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‘Undercover anthropologist’ recognised for exceptional potential

Dr Sheina Lew-Levy, from our Department of Psychology, has been awarded a prestigious Philip Leverhulme Prize for Psychology.
Woman smiling, looking off camera to right

Department ranked 11th in the prestigious QS World University Rankings by Subject 2025

Our Department has been ranked 11th in the prestigious QS World University Rankings by Subject 2025.
Aerial view of Durham Cathedral with QS World University Rankings logo

Spotlight on: Professor Karen Johnson – advocating for the importance of soil health

Our Spotlight On series celebrates our academics’ global impact. Karen Johnson is a Professor of Environmental Engineering and a passionate advocate for soil health. She believes soil is an under-appreciated resource that can help address a range of environmental challenges.
Professor Karen Johnson smiling into the camera against a neutral backdrop

Spotlight on: Professor Carlos Frenk – shaping modern cosmology

Welcome to the next instalment of our ‘Spotlight on’ series where we celebrate the world-leading work of our academics. Professor Carlos Frenk’s pioneering work on dark matter has fundamentally shaped modern cosmology and our understanding of the Universe.
Professor Carlos Frenk smiling into the camera with a the a radio microphone in the foreground and the edge of some blue branding behind him

Spotlight on: Professor Carol Adams – setting the standard in corporate sustainability reporting

Carol Adams is an Emeritus Professor of Accounting in our Business School. She is a globally renowned expert in corporate accounting and sustainability reporting, focusing on its impact on business, society and the environment.
Professor Carol Adams facing the camera with a blue background behind her

Durham Global Awards Success!

Congratulations to three of DSES’ own, Professor Brett Smith, Professor Stacey Pope, and Adam Dickson (PhD candidate), who were all nominated for Durham Global Awards this week at an evening reception at the Oriental Museum.
A group photo of Adam Dickson, Stacey Pope and Brett Smith at the Oriental Museum

Children’s perception of normal body shape is affected by who they see around them – new research

Professor Lynda Boothroyd, from our Department of Psychology, discusses the flexibility of body weight perceptions in children and young adults, as part of a first-of-its-kind study.
Silhouettes of a child growing through to an adult

Archaeologists discover ancient irrigation network in Mesopotamia

Researchers have uncovered a vast and well-preserved network of ancient irrigation canals in the Eridu region of southern Mesopotamia, shedding new light on early farming practices.
A desert landscape with a faint channel running through it and a person walking along it

Entrepreneurship can help former prisoners reintegrate, but more support is needed

Former prisoners have a strong chance of successfully reintegrating into society if they pursue entrepreneurship, but a lack of structured support hampers their progress, according to research from Durham University Business School and Leeds University Business School.
monochrome photo of people shaking hands in front of a horizontal blind

How our bodies react when we use social media – and when we stop

Dr Niklas Ihssen, from our Department of Psychology, explores what happens to our bodies when we social media - and what happens when we stop.
Several hands holding mobile phones

Body image perceptions take shape from early childhood

New research by our Department of Psychology has determined that our perceptions of body image are shaped by what we see from as early as seven years old.
Child observing body image stimuli on a computer screen

Spotlight on: Professor Robin Coningham - using archaeological expertise to protect global cultural heritage

Our ‘Spotlight on’ series highlights how our researchers are leading their field and transforming lives. Robin Coningham, Professor of Early Medieval Archaeology and UNESCO Chair in Archaeological Ethics and Practice, focuses on South Asia with a dedication to protecting cultural heritage.
Professor Robin Coningham facing the camera against a backdrop of various names and logos of cultural protection organisations