Public Engagement

I speak regularly in both professional and academic settings.

I provide bespoke training and have worked with government departments and the military on the practical implications and policy relevance of empathy and emotions to their work.

My analysis has featured in interviews and comment pieces in British and international print and broadcast media, including: BBC News, Channel 4 News, The Guardian, Al Jazeera UK, Voice of America, France24, and Al Jazeera Arabic.

An indication of some of my recent engagements and outreach are below.

If you would like to know more, please do get in touch.

Recent Talks

Empathy and Conflict

In February 2023, I sat down with Ed Kirwan, of the fantastic organisation Empathy Week to discuss how it can help conflict both internationally and also in the classroom. They are doing brilliant work for schools and students, bringing empathy into the classroom and equipping children with invaluable skills. Do check them out.

Empathy and Strategy

Earlier this year, I had a great discussion with Van Jackson of the Un-Diplomatic Podcast about my recent article on empathy and strategy and broader themes of empathy in international relations, power, and rethinking strategy.

Podcasts and Online Events

What role, if any, is there for empathy in ordering the disorder?, The Disorder Podcast, Goalhanger, (2024)

Strategic Empathy and Leadership, Hangar 46, A Podcast of the Australian Air Force, (2024)

Next level OSINT Considerations - Part Two, Janes Intelligence (2023)

Empathy in Decision-Making, Intelligence and OSINT, Janes Intelligence (2023)

Navigating Conflict with Empathy, A discussion with Ed Kirwan, Empathy Week (2023)

Empathy, Strategy and Statecraft, A discussion with Van Jackson, Un-diplomatic Podcast (2023)

Breaking History: Empathy and Diplomacy, BBC Radio 4 (2022)

‘Empathy and Leadership’, Centre for Army Leadership Podcast (2021)

‘Everyday Empathy in Leadership and the Workplace’, Interview with The Culture Clinic, IGTV (2020)

‘Will Empathy Win the Day?’, Interview with Undercurrents Podcast, Chatham House (2020)

‘Building an Emotionally Resilient Society’, Panellist, The Good Society Forum, YouTube (2020)

‘Will Empathy Win the Day? A Virtual Election Briefing’, Interview with the Danish Institute for International Affairs, YouTube (2020)

‘Imagining a More Empathetic Politics’, Interview and Discussion with Defence Studies and Security Studies, King’s College London, YouTube (2020)

‘Fostering Resilience and Mental Health’, Panellist on a Virtual Webinar, Women of the Future (2020)

‘Empathy on the Ballot’, Webinar, Australian Institute for International Affairs (2020)

‘The Varied Dynamics of Empathy in Politics’, Interview with The Culture of Empathy, YouTube (2020)

Conferences and Speaking Engagements

April 2023 - Why Empathy is Important to Policy-Making, Science and Beers, Odense, Denmark

Mar 2023 - Empathy and Strategy, NUPI, Oslo, Norway

Nov 2019 - Empathy and Leadership in the Workplace, Women of the Future Conference, London, UK

Jun 2018 - Speaker on Panel – ‘Emotions and Political Discourse’, NATO Strategic Communications Conference, Riga, Estonia

Oct 2016 - NATO Conference on Strategic Communications, Speaker on two panels, Prague, Czech Republic

Jun 2016 - ‘Empathy in Theory’, Speaker, Chatham House Roundtable with the Centre for Empathy in International Affairs

Mar 2016 - ‘Empathy in Mediation’, Speaker, European Institute of Peace, Brussels, Belgium

Jul 2015 - ‘Greece and the Eurozone’, Speaker, Atlantic Council, Washington D.C

Jun 2015 - ‘Global Attitudes towards the United States’, Speaker, Atlantic Council, Washington D.C.

Sept 2024 - Discussion with NATO Deputy Secretary General, Alexander Vershbow, Chair, NATO Summit, Wales 2014

May 2014 - ‘#BringBackOurGirls: The Incident that put Boko Haram on the Map’, Chair, International Institute of Strategic Studies

Academic Conferences

A selection of recent conference papers

Oct 2022 - Emotions and War, Future of War Conference in Amsterdam, the Netherlands

Jun 2022 - Empathy and Strategy, BISA Conference, Newcastle, United Kingdom

Feb 2020 - ‘Strategic Empathy and the Limits of American Power: Henry Kissinger and the 1974 World Food Crisis’ with Michael Franczak, speaker series at Boston University

Oct 2019 - ‘Strategic Empathy and the Limits of American Power: Henry Kissinger and the New International Economic Order, 1973-76’, with Dr Michael Franczak, ISS Colloquium, Yale University

Aug 2019 - ‘The Emotionality of War’, Speaker at the Future of Warfare Conference, Yale University

Jun 2019 - ‘Empathy and the US Rapprochement with the People’s Republic of China in 1972’ at SHAFR, Washington D.C.

Mar 2019 - ‘The Role of Empathy in the United States’ Rapprochement with China in 1972’, ISA, Toronto

Nov 2018 - The Emotional Diplomacy of President Richard Nixon in the US Opening to China in 1972, ISS Colloquium, Yale University

Apr 2018 - ‘Empathetic Practices in Diplomacy’, Panellist at ISA, San Francisco

Jul 2017 - ‘Empathy and Diplomacy’, Congrès de l’Association Francaise de Sciences Politiques (AFSP), Montpellier, France

Jan 2017 - ‘Empathy as Practice in International Security’, European Initiative on Security Studies (EISS) Conference, Paris, France

Jun 2016 - ‘The Role and Limitations of Empathy in Diplomacy’, King’s College London and Sciences Po, Paris, KCLSCPO Roundtable

Advisory and Outreach

Board of Advisors, Women in International Security, 2020 - Present

Board of Advisors, Promote Leadership, Washington D.C, June 2019 - 2021

Board of Advisors, RESOLVE Network, Washington D.C., June 2019 – Present

Non-Resident Senior Fellow, Brent Scowcroft Center on International Security, The Atlantic Council, 2015 - 2018

Trustee, Future Foreign Policy, 2015-2018

Co-founder and Organiser, Women in International Security, UK (WIIS UK), Feb 2012 – Jan 2016