Senior Research Consultants
James became Head of Research at Melian Dialogue in February 2022. He completed his PhD in Ancient History at Newcastle University in 2019. Whilst studying he was able to write for the academic publisher, Brill, on engagement strategies between Alexander the Great and Near Eastern peoples. He has extensive experience working with local councils, national consultancies, sports governing bodies and Parliamentary groups to identify best practices and areas for improvement. On behalf of a European Political Party he has drafted submissions to the Justice Committee inquiry into the disclosure of evidence in criminal cases as well as to the Law Society appeal for evidence of cases where disclosure failures may have led to miscarriages of justice. Both of these utilised UK MEP casework concerning safeguarding legislation and best practices in an education setting. He has more recently worked with the All Party Parliamentary Group on Safeguarding in Faith Settings and its various stakeholders to review national strategic safeguarding policies and develop potential amendments to legislation.
Chinasa is a Senior Research Consultant at Melian Dialogue having received her PhD in Computing Science from the University of Aberdeen in 2021. She has a background in computing spanning from undergraduate to postgraduate degrees. Her research focus is on human-computer interaction specifically on user research. Prior to receiving her PhD, she has worked as a manager in an IT firm, she gained experience representing the company and promoting its image and brands. During her time as an IT manager, she successfully deployed several IT projects to clients within the time frame. This shows that she plans her time very much to beat deadlines. She’s also worked as a lecturer in the Computer Science department at the Enugu State College of Education Technical Nigeria. She has also worked as a tutorial demonstrator at the University of Aberdeen. Since 2012, Chinasa has attended many conferences and workshops and has had several academic papers published in proceedings and journals. She also received several scholarships and grants, including the Institution Based Research Grant (IBR) for deploying an online result processing system – sponsored by the TETFUND Federal Republic of Nigeria. In addition, Chinasa received several awards including the student first author award from the National Science Foundation (NSF) in 2019.
Dr Fan Liang became a Research Consultant at Melian Dialogue in January 2022. She completed her PhD in Biology – Dietary interventions for cardiovascular (CV) health ageing for Caucasians and East Asians from North-east of England at Northumbria University of Newcastle in November 2021. Fan won awards from the Rank Prize grant to keep pursuing her academic path during COVID19 pandemic. Fan has extensive experience as a clinical research assistant and teaching assistant at Northumbria University. She studied Nutrition Science for her Master’s degree, Nursing Science in Northumbria University and Clinical Nursing for her Bachelor’s degree in Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). Fan has also completed a nursing internship at Shanghai Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital. She gained clinical experience including facilitating participant recruitment, follow-up of feasibility participants, interviews, questionnaire design, PWV analysis, FMD analysis, anthropometric measurements, body composition assessment, phlebotomization, dietary records and assessment, and ELISA of blood biomarkers analysis. Fan also gained experience in various data management systems including SPSS (LGM, T-test, ANOVA etc), Micro-diet and Microsoft office applications. She gained skills such as surveys, systematic review and meta-analysis including EndNote, Revman, comprehensive Meta-analysis including 
Zahra completed her PhD in Education at Canterbury Christ Church University in 2021. Her academic interests lay broadly on the one hand at the policies and practices of internationalisation in higher education, and on the other hand, lived experience, equality, diversity and inclusion. More specifically, her interests concern sustainability, heterogeneity and ethics in higher education. Zahra holds a Master’s degree in English Didactics and a Bachelor’s degree in Literature and Foreign Languages. She has extensive experience conducting quantitative and qualitative research using questionnaires, participant observation and in-depth interviews for data collection. Zahra has published an article in the Journal of Critical Education Policy Studies on students’ experiences of racism in HE. Her doctoral research investigated the lived experiences of international students and their perceptions of the projected image and reality of internationalisation in higher education. A particular focus of her research involves interrogating issues of power, voice and integrity in higher education. Her practice was also grounded in the decolonisation of curriculum, xeno-racism, angelism and space in higher education. The study was drawn on empirical data collected using participant observation and in-depth interviews and analysed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA). 
