"Once a tankie, always a tankie." British armoured servicemen,
(1937 - 1947)
Oliver winder

Summary

In our current era of drone warfare, we often hear discussions that war has become a video game, impersonal, detached, and dehumanised. Historians often point towards the tank as one of the first steps towards this way of fighting. At face value, this trend appears correct as a member of a tank crew is sealed inside a machine, separated from the outside world. However, if we examine British “tankies” of the Second World War more closely, we find a reality far more human, complex, and defiant than the history books suggest.

My research offers a new perspective by focusing on the individuals themselves. Through the use of oral history, life writing, material culture and visual records, I intend to discover the reality of living and fighting inside this weapon. What I have uncovered so far is an incredible story of human resilience that challenges assumptions made by previous studies.

About Oliver

Oliver is a second-year PhD student in the Department of History at the University of York. His research uses a multi-method approach to understand the lived experience of British “tankies” during the Second World War. He aims to determine the extent to which this experience was dehumanising. Outside of his research, Oliver enjoys sailing, watching films, and riding his motorcycle.

How expectedness influences our memory as we get older
Sophie O'Reilly

Summary

We often find it easy to remember information that fits with our expectations, as we can use our knowledge to help fill in the gaps in our memory. On the other hand, information that violates our expectations will often stand out in our memory, also making it easier for us to remember.

My PhD focuses on how expectedness, based on our prior knowledge and previous experience influences our memory and in particular, how this changes as we get older. To investigate this, I have run multiple memory experiments in younger and older adults. The findings suggest that expectedness influences memory in different ways in younger and older adults. These differences between age groups are thought to be linked to changes within specific brain areas during the process of ageing. Understanding how and why our memory changes during healthy ageing can help us identify what is going wrong in unhealthy ageing.

About Sophie

Sophie is a final year PhD student in the Department of Psychology, researching how and why our memory changes as we get older. In particular, she is interested in how our prior knowledge and experience influences our memory, and is currently investigating which areas of the brain are involved in this process by recording brain activity in an MRI scanner.

Sorting the Mind's Mail: A Peek Inside the Neuron
Alex Roof

Summary

What are the cells that make you who you are? And what happens when things go wrong in those cells?

Inside your brain and body, over 80 billion neurons allow you to think, move, and sense. But to grow and function correctly, these cells must constantly sort through thousands of biological "letters" and instructions at once.

When this cellular post office fails and messages are misdelivered, brain diseases and disorders arise - including Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, Autism, and Schizophrenia. To treat or prevent these conditions, we need to understand exactly how neurons sort this incoming mail. But right now, this remains a mystery.

My research will allow us to peek inside the neuron. By creating a tool, I will be able to see how healthy neurons sort instructions, and what happens when they’re sorted incorrectly. By watching this cellular sorting system in real time, we can pinpoint where diseases start and test the drugs needed to fix them.

About Alex

Alex is a PhD researcher in neurobiology at the University of York. Her research aims to uncover the secrets of cells in the brain and build knowledge for better disease therapeutics - using cells and fruit flies! Alex is also passionate about inter-disciplinary collaborations (bringing researchers together from different disciplines/departments), and enjoys reading, nature walks and a good pub.

Yor Writing Partner: A Dialogic AI that Doesn’t Write for You (And Why It’s a Good Thing)
Faiz Mubarok

Summary

Several major challenges in learning English for foreign language learners include limited feedback and insufficient exposure to the language. The recent appearance of Generative AI platforms has the potential to support language learning. However, they have certain drawbacks. A key concern is that some learners rely completely on GenAI to write their essays, which can hinder and bypass the learning process.

My research focuses on building dialogic AI platforms that does not write for learners. Instead of giving direct corrections, it covers clues and indirect feedback, letting students be aware and figure out how to correct their errors. It also features a chatbot for them to engage in dialogues, including asking questions on language rules, explanations, giving clarifications on vague words or sentences, and offering examples. This approach aims to enhance learners’ cognitive engagement and promote deeper language learning.

