Our people

As a scholar educated in international relations, peace and conflict studies, sociology, religious studies and theology, I carry out research on various intersections of international affairs, migration, peacebuilding, EU foreign and security policy, and religion.

Dr Vladimir Kmec joined the Von Hügel Institute as a Research Affiliate in 2013 and was appointed Research Associate in 2017. At the University of Cambridge, he supervised undergraduate students at the Department of Politics and International Studies and served as a Research Associate at the European Centre. He coordinated the Politics and International Relations courses at Trinity Hall and Downing College and lectured in the International Security summer programme at Magdalene College. He previously held academic appointments as a Government of Ireland Postdoctoral Research Fellow at University College Dublin and as a Postdoctoral Fellow and Lecturer at the University of Groningen.

As a Peterhouse Scholar at the University of Cambridge, he analysed the EU’s peacebuilding efforts within the framework of the Common Security and Defence Policy. As a Government of Ireland Postgraduate Scholar at Trinity College Dublin, he examined the interplay of migration and religion. He was also a visiting scholar at Humboldt University in Berlin and at the University of Göttingen. He studied at the University of Cambridge, Trinity College Dublin, the University of Ottawa, Comenius University in Bratislava, Eberhard Karls University in Tübingen and Friedrich-Alexander University in Erlangen-Nürnberg.

Beyond academia, Vlado brings extensive experience from his work with the United Nations (DPKO and UNMAS), international NGOs, media outlets and faith-based organisations. He has served on boards of academic associations and youth organisations. He has advised the United Nations and the European Union—including the Political and Security Committee of the Council of the EU and the European External Action Service. Since 2022, Vlado has served as Programme Officer for Central and Eastern Europe at the Ecumenical Centre in Berlin.

Vlado is an interdisciplinary scholar with research interests at the intersection of international relations, European security, peace and conflict studies, sociology, theology and religious studies. He has conducted empirical fieldwork in Ireland, Germany, the Western Balkans, Mali, and in Brussels and New York. In recognition of his contributions to research on European security and defence as well as his engagement in European-level initiatives, Vlado was awarded the European Award for Citizenship, Security and Defence – Special Award for European Security and Defence, along with the Medal of the French President, at the 2018 Berlin Security Conference.

Publications

• 'Minority Religions and Immigration in Ireland', in Ganiel and Holmes (eds.) The Oxford Handbook of Religion in Modern Ireland, Oxford University Press, 2024, 522–541.
• EU Missions and Peacebuilding: Building Peace Through Common Security and Defence Policy, Abingdon: Routledge, 2022.
• 'Inclusiveness and Exclusiveness of Religious Actors in Peace Negotiations', with Gladys Ganiel, International Negotiation, Vol. 24 (1), 2019, 136–163.
• 'The Establishment of the Peacebuilding Commission: Reflecting Power Shifts at the United Nations', International Peacekeeping, Vol. 24 (2), 2017, 304-322.
• 'United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei' Oxford Handbook of UN Peacekeeping Operations

Fran Baker Kurdi leads Social Impact & Innovation at Arm, a world-leading semiconductor and software design company. Her award-winning work focuses on extending the benefits of technology to the people and areas not currently prioritised in technology development. Working with impact partners on worldwide programmes, from social entrepreneurs to global organisations, Fran drives an impact strategy delivering inclusive innovation where technology can play a role. Fran has a MSt from the University of Cambridge in AI Ethics & Society, receiving a distinction for her work focusing on the sustainability of AI.

In 2020, Fran was selected as the United Nations Global Compact SDG Pioneer UK winner, and in 2022 was selected as one of twenty Global Fellows through the League of Intrapreneurs. In 2024, Fran was a finalist in the Everywoman in technology ‘Tech for Good’ award and has been recognised on the ‘100 Brilliant Women in AI ethics’ list.

Anna-Maria is Director of Studies for Engineering

Dr Fernanda Lammoglia's career is centred on technological innovation for social impact, with an increasing focus on geospatial intelligence (GEOINT) and open-source investigations for human security, conflict and emergency preparedness and response. She is currently conducting systemic risks analysis for business resilience.

Dr Fernanda Lammoglia is a Mexican engineer with international experience in the USA, Canada, Mexico, Germany, Italy and the UK. After completing her BSc. (Hons.) in biotechnology engineering and PhD. in gene and cellular therapies, she transitioned to a career in technology for social impact. She worked as a project manager in social innovation at Atlantis Innovation and consultant in disaster and emergency management at Prepared International. She is now a research associate in systemic risks at the Cambridge Centre for Risks Studies, developing tools to help businesses navigate the climate transition. Fernanda also volunteers with the University of Cambridge & Amnesty International’s Digital Verification Corps and URISA’s GISCorps PhotoMappers, using open-source tools for human rights and emergency response projects.

