I am a researcher trained in anthropology who focuses on the study of belief and behavior through a cultural evolutionary lens. In plain terms this just means studying changes in culture over time. I love to ask big questions about how people learn, evaluate, and adopt new beliefs or practices, especially in a community context. I've worked extensively in Fiji studying kids' learning, and am turning this 'learning lens' to understand how the Glastonbury community supports so much spiritual learning, both by individuals and at the level of community.

I am a Reader in Psychology in the Center for Culture and Evolution at Brunel University of London. My research for the past 15 years has focused on religious and alternative belief systems, as well as working on the Spirits and Sources project, I have been involved in other large projects exploring the role of religion in the norms and rules of the societies that hold them, the role of cognitive processes in belief, and what caused people to leave religion and belief communities. I am currently most interested in how people find or create new belief systems. Outside of work, I like to garden, cook, and hang out with my cats. 

I'm a psychologist who uses feminist and evolutionary models to understand the relationship between the individual and their social world. I'm particularly interested in women's experiences and women's health, and the social forces (e.g., norms, expectations, social support, stigma) that act on and shape them. 

I'm a Lecturer in Psychology at Brunel University of London. Trained as a psychological anthropologist, my research focuses on the sentiments that pattern human social relationships, such as respect, contempt and love. I am broadly interested in cooperation, conflict and social norms, and in the cultural interaction rituals that build mutual aid networks. I teach qualitative research methods at Brunel, and some of my work develops new ways of gathering data in community-based field studies. I have two kids, two dogs, and affinities for ferments, playgrounds and wildlife ponds.

Hello! I am Kat Ford, I am a postdoctoral research fellow working on several projects looking into how people form and express a variety of beliefs and world views. I currently spend most of my time in Glastonbury researching modern spirituality and the communities that form around alternative spiritual beliefs. I am interested in the insights human evolutionary behavioural sciences can bring to the study of human psychology and behaviour and use this lens to inform my research. 

I'm a trainee researcher exploring the intersection between spirituality, identity and flourishing. I am particularly interested in Goddess-based spirituality and the potential ways in which relationship with the divine feminine can shape women's self-concept. I have a background in the study of religion, women's health and psychology, and am a spiritual person and guide myself, sharing yoga in and around Oxfordshire for the past ten years.

I'm a trainee researcher most interested in ritual boundaries between ordinary and 'special' worlds, times and places, and why and how people feel drawn to create them. I have a background in Social Anthropology and English Literature, close friendships with a number of spiritual practitioners, and a deep love for the English countryside.

I’m a Ph.D. researcher in Psychology at the Centre for Culture and Evolution. With a background in anthropology, my work explores the evolution of religious and spiritual practices, rituals, and music, all essential for understanding human behavior and social cohesion. I’m interested in how these cultural elements shape group dynamics, cooperation, and identity. Outside research, I’m passionate about field studies, diverse music traditions, and learning how different societies build connections through shared practices.