About Faiz

Faiz is a second-year PhD student in the Education Department from Gondanglegi, Malang, Indonesia. His study is funded by the Indonesian Education Scholarship, Center for Higher Education Funding and Assessment (BPI), and Indonesian Endowment Fund for Education (LPDP). He is passionate about the development of technology and its application to language learning. He enjoys cleaning and sitting in front of his computer. Outside research, he spent most of his time with his daughter listening to vinyl records at home.

The Key to Cancer: Unlocking New Medicines
Lucy Anderson

Summary

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is an aggressive blood cancer, with 69% of patients dying within 5 years of diagnosis. Current treatments cause horrific side effects, highlighting an urgent need for new medicines.

Inside cells are proteins called enzymes - machines responsible for cell growth. In cancer these enzymes are out of control, forming tumours and crowding out healthy cells. Traditional drugs fit into pockets on the enzyme's surface, blocking the enzyme from doing its job, preventing the cancer from growing further. However, this requires high doses, and thus causes side effects, as the drug can only block one enzyme at a time.

Therefore, my project aims to make, investigate and develop new drugs to target these cancer-causing enzymes. These new drugs, called degraders, can destroy many cancer-causing enzymes. The goal is to reduce doses, side effects and improve patient outcomes.

About Lucy

Lucy is a second year PhD student in the department of Biomedical Sciences at the University of York. She completed her undergraduate degree in Natural Sciences at the University of Bath, before working as a Medicinal Chemist at Evotec until 2024. Here she discovered her passion for drug discovery and development, which continues to be the focus of her research.

MRI on Steroids: Optimising the Metals We Can’t Live Without
Dean McGettigan

Summary

The smartphone in your hand, the car in your driveway, and the life-saving medicine in your cabinet are all dependent on a single, finite resource. These everyday objects would not exist without a specific group of elements: the transition metals. They are the invisible backbone of our modern world.

However, we are approaching a crossroads where mining can no longer meet global demand. Recycling alone isn't enough; we must engineer a way to improve the efficiency of the resources we have left, before it’s too late.

My research combats this problem by using a technique I call “MRI on Steroids.” By 'supercharging' the magnetic signals of these metals, we can observe precisely how they behave at the atomic level. This allows us to turn inefficient industrial processes into high-performing reactions, securing the future of the everyday items we depend on.

About Dean

Dean is a Chemistry PhD student at the Centre for Hyperpolarisation in Magnetic Resonance (CHyM). Originally from Trim, Co. Meath, Ireland, his research focuses on transition metal catalysis. By leveraging advanced hyperpolarisation techniques, Dean aims to unlock new levels of chemical efficiency, ensuring the sustainable use of the metals we depend on in our everyday lives.

Forgotten Ponds, Future Water: Rethinking Village Ponds in India’s Food Bowl
Partik Kumar

Summary

Northwestern India is often called the country’s “food bowl,” but this agricultural success has come at a cost. Decades of intensive farming have placed enormous pressure on groundwater, raising serious concerns about the future sustainability of the region’s water systems.

This research explores whether village ponds, once central to local water management, could help address some of these challenges. Historically, these ponds captured rainwater, supported livelihoods, and contributed to groundwater recharge. Today, many are neglected or treated as unused spaces.

Through maps, memories and molecules, this PhD examines how ponds interact with groundwater, agro-ecology, and local communities. Rather than viewing ponds as isolated water bodies, the research considers them part of a wider socio-ecological system.

The study tries to answer whether restoring these long-standing landscape features could contribute to more sustainable and resilient approaches to water management in water-stressed agricultural regions.

About Partik

Partik Kumar is an interdisciplinary researcher and water governance practitioner currently pursuing a PhD at the University of York. His research focuses on groundwater management, agriculture, and rural water security in northwestern India. Bringing together science, policy, history, and community knowledge, his work explores more socially and ecologically grounded responses to contemporary water challenges.

Can We (Role)Play Our Way to Climate Action?
Prasad Sandbhor

Summary

We know that climate change is urgent, yet we struggle to take action due to various personal and systemic barriers. My research explores how role-playing games can bridge the gap between knowing and doing by rehearsing climate action.

