Our people

Dr Vian Azzu read Medicine and completed her PhD at Christ’s College, University of Cambridge. She is a research clinician and consultant in hepatology and works in drug development. Dr Azzu teaches undergraduate students and postgraduate doctors, and is Director of Studies in Medicine at St. Edmund’s College.

Victoria is our Director of Studies for our English degree

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. 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

I am a UTO Assistant Professor in the Faculty of Education. 

William initially worked as a primary school teacher after a degree from Sussex and UC Berkeley. Additionally, William works on the Primary PGCE and teaches on the UG Education Tripos, and has Masters and PhD students. In research, he collaborates across the University, Education and Healthcare sectors in various Chief Investigator or Co-applicant roles, mainly on the topic of assessment and diagnostic pathways for children with possible autism, or other neurodivergent conditions.

I'm William Simpson; a philosopher and scientist. I was born in Lincoln, a cathedral city in England, but now live in Scotland (or wherever my work happens to take me). I have a doctorate in physics from St Andrews, in which I considered the macroscopic behaviour of sticky quantum mechanical forces, and I have a doctorate in philosophy from Cambridge, in which I put forward an ontology of quantum mechanics inspired by Aristotle's theory of hylomorphism. In 2020, I was honoured with an Expanded Reason Award for my work in philosophy. In 2021, I was awarded the Cardinal Mercier Prize in Philosophy. I continue to think about the metaphysics of quantum mechanics, and I am interested in both the nature of consciousness and the mind-body problem. Broadly speaking, I am preoccupied with the ontology of nature, the unity of mind and nature, and the unity of nature and divine being.

My research explores contemporary challenges—migration crises, climate change, geopolitical tensions, and technological shifts—through the lens of philosophical theology. I examine these issues in relation to such concepts as Imago Dei, Deus Migrator, hospitality, and the theology of the Other.

Prof. Wojciech Szczerba (Ph.D., habilitatus) is the Rector of the Evangelical School of Theology in Poland and a scholar specializing in the philosophy of religion, patristics, and ecumenism. His research explores themes of universal salvation, human dignity, and interreligious dialogue, engaging with historical and contemporary theological discourse. He has authored and co-authored multiple books and scholarly articles in these fields and has served as an editor for various academic publications on philosophy, theology, and religious studies. Prof. Szczerba completed his undergraduate studies at the Christian Theological Academy in Warsaw (1996) and the Economic Academy in Wrocław (1997). He pursued theological studies in the Netherlands at the Theological Seminary in Amsterdam and in Belgium at the ETF in Leuven. In 2000, he earned his Ph.D. in Patristics from the University of Wrocław and a second Ph.D. (habilitation) in Ancient Philosophy from the same institution in 2009. His scholarly contributions include three books on universal salvation in Greek philosophy and Christian thought and numerous articles on Protestant theology, ancient philosophy, and religious traditions. In 2025, he published In Search of Dignity: Humanity in the Light of Formative Metaphors, a monograph exploring human identity's philosophical and theological dimensions.

Since 2002, Prof. Szczerba has played a key role in theological education and leadership. He served as the Academic Dean of the Evangelical School of Theology before being appointed Rector in 2006. He is the editor-in-chief of Theologica Wratislaviensia and secretary of the Evangelical Union. His commitment to ecumenical dialogue and interreligious engagement is reflected in his involvement with numerous scholarly and practical initiatives. In 2021, he was nominated as chairman of the Foundation of Mutual Respect in Wrocław, Poland, an organization dedicated to fostering mutual understanding. Prof. Szczerba has held research and teaching affiliations with several institutions. Since 2016, he has been a member of the International Doctoral School at “Aurel Vlaicu” University in Arad, Romania. In 2019, he joined the Von Hügel Institute at St. Edmund’s College, University of Cambridge, as a Research and Senior Research Associate. In 2025, he was nominated as a Visiting Fellow at the Duke Center for Reconciliation at Duke University.

