2023 at Princeton in Classics while also competing as a running back for the varsity American football team. Davis' primary academic interests are in Classical reception and the Classical tradition, specifically as it relates to the theory and practice of rhetoric and oratory. More broadly his interests lie in the relationship between civic participation and education. His dissertation will focus on the manifestation of the classical rhetorical tradition in the colleges of the early American republic. Davis is the first recipient of the Millsap Scholarship for American Football at Oxford, hosted by the Vincent’s Club.

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Katerina Levinson is reading for the DPhil in Medieval and Modern Languages (Spanish) at Wolfson College, Oxford. She completed the MSt in Medieval and Modern Languages (Spanish and English) at The Queen's College, Oxford in 2021. Prior to that, she graduated from the Honors College at Baylor University, where she studied Great Texts and Spanish. She was a recipient of the Fulbright ETA Fellowship from the U.S. State Department and Spanish government, and has worked as a political philosophy research assistant and an English and History secondary school teacher. Her research interests include gender and religious themes in Spanish Golden Age literature (especially drama) and visual art. In her free time, Katerina enjoys rock climbing, rowing, and singing. She is a 2021 Barry scholar.

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Gregory Langone is reading for the MSc in Engineering Science by Research at New College. He is a graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point, where he studied Civil Engineering and minored in Applied Statistics. Gregory has put his knowledge of materials and statistics to work in the Pentagon for the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Installations, Energy, and Environment where he wrote papers on emerging sustainable construction materials to inform political appointees and senior Army leaders. Outside the classroom, Gregory has a passion for working in teams, which he has done as a member of the NCAA Cross Country and Track & Field teams and as a representative on West Point’s Honour Committee. Gregory now looks to serve as an Engineer officer in the United States Army where he will engage directly with infrastructure that affects the lives of soldiers and civilians alike. Gregory is a 2023 Barry Scholar.

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Andreas E. Masvie is reading for the DPhil in Theology at Christ Church, inquiring into civic friendship in political theology. He holds a Master of Arts in Philosophy from the University of Oslo, a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy and Theology from Wycliffe Hall, Oxford, and a Bachelor of Science in Economics and Business Administration from the Norwegian School of Economics. Before returning to Oxford Andreas worked as a political journalist, essayist, and cultural critic in Oslo.

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Tom is reading for a DPhil in History at Wolfson College. He previously read for a BA in History at St Peter’s College and an MSt in Medieval History at St Hugh’s College. Tom is a medievalist working on English textual communities in the centuries following the Norman Conquest. His thesis is about the transmission and use of abbreviations and copies of the Domesday Book. He is interested in the kinds of things that all sorts of texts can tell us about the people who wrote them and what they thought, particularly when those texts are understood in their physical contexts. Tom was a Wolfson Postgraduate Scholar in the Humanities between 2020 and 2023, and is a Scouloudi Fellow at the IHR for 2023-24. He is also a Lecturer at Brasenose College.

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Liam McDonnell read Medieval History and Theology at the University of St Andrews, where he was awarded the Gray Prize and Hope Trust award for his dissertation on Aquinas’s doctrine of divine impassibility. Following this, he completed an MSt in Medieval Studies at Blackfriars, Oxford, where he is now writing a DPhil in Theology on the question of the salvation of those who are ignorant of Christianity through no fault of their own, focusing on tracing the question from the early twelfth century through to Thomas Aquinas. He is also interested in, amongst other things, questions relating to the divine attributes, and medieval history and theology more broadly. He is student president of the Oxford Chapter of the Thomistic Institute.

