Project Team
The grant scheme is led and supported by a team based within Durham University’s Anthropology Department. An Advisory Board provides general oversight.
Prof Rachel Kendal
Project Leader and Principal Investigator
Dr Eva Reindl
Postdoctoral Researcher
Lorna Winship
Grant Manager
Dr Elena Miltiadis
Former Grant Administrator and EDI Lead (now a Marie Curie Research Fellow)
Sarah Wright
Assistant Manager
Josh Phillip
Grant Administrator
Advisory Board
The Advisory Board provides general oversight of the project. Its members act as critical friends while holding the project team to account. They enhance the longer-term impact of the projects through their experience and networks. Within the constraint of ensuring a minimal carbon footprint for board meetings, the membership reflects various needs of the project and balances diversity across the grant team and board.
Prof Christine Caldwell
University of Stirling
As Deputy Head of Psychology and Director of Research for Psychology at the University of Stirling, Christine is experienced in high level strategizing for research objectives and efficiencies. She has an illustrious research background in cultural evolution and experience of managing large grants in the field.
Dr Philip Garnett
University of York
Philip is Senior Lecturer in Systems and Organisation at the University of York. He investigates how organisations and society works (and fails), and interventions globally.
Penny Hawkins
Creative Evaluation Limited
Penny has extensive experience in public policy and international development evaluation. She was formerly the Head of Evaluation at the UK Department of International Development (DFID/FCDO) and now works as an advisor to public, private and philanthropic organisations to support the development of impact measurement systems.
Dr Trevor James
Durham University
Trevor is an experimental social psychologist and Assistant Professor in the Psychology Department. He both teaches and conducts research on equality and diversity in higher education. Trevor has several years of experience advising on race equality at Newcastle University and sits on the EDI Strategic Advisory Board for the British Psychological Society.
Prof Roger Kneebone
Imperial College, London
Roger is Professor of Surgical Education and Engagement Science at Imperial College, London. He is interested in the intersection of creativity and science and engagement of society with science.
Prof Kevin Lala (formerly anglicised to Laland)
FRSE, St Andrews University
Kevin is a former President of the Cultural Evolution Society and has extensive research interests in cultural evolution. He has vast experience of managing large grants, including with the John Templeton Foundation.
Andy Lloyd
The Centre for Life, Newcastle
Andy is Head of Development at the Centre for Life, Newcastle. As specialist in public engagement from a non-academic’s point of view, he may assist the programme with the design of public outreach for projects/working groups and overall grant findings.
Prof Jane Macnaughton
Durham University
Jane has led two very large Wellcome Trust grants at Durham University, which are highly interdisciplinary, applied and involve innovative public engagement. Her experience in, and commitment to, career development of early career researchers links her well with the aims of the programme.
Prof Tom McLeish †
FRS, University of York
Tom is a Professor of Natural Philosophy at the University of York, author of the book Faith & Wisdom in Science, and a Trustee of the John Templeton Foundation. He is interested in applying physics to cultural evolution and advises the programme on Ethics.
† Obituary 27/02/23: Tom was a master of interdisciplinarity (a brilliant physicist, theologian, historian, musician, and philosopher). He was full of infectious enthusiasm, providing much inspiration and support to all whose lives he touched. We are deeply grateful for his championing of cultural evolution whilst at Durham University and, more recently, for his support as a member of the Advisory Board for our CES Transformation Fund. RIP Tom, you will be missed.
Nick Wilkie
Parent Infant Foundation
Currently Chair of the Parent Infant Foundation, Nick has had many leading roles in the charitable sector in the UK (e.g. CEO of the National Childbirth Trust, Director of UK Programmes for Save the Children). His experience will benefit the programme by providing useful oversight of efficient use of funds, ethical matters and development of public policy.
