I work on the cultural and emotional meanings of the face, with specific reference to face transplants. In 2019 I was awarded one of the first round of UK Research and Innovation Future Leaders Fellowships. The launch event for my UKRIFLF project was held in York in 2019. Check out the AboutFace website for a short video about the event.
In 2023 AboutFace became Interface to reflect the face’s role as an interface between the individual and society, and the wide range of technologies involved in face transplants. It also moved to the History department at King’s College London, where I am Professor of Modern History and Director of the Centre for Technology and the Body. I work with patients and surgeons to explore the history and ethics of face transplants, and have collaborations in seven different countries. Our work has given rise to key articles that influence how and when face transplants should take place place.
Interface explores face transplants alongside other technologies of the face. From facial recognition systems to deep fakes, cosmetic surgery and face apps, it asks: What is a face? And why does it matter?