Dr Tobi Owonubi is a Senior Research Consultant with Melian Dialogue and currently awaiting awards for his Ph.D. in Psychology and Business Management from Birmingham City University. He holds a PG Research Diploma in Research Methods, and an International MBA from the same institution. Additionally, he holds an MSc in Management from the University of South Wales and a BSc in Pure and Applied Physics from the University of Lagos. Tobi is experienced in mixed research methods; for his Ph.D., he specifically examined CSR and ethics, the factors which impact the continuity of modern slavery, and the role of organisations in mitigating the continuity of the issue. His research has been presented at various international conferences, including, 1.) 13
Ebenezer is a Senior Research Consultant at Melian Dialogue Research Limited. He also works as a Postdoctoral Research Fellow and Lecturer at the Institute of Information Systems Engineering and the Department of Health Policy and Management, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, China. He holds a PhD in Management Science and Engineering from Jiangsu University and a Masters Degree in Computer Science and Technology from Jiangsu University of Science and Technology, both in Zhenjiang, China. Dr. Larnyo is a recipient of the Level-One Jiangsu Provincial Government Scholarship for Outstanding Achievements in Scientific Research, 2020. He does interdisciplinary research in epidemiology, digital & eHealth, health informatics, big data & machine learning, technological innovation management, technology adoption, and optimization at the intersection of healthcare, public sector administration and computer science. Dr. Larnyo also possesses expertise in implementing mixed research methods, including qualitative methodology. Additionally, he has advanced experience in numerous areas of statistical analysis via the use of SPSS, SmartPLS, MATLAB, and STATA. For example, he has authored and co-authored over 13 peer-reviewed articles published mostly in Q1/Q2 SCI/SSCI indexed using partial least squares structural equation modelling, multiple linear regression analysis, and logistic linear regression. He also has experience using data mining and machine learning techniques such as artificial neural networks to perform prediction and optimisation analysis.
Anesh is a Senior Research Consultant with Melian Dialogue with expertise in public health research and policy analysis. He served as Technical Officer/ Epidemiologist with the World Health Organization (WHO) in Geneva and as a Senior Scientist with the South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC) over the past 2 decades. He holds a PhD from the University of East Anglia, completed as a Ford Foundation International Fellow, and a Master of Public Health degree from the University of the Western Cape (South Africa). He also holds a postgraduate Advanced Health Management Programme Certificate, completed through the Foundation for Professional Development and Yale University (graduated Cum Laude). Anesh has extensive experience with the design and management of large-scale surveys and surveillance systems. He was the epidemiological lead and coordinator of the 4
Oylun is a Senior Research Consultant with Melian Dialogue and an independent researcher. She has an interdisciplinary background with a BA in Western Languages and Literatures (Bogazici University, Istanbul), an MA in Art History, Criticism and Conservation (Stony Brook University, NY), and a Ph.D. in Media and Communications (Goldsmiths College, University of London). Oylun’s expertise lies in online research methodologies and research on online social networks with reference to political issues and social movements. Oylun also has theoretical research experience in cultural studies, critical theory, visual culture and comparative literature. Oylun has three years of experience teaching core modules at Goldsmiths College, University of London on (global) media, cultural studies as well as memory and conflict with research on media policy, discrimination in media, representation of diverse genders, sexual orientations, races, and ethnicities. Oylun also has research and teaching experience in the collective memory of international conflicts through a media lens including the Holocaust, Israeli apartheid and Palestine, Irish and LGBTQ+ rights, imperialist legacies in the Middle East, decolonisation, Black Atlantic and civil rights as well as class and industrial conflict in the United Kingdom. Oylun has presented her academic research at international conferences such as MeCCSA and Social Media and Society. She has extensive professional experience as an editor/translator and a curator
Fidel is a Senior Research Consultan with Melian 
Dr Emem Udoh is a Senior Research Consultant at Melian Dialogue. She is also an Honorary Research Fellow in the School of Biological Sciences, University of Aberdeen. Emem holds a PhD (Zoology) from the University of Aberdeen, with BSc (Agric) and MSc (Animal Science) both from the University of Ibadan, Nigeria. Emem’s research interests lie within the nexus of agriculture, nutrition, behaviour and health. She is skilled at modelling multivariate data from experimental, cross-sectional and longitudinal research. She loves telling stories from data using data visualisation and analysis tools. Emem is a recipient of several awards including the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND) Nigeria Doctoral Research Grant (2014), and the University of Aberdeen, E. W. Fenton Grant (2016). Emem’s professional experiences cut across the higher education, social care and charity sectors. She teaches courses in Zoology at the University of Lagos and chairs the communications team, Foundation for Student Missions. 