His current research analyzes contemporary global challenges—including migration crises, climate change, geopolitical tensions, and the technological revolution—through philosophical theology. His work examines these issues within sociological and historical frameworks, engaging with theological concepts such as Imago Dei, Deus Migrator, Apocatastasis, hospitality, and the theology of the Other. In recognition of his contributions to preserving religious and cultural minority identities, Prof. Szczerba was awarded the Silver Cross of Merit by the President of Poland in 2018.

Academic Profile

Publications

• W. Szczerba. 2025. „The Imago Dei Concept as a Symbol of Human Dignity?” Rocznik Teologiczny 67
• W. Szczerba. 2024. „Post-religious World and Religion: Jürgen Habermas”. Studia Religiologica 57 (1)
• W. Szczerba. 2023. „Knowing the Unknowable: Gregory of Nyssa”. Rocznik Teol. LXV (1)
• W. Szczerba. 2022. „The Concept of Apocatastasis - Human Equality and Inclusion”. Forum Phil. 27 (2)
• W. Szczerba. 2022. „There and back again: freedom in the Plato’s cave”. Forum Phil. 27 (1)

Awards & Recognitions

• 2018, the Polish president awarded Prof. Szczerba the Silver Cross of Merit.

My research interest focuses on optical sensors and sensing systems for non-destructive testing and structural health monitoring. I'm a a Marie Curie Fellow at the Future Roads Programme and my research topic is AI-assisted vehicle-mounted sensors based road surface condition monitoring system.

Dr Xiang Wang is a Marie Curie Fellow in the Automation and Robotics Group at the Future Roads project at the Department of Engineering at the University of Cambridge. His research interest lies in the field of advanced sensing and sensing systems for non-destructive testing and structural health monitoring, investigating the development and application of sensing and optical metrology systems for versatile monitoring purposes.

Academic Profile

Dr Yi Wei is Director of Studies for Economics.

My work focuses on inequalities in education, intergenerational income mobility, and policies to narrow the socio-economic gap in education and the labour market. I am currently working on evaluating the My Village programme delivered by the People’s Action for Learning (PAL) Network.

Yuyan is a Research Associate at the Faculty of Education, working on the evaluation of the My Village programme. Yuyan’s research interests include educational inequalities, social mobility, and policy interventions to reduce socio-economic disparities in education and the labour market. She is an ONS Accredited Researcher, proficient in analysing large longitudinal datasets. Her PhD research focused on intergenerational income mobility in England, exploring the impacts of educational achievement, bursaries, and the COVID-19 pandemic on social mobility.

Academic Profile

I am a dentist with special interest in Oral Surgery currently working in private practice in Cambridge. I have worked in the UK for 24 years in NHS, Community and private practice.

Dr. Zainab Salim is an experienced dentist with a global career in Kenya, Oman, and the UK. She holds a Master of Clinical Dentistry in Oral Surgery from the University of Edinburgh, where her research focused on Human Papilloma Virus in laryngeal cancers.
Her expertise includes:
• Surgical removal of wisdom teeth and coronectomies
• Management of odontogenic infections, soft tissue biopsies, and peri-radicular surgeries
• Pain and anxiety control, including intravenous sedation for apprehensive patients
• Familiarity of benign salivary gland diseases and management of medically complexed patients
• Use of laser technology in dentistry
Dr. Salim is dedicated to maintaining her knowledge of the latest techniques and materials through continuous postgraduate education. She places a strong emphasis on clinical governance, ensuring safe, effective, and evidence-based care in all aspects of her practice. In addition to her clinical work, Dr. Salim is passionate about dental education and has been actively involved in training and supervising dental trainees and postgraduate students. She is a strong advocate for oral health, providing educational talks and free dental kits to disadvantaged children, to raise awareness about the importance of maintaining good oral hygiene.

Publications 

• Sara Al–Mahozi, Zainab Salim, Nicholas J Malden, Crispian Scully and Victor Lopes
• Tobacco Habit-Associated Oral Disease and the Negative Effects on Surgical Outcomes