Gender in international security, UN Women, Peace and Security Agenda, Conflict resolution, intersectionality

Laura is a researcher and a part-time doctoral candidate at the Centre for Trust, Peace and Social Relations. Prior to joining the Centre in January 2014, she worked at the United Nations Regional Information Centre in Brussels for the UK and Ireland desk.

Her work in the Centre involves social action research and consultancy as well as research on gender equality, especially in relation to the United Nation's Agenda on "Women, Peace & Security". Most recently she was a programme coordinator for British Council funder research project "On Our Land". This was an intergenerational oral history project is working with thirty young Palestinian researchers in the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt) in the South Hebron Hills where the researchers have recorded 100+ hours of oral histories and mapped their villages and hamlets.

Laura holds a postgraduate MSc in Comparative Politics (Conflict Studies) from the London School of Economics and Political Science in 2012. She received her undergraduate degree in Politics and International Relations from the University of Aberdeen. Her research interests lie in the field of peace, conflict and reconciliation studies.

My background in international relations and conflict studies both in academia and professional life has inspired my research interests in gender and peace and conflict research. I am a gender expert who is passionate of creating a real world impact through my research. I am interested in the factors which cause conflicts, conflict resolution methods and especially how civil society can be involved effectively in the post-conflict peacebuilding process.