Maria is also a traditional fencer and a martial artist.

Academic Profile

Publications

• Cambridge Centre for Risk Studies, Optimizing Disaster Resilience, 2024
• Gerbitz et al., Prevention of CMV/EBV reactivation by double-specific T [...], 2023, Front. Immunol.
• Welters et al., Immune Phenotypes and Target Antigens of Clonally [...], 2022, Cancer Immunol Res.
• Lammoglia et al., Rapid single cell identification of Epstein-Barr virus [...], 2022, Cytotherapy
• Lammoglia et al., Reconstitution of EBV-directed T cell immunity by adoptive, 2022, PLoS Pathogens

Awards & Recognitions

• CONACYT and Ruth Jeschke doctoral studentships
• European Group for Blood and Marrow Transplantation Meeting: Best young poster abstracts award
• Mitacs Globalink Award
• COMEXUS Proyecta 100,000 Award
• B.Sc. Excellence Scholarship

Charles L. Leavitt IV is the William Payden Associate Professor of Romance Languages and Literatures and the Associate Director of the Center for Italian Studies at the University of Notre Dame. A Fellow of the American Academy in Rome, the Nanovic Institute for European Studies and the Kellogg Institute for International Studies, Leavitt studies modern and contemporary Italian literature and culture in a comparative context. He was awarded the 2022 Essay Prize from the Society for Italian Studies and the 2021 Book Prize in Visual Studies, Film, and Media from the American Association for Italian Studies for his first monograph, Italian Neorealism: A Cultural History (University of Toronto Press, 2020), which was also shortlisted for the Bridge Literary Prize in North American non-fiction.

Research Affiliate and Co-Director of VentureESG

Dr Johannes Lenhard is affiliate lecturer and researcher at the University of Cambridge. He is research affiliate at the Minderoo Center for Technology and Democracy and the co-director of VentureESG. He has recently published a monograph on people experiencing homelessness in Paris (Making Better Lives), a co-authored book on diversity and inclusion in venture capital and tech (Better Venture) and his forthcoming book on the ‘Ethics of venture capital investors’ is under contract with Columbia University Press. He writes regular for a variety of journalistic outlets and runs the non-profit CHIRN (Cambridge Homelessness Impact Research Network).

My research interests include transport resilience, transport reliability, transport robustness, transport management and optimization.

Dr Liu is a Marie Sklodowska-Curie Future Roads Fellow at the University of Cambridge. He earned his Ph.D. from Southwest Jiaotong University and was a Ph.D. visiting student at the University of Maryland. Prior to his research at the University of Cambridge, he served as an associate professor at Kunming University of Science and Technology. His project is aimed at evaluating the impacts of climate change on transport performance and developing effective models and methods to mitigate the negative impacts of various climatic events. He is involved as an investigator in several projects centered around transport resilience and reliability. He is the first or corresponding author of 25 peer-reviewed journal papers and 16 conference papers, with several selected as "Editor’s Choice" and best papers. He also serves as a reviewer for 13 international journals and is a member of the editorial board for two journals.

Academic Profile

Publications

• Liu J, Schonfeld P M, Peng Q, et al. Measures of travel reliability on an urban rail transit network[J]. Journal of Transportation Engineering, Part A: Systems, 2020, 146(6): 04020037.
• Liu J, He M, Schonfeld P M, et al. Measures of accessibility incorporating time reliability for an urban rail transit network: A case study in Wuhan, China[J]. Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, 2022, 165: 471-489.
• Liu J, Schonfeld P M, Zhan S, et al. The economic value of reserve capacity considering the reliability and robustness of a rail transit network[J]. Journal of Transportation Engineering, Part A: Systems, 2023, 149(6): 04023046.
• Liu J, Schonfeld P M, Zhan S, et al. Measuring and enhancing the connectivity reliability of a rail transit network[J]. Transportmetrica A: Transport Science, 2022, 18(3): 1699-1733.

Jeffrey Wei Liu is an accomplished leader with a dynamic background, blending excellence in sports, business, and global development. A former Chinese national swimming champion, Jeffrey has since established himself a renowned authority in global finance, real estate, and entrepreneurship. He is the founder and CEO of Posh Global Investment Limited and a senior partner at Beijing Cornerstone & Partners law firm, where he leads innovative ventures that span across Asia, Europe, North America, and Oceania.

Beyond his significant commercial success, Jeffrey is an enthusiastic advocate for cultural exchange and community development. As a cultural ambassador for UNESCO World Heritage, he actively promotes global heritage conservation and cultural dialogue. In 2024, he also founded the Blue Mountain Global Intercultural Exchange Group, a platform dedicated to fostering education and cultural sharing worldwide. His work in this area has earned him invitations to prestigious forums, including those hosted by former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, and recognition with the Cambridge Chinese Community Contribution Award, presented by the Mayor of Cambridge. Additionally, he serves as Vice President of The Shaw Society (Asia-Pacific Region), further advancing his commitment to international collaboration.

