Dr Regina Hansda, the latest recruit to Newcastle University’s Centre for Rural Economy in the School of Natural and Environmental Sciences, has been awarded an Adivasi Fellowship by the London School of Economics and the School of Oriental and African Studies. Regina, a recent graduate from Cambridge University, is the CRE’s new Duke of Northumberland Research Fellow and one of only six scholars to gain this prestigious award, against stiff competition.  The Adivasi Fellowship is supported by the ESRC and EU ERC funded LSE Inequality and Poverty Research Programme, focusing on understanding the persistence of poverty amongst Adivasis and Dalits in India.  The award aims to engage scholars from the Adivasi community in discussion and critical analysis of issues of poverty, inequality and marginalisation and enables them to spend two weeks with this high profile programme in London during the autumn term.  The Duke of Northumberland Professor of Rural Economy Sally Shortall said: “Regina has just arrived in her new post here at Newcastle and already the quality of her scholarship is shining through with this award.  We are all delighted for her and look forward to working with her at CRE.”