Local Cambridge activities

Julie is an academic and local activist.

She has taught at Cambridge University since 1997, first at the Centre of International Studies, serving as its Deputy Director for five years until merger with the Politics Department to form POLIS at the start of 2009. Her main teaching and research interests are in European politics. She has written extensively on European elections, EU enlargement and the UK's thorny relations with the EU. She has also published on immigration policy, an area where her academic and political interests coincide.

Julie is also Fellow in Politics at Robinson College, where she directs students in Politics, Psychology and Sociology (PPS - or what we used to call SPS). She is also a Graduate Tutor for around 60 students. In that capacity she works with the MCR (Middle Combination Room, or the shorthand for the graduate body in the College) to run research days twice a year at which Fellows and research students can exchange expertise.

A City Councillor for Newnham since 2003, Julie has served as Chair of the Community Services Scrutiny Committee and Chair of the Lib Dem Council Group. She has been Executive Councillor for Arts and Recreation since 2006, with responsibility for parks and open spaces, sport and arts events in the City. She previously served on the Housing and Health Committee and Housing Management Board, as well as the Homelessness Appeals panel, which has since been superseded by external reviews, the Strategy Committee (now Strategy and Resources) and on the Employment Appeals Panel. She is currently a member of the Licensing Committee, as well as West-Central Area Committee.