Policy Associates 2023/24

Bianca Marie Luna

Bianca is currently a final year postgraduate research student within the School of Geography and Environmental Science. Bianca’s PhD research explores the (highly) skilled migration of healthcare workers from the Philippines to the UK and how their migrations have reconfigured their social relationships with the families who have remained in the Philippines. In particular, her research investigates the transnational migration of Filipino nurses and their experiences of working within the UK’s National Health Service (NHS). Bianca hopes that her PhD research could be utilised to serve as a valuable resource in guiding the integration of migrants in the UK in various aspects of their lives and help to safeguard the rights and welfare of migrant healthcare workers through policy interventions.

Most likely to say: “I saw this (insert interesting topic) on TikTok recently”.

Biggest fan of: hygge (cosy living) and logging film/show entries on Letterboxd

Dan Goss

Dan is a first year INSPIRE PhD student based in the School of Geography and Environmental Science. His research focuses on trying to quantify vegetation and flow dynamics along river corridors using environmental sensing techniques such as using drones to acquire 3D spatial data. Dan’s previous research includes flood modelling and investigating water quality of a restored stream. Dan is passionate about ensuring research actively influences policy, particularly with an environmental focus having completed an MSc in Environmental Consultancy and BSc in Geography at the University of Southampton. He looks forward to gaining policy making experience with the Public Policy team.

Makanani

Makanani is a postgraduate researcher co-hosted between Archaeology and the Winchester School of Art. Her research focuses on community archaeology and the evaluation of these methodologies in terrestrial and maritime contexts. Makanani’s research blends her background in anthropology and archaeology. Alongside her own research, she has been a research assistant on projects in Archaeology, the Winchester School of Art, and the Widening Participation Unit, including Local government data analytics for culture and creativity, Southampton’s City of Culture bid, Maritime Endangered Archaeology in the Middle East and North Africa (MarEA). In her free time, Makanani enjoys ocean-related outdoor activities and cooking.

Seilin Uhm

Seilin is a Research Fellow at the Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine. She is currently managing a project funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), which examines various aspects of alcohol care provision at acute hospitals in England. This project is known as the Programme of Research for Alcohol Care Teams (ACTs): Impact, Value, and Effectiveness (ProACTIVE). Prior to her current role, she worked as an Assistant Professor at Kookmin University in Seoul, South Korea. For her PhD, she investigated the decision-making processes of stakeholder meetings while coordinating the Preterm Birth Priority Setting Partnership with the James Lind Alliance. Seilin has a strong academic background and a proven track record in research and project management. Her research interests lie in public involvement in health research. She is deeply committed to community engagement as a means to improve health inequality.

Most likely to say: Still alive..

Biggest fan of: knitting, sewing and flowers, 02382310778, @Psychologytoki

Shahad Alshehri

Shahad is a lecturer at Umm Al Qura University in Saudi Arabia and a third year PhD student in the Centre for Risk Research (CRR). She is actively engaged in research that examines the effectiveness of risk management practices in Saudi Arabian hospitals during disasters. Her work contributes significantly to enhancing healthcare institutions' preparedness and response capabilities, thereby promoting the safeguarding of patients and healthcare workers in emergencies. Additionally, Shahad's research is pivotal in providing valuable insights and recommendations for policy-making, helping to shape a more resilient healthcare infrastructure capable of effectively managing and mitigating risks associated with disasters in the region. This, in turn, can lead to an overall improvement in the quality of healthcare services and contribute to saving lives during critical emergencies.

Fabiola Yesmin Aparicio Avichacra

Fabiola is in her first year of PhD in Politics and International Relations at the University of Southampton, focusing her research on improving asylum conditions for Venezuelan migrants in Bolivia.

She studied Political Science and Public Management, with a master’s degree in international relations, having developed research related to municipal public management, the political system, and the party systems in her country.

In her professional career, she worked in various International Organizations with focus on the formulation and execution of projects related to the empowerment of youth and women.