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Justin McGovern is reading for the BCL at Oriel College. He holds a Bachelor of Arts (History and International Relations) and a Bachelor of Laws (First Class Honours) from the University of Southern Queensland, graduating first in class and receiving the Faculty Medal for Arts. For his thesis he explored the legality of Russia’s annexation of Crimea and the tension between principles of self-determination and territorial integrity. Justin has practised as a lawyer specialising in public law for several years, has served as Chief-of-Staff to an Assistant Attorney-General of Australia, and is a commissioned officer in the Royal Australian Air Force (Specialist Reserve). As a 2024 Ramsay Scholar, Justin's research interests centre on the tenets of the Western Tradition which particularly shape law and society - especially at the intersection between law, philosophy, and politics. These areas of interest include virtues-based approaches to legislative drafting and judicial decision-making, constitutional interpretation and the rule of law, and legal and philosophical approaches to the democratic processes and the self-determination of peoples. Justin is also an accomplished choral singer, thespian, and polo player.

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Matthew Morris is reading for the DPhil in Computer Science at Hertford College. He completed a Masters in Computer Science with distinction from Oxford in 2021 and did his BSc (Honours) in Math and Computer Science at the University of Cape Town, where he graduated top of his class. He has experience working in software development, academia, and industry research, and has published papers in several influential conferences. His doctoral work is within the field of artificial intelligence (AI), where he aims to create systems that work with structured knowledge by learning to reason in robust, interpretable, and scalable ways. A proud South African, he has a passion for free-diving, ultimate frisbee, sailing, and outdoor adventures. He is also involved in initiatives to uplift Africa within the field of AI. He aims to return to work in AI industry, solving real-world problems and, led by his Catholic faith, being a pioneer and voice for using AI responsibly.

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Fr Joseph Murphy is reading for a DPhil in Patristics at Oriel College. He is a Catholic priest from Brisbane with a passion for the Classics. He holds a Bachelor of Arts (Ancient Greek, Latin) from the University of Sydney, a Bachelor of Philosophy (Honours I) from the University of Notre Dame (for which he analysed Aristotle’s Greek philosophical texts), a Bachelor of Theology, and an MPhil in Philosophical Theology read at St Peter's College, Oxford. In 2019 he was ordained a priest for the Sydney Archdiocese. He has worked as an Assistant Priest at All Saints Parish, Liverpool, as well as Chaplain for two schools and Volunteer Chaplain for Liverpool Hospital. His doctoral work studies ancient philosophical influences on Origen of Alexandria. Fr Joseph is a 2022 Ramsay scholar.

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Karolina Nixon is reading for the BPhil in Philosophy at Somerville College. She graduated from Columbia University with degrees in philosophy (with departmental honours) and economics, and is pursuing a career as an academic and public philosopher. Her research interests include Ancient Greek philosophy, epistemology, and ethics. Outside of her formal studies, Karolina is a competitive épée fencer. She fenced for the USA National Team and served as captain of the Columbia Fencing team. She plans to continue fencing while completing her BPhil as part of the Oxford University Fencing Club. In 2023, Karolina launched “Philosopher Fencer,” a social media venture aimed at bringing academic philosophy to general audiences through short-form videos. Aside from philosophy and fencing, her interests include writing, visual and performing arts, fashion, and modeling. Karolina is a 2024 Barry Scholar.

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Shane Patrick is reading for the MPhil in Islamic Studies and History at Wolfson College. He graduated from Princeton University, with a bachelor’s degree in Near Eastern Studies and certificates in Medieval Studies, Hellenic Studies, Latin, and Arabic. Shane is interested in Christian-Muslim relations during the Middle Ages and the development of Christian religious practices in Africa and the Middle East following the rise of Islam. His undergraduate thesis examined a Maronite Christian legal text, the Mukhtaṣar al-Sharīʿa of ʿAbdallāh Qarāʿalī, and its relationship with Islamic Law and with the legal traditions of other Christian confessions. In his spare time, he enjoys playing the banjo and taking long walks with his wife. Shane is a 2024 Barry Scholar.

