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Team

UK team

Prof Lynda Boothroyd

Principal investigator Durham University
Lynda Boothroyd is a Professor of Psychology at Durham University. Her research focuses on Evolutionary and Cross-Cultural understandings of interpersonal attraction and sexual selection. She has recently focused on body ideals in rural Nicaragua alongside experimental work both in the laboratory and in the field on the impacts of visual experience on body size preferences.

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Prof Liz Evans

Intervention evaluation lead Durham University
Liz Evans is an Associate Professor of Behavioural Science at Durham University. She previously worked at Newcastle University, first at the Population Health Sciences Institute (2013-17) and then as a lecturer in the School of Psychology (2017-21). She obtained her PhD from Durham University in 2013.

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Dr Tracey Thornborrow

Parental intervention lead Durham University
Tracey Thornborrow is an Assistant Professor working at Durham University. Her research focuses on sociocultural and environmental influences that shape ideas about appearance and body image and has expertise in working with underrepresented populations, particularly in Latin America.  Originally trained in anthropology, she advocates for the use of mixed and…

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Dr Fabienne Andres

PDRA, Adolescent intervention lead Durham University
Fabienne Andres finished her BSc in psychology and sports sciences in 2017 at the University of Lausanne, Switzerland and completed her MSc in clinical and health psychology at the University of Fribourg, Switzerland. Her PhD in psychology at Durham University focused on body image and sociocultural influences in Latin America.…

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Kristen Keen

PhD candidate Durham University
Kristen Keen is a PhD student on the BIRes: Building body image resilience project, led by Prof. Lynda Boothroyd. She completed her BSc in Psychology at Durham University and her MSc in Health Psychology at Ulster University. Being from Zimbabwe and South Africa, it means a great deal to her…

Alanise Dolly

PhD candidate Durham University
Alanise Dolly is a Peruvian psychologist interested in body image, psychological well-being, and culturally informed approaches to mental health. She is currently pursuing a PhD in Psychology at Durham University and contributes to BIRes: Building body image resilience project through the adaptation of Soy como soy to the Peruvian context.

Local research leads

Dr Moises Mebarak Chams

Universidad del Norte, Colombia

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Dr Ana Chamorro Coneo

Universidad del Norte, Colombia

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Dr Alejandra Nuñez de la Mora

Universidad Veracruzana, Mexico
Alejandra Núñez-de la Mora, PhD is a biological anthropologist interested in the social and biocultural determinants of women’s and child-maternal health. Over the past two decades, she has co-led the DeMano and ManoVuelta multidisciplinary projects in collaboration with agricultural communities in Cofre de Perote, Veracuz. She is professor at Universidad…

Professor Olga Grijavala Martinez

Universidad Autónoma Benito Juárez de Oaxaca (UABJO), Mexico
Doctora en Investigaciones Educativas, Profesora e investigadora en el programa de Ciencias de la Educación y Psicología, en la Universidad Autónoma Benito Juárez de Oaxaca (UABJO), México. Es responsable del Cuerpo Académico Educación y construcción de conocimiento. Especialista en Sistematización de experiencias formativas de grupos y colectivos de la sociedad…

Dr Stephen Asatsa

United States International University Africa, Kenya
Stephen Asatsa, PhD is an assistant professor at the United States International University Africa (https://shss.usiu.ac.ke/faculty-team/asatsa-stephen-phd ) and the Director of the Collective Intelligence Research Lab (https://cirlab.asatsa.com)

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Mauricio Isai Fernandez Alcerro

Asociación Semillas Triunfadoras, Honduras

Dr McDonald Matika

University of Zimbabwe, Zimbabwe
McDonald journey into academia has its genesis in higher education administration. He finds sharing knowledge more fulfilling. As a registered industrial psychology lecturer and researcher, his research is heavily involved with mental health at work and crosscultural psychology. He has also successfully carried out assessment centers for major organizations in…

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Professor Zandile Mchiza

South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC) and University of the Western Cape, Republic of South Africa
Professor Zandile J. Mchiza is a Chief Specialist Scientist at the South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC) and an Extraordinary Professor in the School of Public Health at the University of the Western Cape. She has extensive expertise in food security and nutrition epidemiology and has authored over 100 peer-reviewed…

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Research assistants and PhDs

  • Daniela Romero, Uninorte (Colombia)
  • Royert Bruno Vides Petana, Uninorte (Colombia)
  • Carolina Molina Palencia, Uninorte (Colombia)
  • Helen Cervera, Uninorte (Colombia)
  • Alexandra Garcia, Uninorte (Colombia)
  • Hannan Aslam, Kenya
  • Gloria Nkirote, Kenya
  • John Makunda, Kenya 
  • Flor García Velázquez, Oaxaca/Mexico
  • Bethzabé Pacheco Martínez, Oaxaca/Mexico
  • Maylet López Solano, Oaxaca/Mexico
  • Ana Gabriela Perroni-Marañón, Xalapa/Mexico
  • María José Palmeros-de la Rosa, Xalapa/Mexico
  • Daniel Rivera-Ruiz, Xalapa/Mexico
  • Monserrat Méndez-Alcudia, Xalapa/Mexico