Jeffrey’s passion for education is evident in his extensive philanthropic work. From 2022 to 2025, he was elected as a representative at the Chengdu Annual Charity Conference in China. In 2024, he was appointed a Fellow and Development Ambassador of St Edmund’s College, University of Cambridge, where his contributions to global finance, entrepreneurship, and personal development continue to shape the next generation of leaders. He was later elected a Foundation Fellow in 2026, becoming the first individual in the College’s history to be bestowed with such an honour.

With a unique blend of entrepreneurial success, cultural diplomacy, and a commitment to social impact, Jeffrey Wei Liu is dedicated to driving innovation, fostering global connections, and empowering individuals through education.

Dr Cristiano Longarini is a PDRA at St Edmund's College.

His research focuses on astrophysics, with a particular interest in planet formation. His is currently a Postdoctoral Associate at the Institute of Astronomy, and his work combines theoretical modelling, numerical simulations, and data analysis to explore the processes driving planet formation.

Dr. Cristiano Longarini is a postdoctoral associate at the Institute of Astronomy, specialising in planet formation and protoplanetary disc dynamics. His research explores the role of gravitational instabilities in shaping planetary systems, combining theoretical modelling, numerical simulations, and observational data analysis. He has contributed to large observational programs, and has expertise in interpreting high-resolution data from ALMA telescope.

My research focuses on the philosophical and theological foundations of European political life, particularly the concept of human dignity as it has evolved in the Western tradition. I am especially interested in Catholic social teaching, Christian democracy, and the tensions between religious and secular visions of the person. My current work explores how the personalist tradition can offer a richer understanding of politics and society in the face of contemporary European challenges.

Professor John Loughlin is Emeritus Fellow of St Edmund’s College, Cambridge, Senior Research Fellow at Blackfriars Hall, Oxford, and Emeritus Professor of European Politics at Cardiff University. He is a political scientist with a longstanding interest in the intersection of political theory, religion, and European integration. Formerly Director of the Von Hügel Institute at St Edmund’s, he led research and public engagement on questions of human dignity, religious freedom, and the role of Christianity in European political life.

He has published widely on subsidiarity, regionalism, and the relationship between Church and state, and most recently authored Human Dignity: Its Roots and Challenges in Western Thought, a major study of the intellectual history of the person. Professor Loughlin continues to contribute to international research networks and serves as a reviewer for European-funded academic projects.

• Director of Studies: Maths Part 1B and II

Professor Löwe's research focuses on foundations of mathematics, in particular set theory and mathematical logic, philosophy of mathematics, and empirical studies of mathematical practices.

Professor Löwe is a researcher connecting mathematics, computer science, philosophy and the social sciences. He is the Professor of mathematical logic and interdisciplinary applications of logic at the Universität Hamburg and is the chair-holder of the CIPSH chair ‘Diversity of Mathematical Research Cultures and Practices’. He is a member if the Académie Internationale de Philosophie des Sciences (AIPS), the Academia Europaea (AE), the Akademie der Wissenschaften in Hamburg, and a Fellow of the International Science Council (FISC). He currently serves as Vice President of the International Humanities Council (CIPSH) and the Association for Logic, Language and Information (FoLLI).

In addition to being the Director of Studies for Mathematics at St Edmund's, he is a College Professor, Bye Fellow, Director of Studies at Lucy Cavendish College and a Fellow of Churchill College.

Academic Profile

Awards and recognitions 

• Member of the Académie Internationale de Philosophie des Sciences
• Member of the Academia Europaea (MAE)
• Member of the Akademie der Wissenschaften in Hamburg
• Fellow of the International Science Council (FISC)

My work focuses on the wellbeing of members of the University, supporting all university staff and their families. I am Director of Newcomers and Visiting Scholars.

Jane Luzio grew up in Cambridge, the daughter of a graduate of Jesus College and granddaughter of a graduate of Trinity. She taught classical ballet from 1965-2002. Her first office job was Master’s Secretary, St Edmund’s College for Canon Sweeney, the Master. She brought up three children as a single parent, held down several part-time jobs, completed a Women into Management course with The Open University and ended her career as a Senior Administrator in the Department of Engineering, retiring in 2013. Retirement was short-lived! She was appointed as Director of Newcomers and Visiting Scholars in 2015. Jane is also an Independent Custody Visitor at Parkside Police Station, a voluntary role she has held since 2013. Her hobby, playing music for Morris Dancers, on a melodeon or button accordion, is reflected in the portrait of her husband, which hangs in the dining hall.