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Ethan Phillips is reading for the MSc in Modelling for Global Health at Reuben College. He graduated with honors and highest distinction from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a BSPH in Health Policy and Management from the Gillings School of Global Public Health with minors in Public Policy and Chemistry. At UNC, Ethan was a Morehead-Cain scholar and was awarded the Algernon Sydney Sullivan Award for unselfish dedication to human welfare. He was also highly involved in student governance and pursued public health and health policy research, completing an honors thesis on the use of data and technology to advance health equity in primary care. Ethan is interested in exploring the intersection of economics, healthcare, and equity and intends to apply to medical school following his studies at Oxford. Outside of his academic pursuits, he enjoys sailing, cooking, and spending time outdoors. Ethan is a 2023 Barry Scholar.

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Clemente Recabarren is reading for the DPhil in Law at St John’s College. His academic interests lie in constitutional law, philosophy of law and legal history. His doctoral research focuses on theories of constitution-making and constitutional amendment. Prior to his doctoral studies, Clemente completed an MPhil in Law at Oxford. His MPhil thesis explored the relation between public international law and constitutional law, and offered a critical account of the role of states in the international sphere based on the concepts of sovereignty and subsidiarity. Before coming to Oxford, Clemente obtained his law degree (Hons) from Universidad Católica de Chile in 2016, where he was appointed Adjunct Professor in 2018. In conjunction with his academic activities, he also worked as legal advisor to the President of the Republic of Chile under the Ministry Secretary General of the Presidency, practiced law and interned for the Constitutional Court of Chile.

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Piero Rios Carrillo is reading for the DPhil in Law at St Peter's College. His doctoral research focuses on developing a comparativist account of legal reasoning that is both compatible with and enriched by the concept of virtue. Previously, he read for the MJur at St Cross College, and before coming to Oxford obtained his law degree from Universidad Católica San Pablo (Peru). Piero is deeply interested in the philosophy of law, as evidenced by his Bachelor's dissertation (published as a book by Palestra Editores, 2021), and his MJur dissertation (which will appear in the journal 'Legal Theory' by Cambridge University Press). Before coming to Oxford he worked as a qualified lawyer at a Peruvian law firm; and following his graduation from Oxford, he completed a year of internships in London focusing on international arbitration.

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Jacob Rosenzweig is reading for the MPhil in Greek and Latin Languages and Literature at Merton College, University of Oxford. He will graduate from Duke University with a BA in Classical Languages and Political Science. His senior thesis examined the contributions of Greco-Roman philosophy and political thought to the development of natural rights theories in Medieval Europe. Outside the classroom, he has held fellowships with the Hudson Institute and Hertog Foundation, and he has conducted historical research for the Bipartisan Policy Center. Jacob is interested in ancient conceptions of nature, justice, and citizenship, and he will attend Harvard Law School after completing his studies at Oxford. In his free time, he enjoys long walks, great coffee, and challenging books. Jacob is a 2024 Barry Scholar.

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Craig Ruiz is reading for the BA in History and Politics at Regent's Park College. He graduated summa cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa from Arizona State University with a BA in Civic and Economic Thought and Leadership and a minor in Spanish. His thesis for Barrett, the Honours College was an analysis of theories of political cohesion in Alexis de Tocqueville’s Democracy in America. He wishes to continue his study of cohesion in diverse historical contexts. He also has a passion for local politics and has worked with the Arizona Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Outside of his formal studies, Craig is an enthusiastic traveler, concertgoer, and reader of classic texts. Craig is a 2023 Barry Scholar.

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Angelo Ryu is currently reading for the DPhil in Law at St John’s College. Previously he read the MPhil in Law, the BCL, and the BA in Jurisprudence, also at St John’s. His research interests are clustered primarily in public law and legal theory. His thesis is on the concept of jurisdiction in administrative law. He has also written on the doctrine of non-justiciability, the error of fact doctrine, legal anti-positivism, the rule of law, and the role of juries. Ongoing projects include a paper on the nature of mercy, the basis for negligence liability, the nature of blameworthiness, and the rights-based conception of administrative law. Outside of academia, he briefly worked at the US Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals as a judicial intern.