Katie completed her PhD in Politics at Queen’s University Belfast in 2021 and began working for Melian Dialogue as a Research Consultant in 2022. Her PhD research explored how women’s NGOs provide resistance to patriarchal governments domestically and internationally in post-conflict societies. Working closely with these NGOs, Katie used semi-structured interviews and discourse analysis of United Nations documents and court cases in the European Court of Human Rights to draw her final conclusions. In addition, Katie has also done research for various businesses before and after her PhD, utilising both qualitative and quantitative research methods as a Marketing Assistant for Clies Press and as a Research Consultant for Code-Switch. She is particularly skilled in interview techniques, survey design, policy analysis and the comparative method. During the course of her research, Katie has received certification for Researching Vulnerable Groups from the Wave Trauma Centre in Northern Ireland and Cross-Cultural Awareness and Communication from the Irish Council for International Students. Research Consultants
Doina is a PhD candidate at the National University of Arts in Bucharest. Having as a starting point the Refugee Crisis in Europe (2015-), her doctoral research investigates hegemonic principles that shape our understanding of the topic of displacement, borders, and identity, while exposing power structures that perpetuate inequality. Doina has a second specialisation in Sociology acquired at UNESCO Chair in Interculturality Good Governance and Sustainable Development at the University of Bucharest. She is specialised in the Ethics of International Relations and cultural diplomacy. Her Master’s thesis proposes a critical examination of the concept of interculturality in higher education by critically reflecting on the ideological elements, structures, forces, and institutional mechanisms as well as communicative dynamics that reinforce hegemonic relations. Her work methods explore pathways in research that disrupt relations of dominance in the process of meaning-making. By introducing participatory research methods such as digital storytelling, mapping, modelling, and performance, her scope is to inverse the relationship between the researcher and the researched and encourage the participants to develop agency and control. 
Dan started working for Melian Dialogue in January 2022. He completed his MA in Roman Archaeology at the University of Exeter in 2020. While studying there he was involved in various internships including one at Exeter’s Digital Humanities Lab. His work concentrated on the digital aspects of Archaeology gaining experience in digitisation, 3D modelling, Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and online databases. After university, Dan worked on a GCRF-funded research project as a Graduate Research Assistant. This role involved the creation, analysis and management of large archaeological GIS spatial datasets. Upon completion he moved on to a commercial archaeologist role working on the excavation of archaeological sites and post-excavation finds processing and sorting.
Jonathan has an interdisciplinary background with a BSc in Physics and an MSc by Research in electrochemistry, engineering, nanoscience and biochemistry, both degrees obtained at Swansea University & the Institute Of Lifesciences (ILS) Centre of Nanohealth (CNH). His time in academia covered both theoretical and experimental research including; synthesis of nanoparticles, electrode functionalization, screen printing, electrochemical characterization via quantitative & selective detection, immunosensor development utilising of antibody & peptide attachment, advanced analytical equipment experience (SEM, XPS, EDX, Potentiostat), all including handling of large data sets and extensive data analysis experience. During his MSc by Research in Electrochemistry/Engineering developing a novel smart sensor for Cannabinoid detection, he published his research in ‘Biosensors & Bioelectronics’ & presented at the ‘C3bio’ biochemistry conference in Bath University. After graduating he worked as a project assistant with South Wales Supplies in the construction industry, specialising in procurement, stock listing and delivery of construction materials in large quantities. 
India is a Research Consultant for Melian Dialogue Research Limited. Previously she worked as a freelance content and article writer on topics related to social justice, human rights, international affairs, culture, and Cybersecurity. For her education, she completed a Bachelor’s degree in Linguistic Studies with a focus on Arabic Language at the University of Manchester followed by a Master’s degree in Political and Ethnic Conflict Resolution in Divided Societies at King’s College London. Aside from her writing and educational experiences, India has spent years teaching English as a second language to both children and adults, mainly from a Spanish speaking and Chinese speaking background. With these experiences, at Melian Dialogue, India chooses to focus on topics related to social justice, human rights, minority empowerment, politics, education, culture, and security. 