Newcomers & Visiting Scholars Website 

Professor Paul Luzio undertakes research in the field of molecular cell biology, to discover and understand the molecular mechanisms of intracellular membrane traffic between specialised organelles in mammalian cells, as well as abnormalities in these mechanisms and organelle function, which lead to disease.

Professor Paul Luzio MA PhD FMedSci was Master of St Edmund’s College from 2004-2014. Paul was an undergraduate in Cambridge, reading Natural Sciences (Part II Biochemistry) at Clare College before studying for a PhD in the Department of Biochemistry. After a period in Cardiff as a lecturer in medical biochemistry at the Welsh National School of Medicine he returned to Cambridge where, in 1979 he became a University Lecturer in the Department of Clinical Biochemistry and was later promoted to Reader (1996) and then Professor (2001). In 1987-88 Paul spent a sabbatical year at the European Molecular Biology Laboratory in Heidelberg, Germany. He was elected a Fellow of St Edmund’s College in 1987 and was Senior Tutor from 1991-1996. From 2002 until 2012 Paul was Director of the Cambridge Institute for Medical Research (https://www.cimr.cam.ac.uk), a cross-departmental research institute in the Clinical School with a mission to determine the molecular mechanisms of disease in order to advance human health. From 2007-2012 he chaired the Medical Research Council’s Molecular and Cellular Medicine Board and was a member of the Strategy Board. Paul was Deputy Head of the School of Clinical Medicine from 2012-2014.

Following retirement in 2014, Paul became Emeritus Professor of Molecular Membrane Biology. As a Voluntary Director of Research, he continues to lead a small research group funded by the Medical Research Council at the Cambridge Institute for Medical Research. Paul’s research is largely concerned with intracellular membrane traffic pathways in mammalian cells and the biogenesis, re-modelling and function of intracellular organelles (little organs) called lysosomes, which play an important role in cellular nutrition and signalling. Lysosomes are acidic organelles, with changes in acidity having effects on their degradative function and ability to signal to other parts of the cells. Paul is currently studying the molecular regulation of acidification and lysosome re-modelling and how these processes contribute to lysosome function. His work has contributed to a greater understanding of how defects in membrane traffic and lysosome function contribute to human diseases, including lysosomal storage and neurodegenerative diseases.

Academic Profile

Awards & Recognitions 

• 1987 Humboldt Research Fellowship
• 1998 FRCPath
• 1999 FMedSci
• 2005 Association of Clinical Biochemists (ACB) Foundation Award
• 2015 FRSB

Kristen MacAskill is an Associate Professor of Engineering, Environment and Sustainable Development in the Cambridge University Department of Engineering. She is a Chartered Engineer with the Institution of Civil Engineering. Before returning to a role in academia, Kristen worked for several years as a consulting engineer in the water and transport sectors.

Her experience covers various areas of infrastructure development, including strategic-level options assessment, post-earthquake damage assessment, infrastructure design, project management, and sustainability assessment. Her research now focuses on systems analysis to advance approaches for managing risks and system resilience. Using cross-disciplinary research methods and examining information from different system levels (from international policy to local or even individual decision-making behaviours), she investigates governance issues in the management of critical infrastructure and the delivery of major projects.

Her research encompasses developing quantitative network models and, more unusually for an engineer, analysing qualitative data through stakeholder liaison techniques.

Dr Blaise Mafuko Nyandwi is a volcanologist and disaster risk specialist at the University of Goma (DRC), where he serves as Senior Lecturer at the School of Volcanology, Disaster Risk and Catastrophe Management. He holds a BA and MSc in Geology from the University of Goma, an MSc in Environmental Engineering from the University of Burundi, and a PhD in Volcanology from the Vrije Universiteit Brussel. His research focuses on volcanic risk mitigation and community-based disaster risk reduction in the Virunga Volcanic Province.

He also is actively engaged in community-based initiatives to improve risk awareness and resilience, working with secondary schools in Goma such as coordinating an online DRR community between students in Goma and Sheffield (UK). He also supports local DRR stakeholders in strengthening operational practices. For over five years, he has contributed as a volunteer with the Start Network, supporting anticipatory action, particularly for flood risk in the DRC.

Professor Nick Mansley's research focuses on issues in real estate finance and investment, particularly issues around drivers of performance. He is still actively involved in the industry as an independent investment committee member and consultant.

Professor Nick Mansley is the Director of the Cambridge Real Estate Research Centre and Course Director of the part time Masters in Real Estate programme. He has published research on performance drivers of real estate, the structure of the market and fundamental value. He worked in the investment management industry for nearly 20 years in a global role at Aviva across all asset classes and previously in a Chief Investment Officer role in the real estate business. Prior to that he worked in economic consultancy based in Cambridge.

Academic Profile