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Zoditu Schwind is reading for the MSc in African Studies at Corpus Christi College. She graduated from George Fox University with a major in Biochemistry and a minor in Creative Writing. Her senior thesis, influenced by her time working in hospice care, focuses on how dualistic and non-dualistic perceptions of human nature affect one’s understanding of death. At Oxford, she is interested in studying the history of healthcare in Madagascar, specifically looking at traditional healers and their influence on how Malagasy women understand reproductive health. Zoditu intends to apply for medical school after her time at Oxford and hopes to eventually work in East Africa as a physician. Zoditu is a 2024 Barry Scholar.

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Rina Sclove is reading for the MPhil in Jewish Studies at Exeter College. She is a senior at Duke University majoring in Political Science and English with a certificate in Jewish Studies. As an undergraduate, her research has focused on the intersection between political theory and Jewish thought. Her work in Oxford combine her interests in English and Jewish Studies by studying how the setting of the shtetl serves as a site for processing memory and trauma in post-World War II literature. At Duke, Rina served as the president of Duke’s Jewish Student Union. In her spare time, she enjoys creative writing and crocheting. Rina is a 2024 Barry Scholar.

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Benjamin Sharkey is reading for the DPhil in History at Magdalen College as an Oxford Nizami-Ganjavi Scholar. He holds a BA in History from the University of Birmingham, and an MPhil in Late Antique and Byzantine Studies from the University of Oxford. His current research explores various aspects of the experience of Christian communities in medieval Central Asia. More broadly he is interested in the wider history of Central Asia, the Islamic world, and the Mongol empire; the history of Syriac, Asian and non-European Christianity; and in rethinking approaches to the study of historical religion and belief, particularly in medieval scholarship.

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Eric Sheng is reading for the DPhil, in Philosophy, at Merton College. He previously read for the BA, initially in History and then in History and Politics, at University College, Oxford, and the BPhil, in Philosophy, at Corpus Christi College. His academic interests include the history of ideas (especially of moral philosophy and of XVIIth- and XVIIIth-century European philosophy), social and moral philosophy, and metaphysics. He is a 2021 Ramsay Scholar.

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Alberto Solano is reading for the DPhil in Theology (New Testament) at Keble College. His research traces the use of the Book of Exodus in the Epistle to the Hebrews, looking particularly at the reception and use of the Sinaitic law. He completed the MPhil in Theology at Oxford in 2022. Prior to moving to the UK, Alberto lived in Mexico where he was raised and had a background in business administration. In his free time, he loves a good cup of coffee and to chat about anything related to Latin America, especially history, politics, and art.

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Lauren Spohn is a Rhodes Scholar reading the DPhil in Intellectual History at Wadham College. She earned a Masters in Intellectual History with distinction from Oxford in 2021 and graduated summa cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa as the highest-ranked 2020 graduate of Harvard College, where she studied English and History. Her doctoral work focuses on historical meta-narratives of progress and (dis)enchantment in modern Anglo-American philosophy. Originally from Texas, she is also a filmmaker and essayist with work experience in venture capital, private equity, and educational nonprofits. In her spare time, she enjoys running ultramarathons and flying small planes. Long-term, she aspires to work across art, scholarship, and entrepreneurship to re-enchant the world.

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Benedict Stanley is reading for the DPhil in Law at Queen’s College where he will also be the Anthony Honoré Scholar in Law. Benedict’s previous degree was a BA in Jurisprudence from St John’s College, where he was a Casberd Scholar, and obtained the White & Case Prize in Comparative Private Law. He plans to pursue a DPhil, which is to be a comparative and historical study of the development of doctrinal legal scholarship in England and Germany (with additional reference to the United States) in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Benedict is particularly interested in questioning certain conceptual assumptions in how law is explained (taxonomies, national boundaries) and the implications of this for traditional “black letter” legal scholarship. In his spare time, Benedict occupies himself with analogue photography, computer programming, art galleries, and endeavouring to read as widely as possible. Benedict is a 2023 Barry Scholar.