Hanif Sutiyoso

Hanif is currently a fourth year PhD student in the School of Ocean and Earth Science. His research focuses on understanding gas hydrates, specifically carbon-dioxide hydrates, as an alternative or additional form of carbon storage in the ocean subseafloor environment. He uses geophysical methods as the primary tool to address his research questions. As part of the Policy Associate scheme, he will be helping in policy synthesis, related to the impact of offshore wind on shelf environments.

Most likely to say: ‘that's alright’.

Biggest fan of: grinding and brewing coffee in the morning.

Fatih Durmaz

Fatih is a second year PhD researcher in the School of Law at the University of Southampton, funded by the Turkish Government. His PhD research focuses on Autonomous Ships within the realm of Maritime Security, dealing with cyber security and possible threats resulting from unmanned technology in international law. His passion for public policy stems from recognizing that every innovation necessitates careful consideration of its public policy implications. With this opportunity, he is committed to expanding his knowledge and insight into the world of public policy. Apart from his academic interests, he is keen on adventure travel and trekking.

Furkan Uzan

Furkan is a doctoral researcher at the University of Southampton's School of Education. His research focuses on the relationship between higher education and work, with specific attention to doctoral education and future employment. Furkan has experience in research, having worked on various projects covering PGR students' voices and experiences. He has also taught different modules across various departments at the University of Southampton, ranging from Engineering to Human Geography, as well as the School of Education. Additionally, Furkan works as a career support assistant at the Careers, Employability and Student Enterprise Service at the University of Southampton. He is keen to develop a deeper understanding of the role and function of higher education in the transition to work and social mobility, in order to provide in-depth, data-driven insights into graduate employability.

Hannah Witt

Hannah is a first year PhD student at the Southampton Law School. She has received the Leverhulme Studentship for the Intelligent Oceans programme through the Southampton Marine and Maritime Institutes. Overall, Hannah specialises in the Law of the Sea. Her work is currently focusing on ocean governance in deep sea mining, with a specific focus on how the general principles of the BBNJ Agreement will impact the International Seabed Authority. She is very interested in impacting policymaking in this field while ensuring that policies are evidence-informed.

Colette Nsofor

Colette is a postgraduate researcher affiliated with Southampton Business School. Her research investigates the influence of disruptive technologies in enhancing the resilience of agri-food supply chains, which are considered valuable in building resilience to mitigate high-risk events and resulting severe disruptions. Her work contributions significantly span the theoretical, managerial, and policy-making realms. She brings her research expertise and academic background to contribute to stakeholder analysis and policy synthesis addressing contemporary societal challenges. As a policy associate, she has just started a short-term project with Public Policy Southampton, focusing on Artificial Intelligence in Sustainability, where she will support the project by engaging with stakeholder analysis and producing a policy synthesis.

Ali Ulvi Sahin

Ali is a third year PhD researcher under the Institute of Maritime Law at the University of Southampton Law School. His research is funded by the Republic of Turkiye, Ministry of Education. His research focuses on green shipping, maritime decarbonization, and port law. He is working on the standard carriage of goods contracts to develop better legal practices for energy efficient shipping operations. As a part of the PPS Catapult project, he conducted research on achieving net zero in an international port city for the Southampton City Council. He worked as a research assistant for TUS HUB for the regulation of AI in the UK. He is also a qualified lawyer and registered under the Bar of Istanbul. Ali believes that public policy for decarbonization is essential for achieving environmental sustainability, promoting public health, fostering economic growth, and meeting international commitments to combat climate change.

Ali Fuat specializes in Maritime & Insurance Law. He is a 3rd year PhD student researching the relevance of the Marine Insurance Act 1906 to the concept of Constructive Total Loss through the lens of law and economics. Before joining the University of Southampton, Ali Fuat completed an LLM degree at King’s College London and an LLB degree at Galatasaray University, Istanbul.

Ali Fuat currently works as a policy associate on a project investigating the effects of digital transformation on project management in the public and private sectors. His work aims to uncover how digital transformation necessitates new methods and skills in project management, striving to bridge traditional boundaries and foster innovations that enhance project delivery in the AI-driven economy. Ali Fuat is fluent in English, French, and Turkish and is a practising lawyer in Turkey. He is also a researcher at DEHUKAM (Ankara University National Center for the Sea and Maritime Law) working on national and international projects related to maritime law and the law of the sea.