Imoh joined Melian Dialogue in Jan. 2022. He completed his MSc. in Physical Chemistry at Covenant University in 2018. His MSc Thesis was Synergistic Inhibition of Mild Steel Corrosion in Seawater and Acidic Medium by Cathodic Protection and
Mary is completing her doctorate in clinical medicine at the University of Oxford within the respiratory medicine unit, where her work focuses on examining the role of bacterial infection in respiratory diseases such as asthma and COPD. She has also worked on projects evaluating inflammatory signalling in the gastrointestinal tracts of patients with conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome and Crohn’s disease. Her interests also include the development of chronic inflammatory diseases and the epidemiology of these conditions, which are increasingly common, particularly in developed nations. In addition, she is interested in projects focused on public health issues such as antibiotic resistance, obesity, mental health, and the development of healthcare infrastructure to optimise access to medical care. 
Ysaline Bourgine de Meder became an interdisciplinary Research Consultant at Melian Dialogue in March 2022. She is completing her PhD in Medieval History at the Universities of St Andrews and Ghent (Belgium) focusing on state formation and dynamics of power between the government and intermediate units of power in the 15th and 16th centuries. However, she kept a broad range of research interests as she fulfilled a Fellowship for the climate-oriented Think Tank ‘Nova Scotia’ where she collaboratively wrote a memo destined for COP26 ‘The National Implementation of the Paris Agreement through Increased Disclosure and Strengthened Courts: A Proposal’. She completed a Bachelor in Law and Public Administration at the Institut de Préparation à l’Administration Générale (IPAG) in Rouen, France, where she wrote a dissertation titled ‘Norway: a future without oil?’. She also holds a Master’s in Medieval History (University of Rouen). Through this diverse academic curriculum, she gained experience in qualitative and quantitative research by using Microsoft Word, Excel, Access, and network Visualization software such as Cytoscape or Nodegoat. She dealt with 3000 medieval documents from the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries for the completion of her PhD and gained communication skills by presenting at many conferences (Oxford, Durham, Ghent,…). She is interested in Effective Altruism and all topics that it encompasses (nuclear risk, global development, etc.). Research Associates
Sinan is a Master of Public Administration candidate at the London School of Economics and Political Science. She holds an undergraduate degree in Philosophy, Politics and Economics (LSE) and has some experience working in the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank. Her interests range from international political economy to development economics, from moral philosophy to welfare and development analyses.
Robaya is a Research Associate at Melian Dialogue Research Limited. She recently completed a Master’s degree in Global Public Health from the Queen Mary University of London. Robaya also completed a Bachelor’s degree in Biomedical Sciences from the University of Westminster and interned at Mater Dei Hospital, Malta. During her internship, she gained laboratory experience including conducting routine tests, clinical experience including biomarker analysis using ELISA and genetic analysis and exposure to compliance and preparing presentations and briefs. She also gained experience using statistical programs including SPSS and Microsoft office applications.
Research Interests: Quantitative Data Analysis, Inclusive Mental Health Policy, Global Drug Policy, Arts and Culture
Other language(s): French, Arabic (Levantine), Spanish (Intermediate), Italian (Beginner), and Japanese (Beginner)
Geographical regions of interest: Southwest & East Asia, North Africa, UK
Hiba has a mixed-methods research background. Most recently, she interned at the Advanced Care Research Center – a multi-disciplinary research program at Edinburgh University. Specifically, she worked in the Data-Driven Insight and Prediction work package to quantitatively analyse various demographic factors affecting disparities in well-being outcomes during later life before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. In regard to quantitative research, she oversaw and co-wrote a policy brief titled, “Multi-Sector Approach to Alleviating Scottish Homelessness (MSAASH)”, which was published by the Buchanan Institute –Scotland’s first and only student-led think tank. Hiba is also a certified English-French Translator Without Borders, as well as a UN Volunteer. One of her most recent works involved translating a project proposal from French to English for a Benin-based NGO in order for them to apply for COVID-19 funding relief. A large part of the technical document consisted of budget calculation and resource mobilization.