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Kerry Sun is reading for the DPhil in Law at Merton College, where his research focuses on tort law and interpersonal fairness in market relations. Previously, he read for the Bachelor of Civil Law (Distinction) at Merton College and received his Juris Doctor (Distinction) from the University of Toronto, Faculty of Law. Before coming to Oxford, he served as a law clerk at the Court of Appeal of Alberta and to Justice Sheilah L. Martin at the Supreme Court of Canada, and worked as a litigation associate in the New York office of Sullivan & Cromwell LLP. His academic interests include natural law theory, theory of private law, and methodologies of rights adjudication.

Middle Reader

Michele Szegda is reading for the MSc in Medical Physics with Radiation Biology. She will graduate from the United States Military Academy at West Point, where she studied Nuclear Engineering with a Life Science concentration. Michele is a member of the Women’s Army Rugby team and a member of the Officers’ Christian Fellowship, where she remains dedicated to fostering inclusive and supportive teams with those around her. Inspired by her parents’ battle with cancer and her service as an enlisted medic in the United States Army, Michele’s passion for learning is expressed through the nexus of her academic interests of cellular biology, chemistry, and nuclear engineering. She has pursued multiple research projects in investigating metallic nanoparticles’ interaction with gamma radiation, in developing the pyrotechnic ignitor for the SPEAR team’s rocket, and in examining the ethical implications of utilizing nanotechnology for human enhancement. In her career, Michele intends to develop innovative, human-centric technologies in radiation biology to improve the effectiveness of current therapeutic cancer treatments. Critical to progressing the fields of nuclear medicine and radiation oncology, the next generation of scientists must be able to speak multiple scientific disciplines, with chemistry and radiation biology being a primary focus. In her career, Michele plans to utilise her diverse academic background and her personal experiences to not only bridge the divide between basic research enterprises and clinical investigation, but to combine her comprehensive knowledge of radiation and its effects on biological systems to mitigate the subversive effects of radiotherapy. Michele is a 2023 Barry Scholar.

Middle Reader

Jonathan Tjandra is reading for the BCL at Balliol College. He graduated with a Bachelor of Politics, Philosophy and Economics (Hons I) and Juris Doctor from the Australian National University. Previously, Jonathan was the Legal Research Officer to the Hon Susan Kiefel AC, Chief Justice of Australia, and practised public and constitutional law as Counsel for the Australian Government Solicitor. His research interests are in constitutional law, specifically on judicial power and judicial review. Jonathan is a 2022 Ramsay Scholar.

Middle Reader

Joshua M. Topham is reading for the MPhil in Politics (Comparative Government) at University College. Originally from St George, Utah, Joshua spent two years in Sierra Leone as a religious and humanitarian volunteer before starting his undergraduate degree. He then studied American studies, history, and political science at Brigham Young University, where he graduated summa cum laude. Joshua published four research papers during his time at BYU and won a university-wide writing competition. He also served as editor-in-chief of BYU’s American studies journal, was elected American Studies Student of the Year by faculty and peers, and won BYU’s US Constitutional History Award. At Oxford, Joshua will continue studying constitutional law, theory, and history. After completing his MPhil, he will join Yale Law School. Joshua and his wife, Anna, enjoy traveling and all things outdoors. Joshua is a 2024 Barry Scholar.

