The purpose of the Professional Development & Education Committee is to:
Chair of the Professional Development & Education Committee | University of Bristol
Steven Proud is a Professor of Economics Education at the University of Bristol, and Chair of the Professional Development and Education Committee. He is an editor of the International Review of Economics Education, and is an executive board member of the Economics Network, which works to enhance the quality of economics teaching and learning. Steven’s research focuses on using empirical methods to evaluate the impact of pedagogical innovations.
Alongside this, Steven regularly writes for, and is an editor for, the Economics Review, providing application of economics to real-world problems for A-level students.
President
Tony Venables CBE is a senior research fellow at Oxford University. He is a fellow of the British Academy the Econometric Society and the Regional Science Association and a fellow and trustee of the Centre for Economic Policy Research. He has held professorships at Manchester, Oxford, the LSE, and Southampton and served as chief economist in the UK Department for International Development. He has published extensively in international trade, spatial economics, natural resources, and economic development. Books include The spatial economy; cities, regions and international trade with M. Fujita and P. Krugman, and Multinationals in the World Economy with G. Barba Navaretti.
RES Council member (until 2029)
Julia Darby is emeritus Professor of Economics at the University of Strathclyde, a macroeconomist who focuses on labour market issues and fiscal policy. She’s previously worked at the Universities of Glasgow and Stirling and at the National Institute of Economic and Social Research. As her department’s Director of Postgraduate Research, she recently received recognition for the exceptional support she provided to build students’ sense of community during the Covid pandemic. She is actively involved with the Scottish Graduate School in Social Sciences (an ESRC Doctoral Training Partnership), contributing to shaping student culture and support activity and as a pathway reviewer. Julia is an RES Council Member.
Professor | University of Warwick
Caroline is a teaching-focused Professor in the Department of Economics at the University of Warwick, and a Fellow of the Warwick International Higher Education Academy. She has a long-standing association with The Economics Network which works to enhance the quality of university economics teaching and learning, and is currently Deputy Director of the network.
Caroline is a Principal Fellow of Advance HE. Her research spans pedagogical research with a particular focus on the use of technologies in teaching, empirical education economics and industrial economics research areas.
Economic Adviser | Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
Theo French is an economic adviser at the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government where he leads the planning policy economics team. His team builds the evidence base on planning’s role in housebuilding, which has recently been informing the OBR’s economic growth forecasts. Theo also leads Government Economics Service outreach in the East of England and co-leads the Digital Economics Network on digital, cyber and AI analysis.
Senior Lectuerer I Lancaster University
Konstantinos is a Senior Lecturer in Behavioural and Experimental Economics at Lancaster University Management School and Director of the Lancaster Experimental Economics Lab (LExEL). He specialises in decision-making under risk and ambiguity, with research interests spanning dynamic choice, the formation and updating of subjective beliefs, learning, behavioural game theory, and group decision-making. His research combines economic theory with experimental methods to test models of individual and strategic decision-making and to examine their implications for policy, particularly in financial, environmental, and addiction economics. He also has a broad interest in economics education and in developing students’ analytical, empirical, and data communication skills.
Associate Director | Centre for Teaching and Learning Economics (CTaLE)
Prof Cloda Jenkins is Associate Director of the Centre for Teaching and Learning Economics (CTaLE) and a member of the EEA Education Committee Her economics expertise is in the economics of markets, how to make them work more efficiently and how best to design and implement government interventions when needed. She works closely with policy makers, for example as a member of the UKRN expert advisor panel and by providing training to government Departments and regulators, to ensure
decision-making is informed by economic principles. In higher education she is passionate about ensuring that students develop skills alongside knowledge as part of their degree experience and that education policies and practices are informed by the student voice and student partnership opportunities.
Professor I Cardiff Business School
Melanie Jones is a Professor of Economics at Cardiff Business School and Head of Economics Section. Her research interest is empirical labour economics, and she has worked on a range of policy relevant issues, including for the Low Pay Commission and the Office of Manpower Economics. She is currently an Associate Editor of the British Journal of Industrial Relations and a member of the Review Body on Doctors’ and Dentists’ Remuneration, ONS Economics Experts Working Group and National Statistician’s Inclusive Data Advisory Committee. Melanie is Trustee, Elections Officer and a Council member of the Royal Economic Society.
Director of Analysis and Chief Economist | Department for Science, Innovation and Technology
Alison is the Director of Analysis and Chief Economist at the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology. She leads the evidence base for government policy on Artificial Intelligence, emerging technologies, science and innovation, and the modern digital government. As a professional economist, with more than three decades of experience working in government, she has held several senior roles across analysis, strategy, and policy. Most recently, she held two previous Director of Analysis and Chief Economist roles in the Department for Digital, Culture, Media, and Sport, and the Department for Business, Energy, and Industrial Strategy. She was also head of the Government Economic and Social Research Team in HM Treasury, where she set up the Degree Level Economics Apprenticeship into Government. She plays a strong corporate role in the wider Government Analysis Function; and is the outgoing Chair of the Analysis Function People Board, responsible for recruitment, talent, and development strategy for some 15, 000 analysts across government.
Professor of Economics | University of Nottingham
Kevin is Professor of Economics at the University of Nottingham. He is an applied econometrician, specialising in the areas of model building and forecasting and using these methods in real-time decision-making, paying particular attention to the information contained in survey data.
Member Operations Director | m.demenezes@res.org.uk
Marie-Luiza oversees the development and delivery of the Society’s key programmes for its members and potential members. She is staff strategic lead on Diversity and on the Education & Training, Women’s and Conference Committees. She has overall responsibility for the events, finance, elections, grants and CRM/CMS functions. Marie-Luiza has an extensive background as a senior manager within the charity sector specialising in new projects around organisational change and workforce development.
Head of Training & Events | events@res.org.uk
Georgina coordinates the RES Annual Conference and oversees the Society’s Professional Development events and Doctoral Training Programme.
Georgina has worked in event management within the not-for-profit sector for many years, more recently at the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries. She is experienced in coordinating complex, large-scale conferences. Georgina has a background in marketing and design and holds a BA in silversmithing.