I designed two original role-playing games drawing on climate change communication research. Rather than just informing players about climate change, these games invited them to experience realistic scenarios, weigh genuine trade-offs, and explore alternate solutions alongside their peers. The insights gained from evaluating these games were synthesised into the Thinking Through Framework, a set of design principles aimed at practitioners who wish to create their own climate-focused role-playing games.

My research shows that by bringing people together in a low-risk, collaborative environment, role-playing games can spark conversations that might not happen otherwise, challenge assumptions, and help communities think through complex decisions together.

About Prasad

Prasad is a serious game designer, researcher and educator specialising in environmental, nature-themed games, with an interdisciplinary practice informed by user-centred design and strategic management. In his PhD, he has developed the 'Thinking Through' framework for designing contextual role-playing games to support understanding of climate actions. He works at The Playful Learning at York (PLaY) Group, co-leads Play for the Planet Network and has co-founded the 'Play in Nature' initiative, which creates playful experiences that connect people with nature.

What does war smell like? Sensory History of the Siege of Leningrad and Modern Warfare
Fedor Topolev-Soldunov

Summary

What does war smell like? Affecting millions across the world, war creeps into many households as smells, sounds and tastes. Bombs exploding outside, food tasting worse, as supply chains are broken, dead bodies producing terrible stench… These features are prominent not only in today’s conflicts, but in historical wars and battles.

My research focuses on the diaries written in Leningrad during the 1941-44 siege, when the city was surrounded by the German army, leaving over a million civilians on the brink of hunger and death. The diarists, all ordinary people, from schoolchildren to workers and frontline soldiers, record the realities of the siege in great detail, allowing us to see what daily life was like in the city.

Researching the Leningrad Siege diaries will enable us to better understand the sensory impact of war, both historically and nowadays, which can help us improve our communication with victims of armed conflicts.

About Fedor

Fedor is a second-year PhD student at the Department of History at the University of York. His research focuses on the sensory history of warfare, with a specific focus on the Second World War and the Siege of Leningrad. He enjoys bringing forgotten and under-studied sources to light with his research. He has previously worked on research projects bringing publicity to the victims of Stalin’s Purges, and researched Victory Day commemoration traditions in the Soviet Union and Russia.

No place like home: Improving cell models for better medicines
Gabriella Holland

Summary

For decades, scientists have studied human diseases by growing cells on flat plastic plates. Why are we surprised when these experiments fail to translate into what happens inside you or I? 

To bridge this gap, I am developing an alternative material that models the natural environment in the human body. Crucially, this squishy material can support cells whilst allowing them to physically remodel their local environment as it changes. Consequently, the cells can move, grow and form networks, resulting in cell models that are far more reliable.

When scientists come to use these cells to study different diseases or test how they respond to medicines, the results will be much more aligned with what really occurs in the body. This will enable other scientists to understand diseases better and to accelerate the development of new, more effective medicines to fight them.

About Gabriella

Gabriella Holland is a second-year PhD student in Chemistry at the University of York. Her interdisciplinary research bridges organic chemistry, materials science and cell biology, which builds well on her Natural Sciences Bachelors and subsequent Masters from the University of Cambridge. Gabriella’s research focuses on creating novel hydrogel materials to solve cell culturing problems in tissue engineering. Outside the lab, Gabriella plays hockey with the City of York Ladies 1s, which next year will be in the National League.

Who Holds the Answers to Our Food Crisis?
Chamley Ariyachandra

Summary

As climate change increasingly threatens food and health, securing a sustainable food future has become one of the world’s greatest challenges. This research listens to farmers’ stories across Sri Lanka, exploring their past knowledge and practices, present challenges, and future hopes for adaptation to a changing climate. The research develops a new approach to using farmers’ experiences to shape climate adaptation, highlighting how their knowledge should play a central role in future food systems and public health decisions.

About Chamley

Chamley Ariyachandra is a final-year PhD researcher at the University of York. His work focuses on climate adaptation, food systems, and planetary health. Alongside his research, he is also involved in postgraduate teaching within the department as a GTA.