Middle Reader

Peter Varga is reading for the DPhil in Experimental Psychology at Christ Church. Before coming up to Oxford, he received his MSc in Psychological Sciences from William & Mary. He graduated summa cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa as the President’s Award recipient and a University Scholar from the Catholic University of America with a BA in Psychology and minors in Neuroscience, Philosophy, and Theology & Religious Studies, earning additional honours in Classical Philosophy, Theology, and Humanities. Drawing on his background as a classically trained guitarist and liturgical organist, his DPhil thesis investigates how emotion and higher states (e.g., inspiration) are communicated by composers to listeners via music, as well as the implications of this process for cultural transmission and evolution. Championing an interdisciplinary approach to the pursuit of knowledge, his past research has examined the role of aesthetics in science, experiences of higher goods (e.g., unity, truth, goodness, beauty) as indicators of self-transcendent well-being, the function of inspiration and imagination in the creative process, the social and emotional underpinnings of the ‘chills’ response to film and music, the effect of social stress on prospective memory, and differences between terrestrial and lunar psychophysics using virtual reality. Outside of academia, Peter serves as the Development Officer for the Christ Church Music Trust. In his free time, he enjoys singing with the Christ Church and Hertford college choirs and fencing with the University Club. Peter is a 2022 Barry Scholar.

Middle Reader

Ginger Vidal is reading for the MSt in English Literature at St Hilda’s College. She completed her undergraduate coursework at both Deep Springs College and Barnard College, where she received her BA in English. Her two senior theses on Dickens and Shakespeare explored fictional geographies and the poetics of space. Alongside her studies she worked as a carbon storage researcher and a mule packer. After graduating she spent a year practicing regenerative agriculture at a conservation cattle ranch and bison preserve in Colorado. At Oxford, she will continue to explore how literary landscapes are imagined and the ways they structure and mediate our understanding of 19th century novels. In her free time she enjoys biking, painting, and playing foosball. Ginger is a 2024 Barry Scholar.

Middle Reader

Eugenia Vorobeva is a DPhil Candidate in English at St Anne's College which she joined as a Graduate Development Scholar. She has written her doctoral thesis on the narrative depiction of the apostolic suffering in the Old Norse-Icelandic life of St Andrew the apostle. Her research interests lie at the intersection of medieval hagiography, emotions, and literary style. Eugenia holds a BA in International Relations and an MA in History from the Higher School of Economics in Moscow; she also holds an MSt in Medieval Studies from the University of Oxford.

Middle Reader

Nathan is a DPhil candidate in Theology at St. Peter’s College. His dissertation is a critical exposition and analysis of Charles Taylor’s A Secular Age, with a focus on Taylor’s interpretation of early modern Protestantism. He studied for his undergraduate degree in Theology at Queen’s University Belfast where he served as Lead Student Representative for Union Theological College and as an Accredited Preacher for the Presbyterian Church in Ireland. He earned his MSt in Theology from the University of Oxford in 2019. Over the course of his doctoral work he has been awarded visiting research fellowships at the Institut d’Histoire de la Réformation, Université de Genève, and the H. Henry Meeter Center for Calvin Studies at Calvin University in Grand Rapids, MI. He has also been awarded a Civitas Dei Summer Fellowship by the Institute for Human Ecology at The Catholic University of America and the Thomistic Institute at the Dominican House of Studies in Washington, DC. Nathan is a Wolfson Postgraduate Scholar in the Humanities.

Middle Reader

Chelsea is reading for the DPhil in Law at Lady Margaret Hall, where she holds the Ann Kennedy Graduate Scholarship in Law. She is a Ramsay Scholar, with her research focusing on the role of human rights law in addressing domestic abuse, under the supervision of Professors Shazia Choudhry and Jonathan Herring. Supported by a scholarship from Jesus College, she completed the BCL with Distinction in 2021. Chelsea serves on the Editorial Board of the Oxford Human Rights Hub and is a Research Officer and member of the Executive Committee of the Oxford Pro Bono Publico. In addition, she is a Graduate Teaching Assistant in the Faculty of Law and acts as Research Assistant to Professors Sandy Fredman, Shreya Atrey, and Barbara Havelková. A Choral Bursar at Worcester College, she is also Poetry Editor for the Oxford Public Philosophy journal, and in 2021 received the D L Chapman Memorial Prize for her poetry collection 'Apricity'. Chelsea also holds a MA in English and was previously a secondary teacher at a boarding school in Australia, where she coordinated Gifted and Talented programmes, and she has also served as a Youth Ambassador for Oxfam Australia, a member of the Australian delegation to the Harvard Model United Nations Conference, and a Senior Judge for The Queen's Commonwealth Essay Competition. She is an Associate Fellow of the Royal Commonwealth Society.