Ariba holds a bachelor’s degree in Clinical Psychology; further, she did her master’s in Food Consumer Marketing and Product Development from Sheffield Hallam University. She did her dissertation on Vitamin D dietary intake and sunlight exposure among young adults of the UK population. After her MSc, she worked on two research projects with her professors at SHU. She utilised qualitative and quantitative research methods by working on research papers named Food Innovation Consultancy Challenge and A Service Eco-System Perspective of Private Label Grocery Category Co-creation in the UK. Along with her academic and research work, she gained industrial experience by working at an event management company Margalla Grande Marquees. Her primary focus at the company was quality management, meeting customer requirements and, striving to exceed customer expectations, ensuring food security programs and Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP). She is also an active associate member of the Institute of Food Science and Technology.
Dina joined Melian Dialogue in April 2022 as a Research Associate. She holds a BA (Hons) in International Relations from De Montfort University in Leicester. Currently, she is studying for a Master’s degree in Diplomacy and World Order at De Montfort University. Her Master’s dissertation focuses on how U.S. Cultural Diplomacy by non-state actors indirectly increases U.S. power in the current world order. Dina has a keen interest in globalisation effects and its factors in the Global North and Global South, and to what extent the world is now borderless.
Elisabeth joined Melian Dialogue as a Research Associate in April 2022. Originally from Germany, she has a Bachelor of Arts degree from Sciences Po Paris and specialised in International Security Studies during her MLitt at the University of St Andrews. Currently, she is reading for an MPhil in Modern Chinese Studies from the University of Oxford, where she research Chinese foreign policy while also learning Mandarin. She has extensive experience working in international environments and enjoys creating exchanges with people from various academic and professional backgrounds. She has previously organised a number of conferences including speaker events, debates, and simulation games. In her own research, she predominantly uses qualitative methods and works intensively with theoretical models of International Relations.
Isabella is currently finishing the second year of her MSci in Cell Biology from the University College London. She has experience conducting primary research in sea turtle conservation in Greece in 2021, which included data collection, database maintenance, conducting surveys, and presenting findings. She has also been involved with many research projects throughout her university studies, which largely involved the analysis of data from secondary sources, and some collection of primary data.
Mia He is in the last year of her LLM programme at the University of Glasgow focussing on Business Law. During the first semester of her Masters programme, she worked on a corporate governance research project that focused on shareholder remedies. As an undergraduate, she studied Chinese Law and is now a licenced lawyer in China. During her undergraduate studies, Mia concentrated on legal topics such as defending housewives against domestic violence.
Tiffany joined Melian Dialogue as a Research Associate in April 2022. She obtained a BSc in Psychology from King’s College London and is currently pursuing her MSc in Social Cognition from University College London. She is interested in the application of psychological, cognitive and behavioural perspectives to understand the changes in human behaviours and human interaction with technology. Her master’s dissertation investigates people’s judgements towards autonomous agents.
Prosper is a Research Associate at Melian Dialogue. He has recently completed a combined professional Master’s degree in International Business Law and Business Administration from Coventry University and the University of Bedfordshire. For his LL.M, he completed his dissertation on ‘Financial regulation in the UK after the financial crisis’ while for his MBA, ‘Accountability and Governance among large UK charities: A stakeholders’ analysis’. Prosper has a keen interest in cross-disciplinary research in business and law, specifically corporate governance, regulatory compliance and data privacy.
Mercy is a Research Associate at Melian Dialogue Research. She is currently pursuing her Masters in Education at the University of Birmingham having been awarded a Global Master’s Scholarship. She has also completed a Master’s in English Literature from Pondicherry Central University, India. Her extensive research experience comes from working as a Research Assistant for SoundMinds UK and as Research Project Associate at Indian Institute of Technology, Madras. Apart from research, Mercy is a writer, orator and content creater and has published research papers and articles on several topics in magazines and online.Work for us as a researcher or intern
If you have a Ph.D. (or about to complete a doctorate) and feel your research interests are aligned with ours, come and talk to us. We are particularly interested in unconventional thinkers. Write to us and answer this paradox: when you look at a glass mirror, what do you see?
Dr James Mullen
Head of Research
