Removing the Divide--Respecting and Understanding Cultures
GARETH THOMAS
Gareth M. Thomas is a PhD student in the School of Social Sciences at Cardiff University. His current research is an ethnographic study of two healthcare institutions with a focus on prenatal screening for Down’s syndrome. His research interests lie broadly across the fields of medical sociology, healthcare organizations, disability, genetics, technological innovations, and qualitative methods.
DIVYA GIRISHKUMAR
Divya Girishkumar is a Common-wealth Scholar at the Centre for Critical and Cultural Theory, Cardiff University, United Kingdom. She is currently working on “Multi-culturalism and Diaspora: British South Asian Women’s Writing”. She has two Masters to her credit- English and Philosophy. She has also completed a diploma course on “Understanding Hindu Identity” from University of Oxford, United Kingdom. She has presented papers in various International seminars and published articles in inter-national journals. In 2012, her essay was long- listed for the Student Writer prize conducted by the Feminist and Women’s Studies Association (FWSA), United Kingdom & Ireland. Visit my webpage
AKINWOLEMIWA OLUAFEYIKEMI
Akinwolemiwa has an MSc degree in Architecture from Nigeria she is also as Associate Member of the Nigerian Institutes of Architects. Her interest in landscaping and architecture has ensured she garnered experience in both architecture and landscape firms. This has shaped her interest in the use of plants and their thermal efficiency in interior spaces. Visit my webpage
SEITH MUGUME
Seith Mugume is the Regional Coordinator of the Commonwealth Scholars' South West Regional Network. He is currently working on his doctoral research at the Centre for Water Systems, University of Exeter under the supervision of Professor David Butler and Dr. Diego Gomez. Seith is interested in research aimed at enhancing resilience and sustainability of future urban water systems. His PhD focuses on investigation and development of a resilience based approach for evaluation of urban water system performance under uncertain climate change and urbanisation conditions in a developing country city.Visit my webpage.
DACIA LESLIE
Dacia Leslie is a Criminology student in her third year of pursuing a PhD in the School of Social Sciences at Cardiff University. Supervised by Dr. Kirsty Hudson and Professor Andy Pithouse, Dacia’s work explores factors that contribute to the successful reintegration of Jamaican ex-prisoners to Jamaican society. Her present research builds on work undertaken at the master’s level where she examined the relationship between poverty and recidivism in two Correctional Facilities in Jamaica. Dacia is also the Regional Coordinator for the Commonwealth Scholars' Wales and Northern Ireland Regional Networks. Visit my webpage.
DAVID BREWSTER
David Brewster is an ESRC-funded doctoral student who is researching cannabis policy in England & Wales and the Netherlands. Having completed a BSc in Criminology at Cardiff, David went on to complete the MSc in Social Science Research Methods before progressing to a PhD in Criminology. The purpose of the current research is to critically compare the policy-making process of contrasting modes of cannabis control in order to examine the nature and extent that a ‘punitive turn’ or ‘culture of control’ has taken shape in both England & Wales and the Netherlands. The question of how best to control and/or regulate cannabis remains an important and politically difficult issue to grapple with. With growing signs of a weakening of the norm of prohibition with moves towards more harm-reductive and pragmatic policy measures – such as decriminalisation and legalisation – this creates a valuable research space to revisit 'contrasts in tolerance' between these two jurisdictions through a consideration of how policy is shaped at both national and local levels. David has also been a graduate tutor teaching on various undergraduate modules for the past three years, and is a member of the Cardiff Centre for Crime, Law and Justice; the British Society of Criminology; and the European Society of Criminology. Visit my webpage
Conference Secretariat
SAWLAT ZAMAN
Sawlat Zaman is a Commonwealth Scholar undertaking reserach at Cardiff Business School on 'Informal recruitment practices in a labour intensive organisation and its its impact on firms, growth and profitability'. Sawlat is also Assistant Professor at the Institute of Business Administration, University of Dhaka.
KENEISHA NELSON
Keneisha Nelson is a first year DPhil Candidate and Commonwealth Scholar at the Centre for Occupational and Health Psychology, Cardiff University. Her research interests are in the areas of: stress, coping, wellbeing, and help seeking behaviour. Her research examines stress in the police force, with particular interest in the Jamaican Constabulary Force. Her research will also look at the moderating effects of key individual characteristics (such as coping and personality) and examine associations with wellbeing and professional integrity.Visit my webpage.
OTHER MEMBERS
Tim Banks
Cardiff School of Social Sciences, Cardiff University
Charles Karol Drozynski
Welsh School of Architecture
Cardiff University
Christopher Higgins
Cardiff School of Social Sciences, Cardiff University
Agyei Yaa Ankomaa
Cardiff School of Planning and Geography, Cardiff University
SHUNYAO ZHANG
Shunyao Zhang is a third year DPhil candidate in Architecture Theory and Design Tongji University, Shanghai, China and an exchange student here at Cardiff University. He lectures in the School of Art and Design, Lanzhou University of Technology, Lanzhou, Gansu Province, China. Shunyao has taught Architecture theory and design to Architecture and Urban-planning majors from intermediate to advanced levels in a variety of teaching situations and Architecture construction Working Drawing to students in the School of Arts and Design from intermediate to advanced levels in a variety of teaching situations. His Research interested in the Vernacular architecture design in Gansu Province. Shunyao’s publications include:
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The Development and Evolution of Islamic Architecture in Gansu Province—respect Pluralistic culture, Inherit Local Architecture traditions. Journal of Huazhong Architecture, Vol.21, 2010.
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Safety disperses of High Buildings. Journal of Lanzhou University, Vol.42, 2006.
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Study on the Regeneration Modes of the old Residential Area in the city –Using Lanzhou as the Case, the International Conference on consumer Electronics, Communications and Networks 2011.
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Learn How to use Google earth to Know More about the city –Summary of the Joint-education practice with the German Foreign Teacher. National Urban Planning Elementary Instruction Conference, June in 2010.
CONSTANTINO
DUMANGANE JR.
Constantino is a 3rd year PhD Student funded by the Economic Social Research Council (ESRC) in Cardiff University’s School of Social Sciences (Education pathway). In 2011 he received a MSc in Social Science Research Methods from Cardiff University. Prior to living in the UK he completed a Doctorate of Law at American University, Washington College of Law, Washington, D.C.; and a dual Bachelor’s of Arts degree in English and Political Science from the State University of New York at Binghamton. PhD Title: Exploration of British African Caribbean Men’s Experiences Attending Elite Higher Education Institutions in England and Wales. Constantino’s PhD research explores how the intersectionality of ‘race, ethnicity, gender, class and ‘capitals’ (Bourdieu) impact British African Caribbean male students constructions of their identities – as well as their ability to succeed whilst attending Russell Group and Oxbridge institutions in England and Wales. This research also looks at these men’s early employment experiences after graduation. Most recently he completed a five-month internship with the Welsh Government that has resulted in the production of a report (publication forthcoming in 2014) which reviews the ‘Evidence of Inequalities in Access to Health Services in Wales for BME Groups, Asylum Seekers and Refugees, and Gypsy and Traveller Communities’.Visit my webpage.