Middle Reader

Br. Matthew Warnez is reading for the DPhil in Theology at Blackfriars, where his research concerns the Christian tradition's exceptionless moral norms and their foundation in human nature. He holds a BSE in Engineering Physics from the University of Michigan and an MA in Theology from the Saint Paul Seminary. He is a member of the Brotherhood of Hope, a Catholic religious community based in the United States.

Middle Reader

Rohan Watt is reading for the DPhil in International Relations at Pembroke College. His research focuses on understanding the expansion of legislative authority placed in international institutions and how this interacts with international politics and global order. He graduated from the University of Queensland with a Bachelor of Arts with first class honours in political science and a Bachelor of Laws, and is an admitted lawyer of the Supreme Court of Queensland in Australia. He was a recipient of a Governor Phillip Scholarship to read the MPhil in International Relations at Oxford immediately prior to commencing his doctorate, during which he focused on the changing character of the regulation of conflict, especially as it relates to foreign volunteer fighters. Prior to his postgraduate studies, Rohan was a political adviser to the Australian Attorney-General and Leader of the Government in the Senate. Rohan is a 2021 Ramsay Scholar.

Middle Reader

Lindsey A. Williams is reading for the MPhil in Politics (Political Theory). Originally from Salem, Oregon, she graduated from Stanford University with a bachelor’s degree in Political Science and a minor in History. While there, she was an Undergraduate Fellow at Stanford Law School’s Constitutional Law Center, as well as founder, staff editor, and contributor to the Stanford Undergraduate Law Review. She also belonged to the founding board of her local chapter of the ACLU. An awarded writer and speaker, Lindsey has earned accolades from the Hoover Institute and PEN America for her essays and papers. Her research includes work on applying rational choice theory to judicial decision-making during periods of political polarisation, the history of justiciability doctrines in American common law, and the emergence of written constitutionalism in the colonial Americas. She will be studying the intersection of democratic theory, judicial power, and constitutional interpretation. After completing her MPhil, she will be continuing her education at Yale Law School. Outside of her work, Lindsey’s hobbies include digital photography, reading novels, collecting vinyl, and enjoying all kinds of live music. Lindsey is a 2023 Barry Scholar.

Middle Reader

Daniel Woolnough is reading for the DPhil at Oriel College, specialising in the Philosophy of Religion. His current research focuses on the problem of evil broadly, with a specific emphasis on theodicy—an enterprise that investigates the reasons God may have for permitting evil. Daniel holds an MSt in Philosophical Theology from Mansfield College and has broad interests in Analytic Philosophy, including Bayesianism, Modal Metaphysics, Axiology, and Formal Logic.

Middle Reader

Victoria Xiao is reading for the MPhil in Theology (New Testament) at St Cross College. Her undergraduate degree comes from Dartmouth College, where she majored in Philosophy. Her research connects philosophy, theology, and political economy. As a student researcher, she worked extensively with Dartmouth professors on Augustine, Pseudo-Dionysius, and Thomas Aquinas. In particular, she has written about the theological implications of De Trinitate as a phenomenological text, particularly concerning the Filioque. She has also analysed Western cultural and political issues from an onto-theological standpoint, juxtaposing Jean-Paul Sartre and Jacques Maritain’s views of existence and their respective moral implications. Moreover, supported by two different Dartmouth grants, Victoria researched twentieth-century Russian and East European literature and twentieth-century Chinese intellectual history. At Oxford, Victoria hopes to explore the personal, immanent, and transformative dimensions of metaphysics through the study of Scripture and its patristic reception. In her free time, Victoria enjoys playing the piano and a Chinese instrument called Guqin. Victoria is a 2022 Barry Scholar.

Middle Reader

Joseph Zishang Yue (岳子尚) is currently reading for a DPhil in Science and Religion in which he explores a neo-Aristotelian perspective on the Everettian interpretation of quantum mechanics. He is the 2024 recipient of the Graduate Scholarship in Science and Religion at Oriel College. Born and raised in Zhengzhou (鄭州), China, he came to the University of Edinburgh to read for MChem Chemistry during which he specialised in theoretical and computational physical chemistry, and graduated First Class with Honours in 2021. Seeking eventually to switch to philosophy, he then read for a MSc Science and Religion, also at Edinburgh, and graduated with Distinction in 2022. Apart from his main research interests in metaphysics and philosophy of physics, he also imbibes an overabundance of classical Confucian texts, as well as their significant Song/Ming interpretations by, e.g., Wang Fuzhi (王夫之) and Matteo Ricci, which aspect he wishes to bring into his future research. In his free time, he enjoys literature, poetry, classical music, satorial styles, rowing, cooking, singing Gregorian chant, and casually bantering in Latin. 

Junior Reader

Rose Webster is reading for a BA in Theology and Religion at Regent's Park College and for a BSc in Mathematics at Metropolitan State University of Denver. Her research interests are broadly in the area of systematic theology and patristics, with a goal of synthesising contemporary, and patristic, and medieval exegesis. The focus of her current research project is the doctrine of the indwelling of the Holy Trinity in the writings of Maximus the Confessor. Her research interests in mathematics include nonlinear dynamical systems and philosophy of mathematics.

Office Manager & Senior Reader

Dr Madalena Brito read her PhD in Classical Studies in the University of Lisbon, Portugal. She researches 16th century unedited Latin manuscripts on slavery and the natural rights of persons, and is currently investigating the Iberian School of Peace and Natural Law (of the Second Scholasticism in Portugal and Spain). She is interested in the intellectual history of natural rights, slavery and natural law. As Office Manager, Dr Brito manages the Canterbury Institute’s premises in St Aldate’s, Oxford, including organising study space for students.

Director

Dr Dominic Burbidge is the Founding Director of the Canterbury Institute. A graduate of the University of Oxford, he has held numerous teaching, research and administrative positions across the University. He was formerly a Postdoctoral Researcher in Princeton University and is now a permanent Lecturer in Politics for Regent’s Park College, University of Oxford, and Research Coordinator for Oxford’s Faculty of Law. Dr Burbidge is also a Research Associate of Oxford’s Institute for Ethics in AI, and an Associate Member of the Department of Politics & International Relations. Dr Burbidge is the single author of two books and ten peer-reviewed articles, with a focus on the nature of democracy, social trust and interpersonal unity. His current research applies virtue ethics to political theory.

Programme Manager

Ashley Crowley recently graduated from the University of Oxford with a Bachelor’s degree in Theology. She wrote her dissertation on the importance of beauty and the role that the built environment plays in spaces of worship. Prior to her studies, Ashley worked full time in production, managing her photography and videography company where she specialised in editorial print and women’s fashion. As Programme Manager, Ashley organises the events hosted by the Institute alongside supporting the Barry Scholars nomination process and annual donor presentations.

Finance Manager

Aaron Mansfield began working life repairing electronic circuits for Allen & Heath, the famous mixing console manufacturer used by Pink Floyd and The Who. He later studied Theology at Heythrop College, University of London, and as a Flatley Fellow in Theological Ethics at Boston College, before gaining his DPhil from the University of Oxford as an AHRC-funded scholar. He is interested in the intellectual history of moral theology. He previously worked in an academic library, and in a student welfare role with American students in Oxford. As Finance Manager, Aaron oversees the Canterbury Institute’s budgets, human resources, and scholarship disbursements.