John Seaman

John Seaman "is a co-founder of Evidence for Development. He has been a leading global practitioner, conducting operational research in disasters and emergencies as well as in the economics of poverty, throughout his career. John is the author and creator of the current analytical approaches and models underpinning EvD’s work. In 1992 he initiated work on a methodology for famine prediction and vulnerability assessment (the ‘Household Economy Approach’) and until 1997 led a team at Save the Children which worked in collaboration with FAO/GIEWS to develop this as an operational method. From 1979-1997, John was Head of Policy Development at Save the Children UK, where he was responsible for technical advisors in Health, HIV, Education, Nutrition, Disability and Social Policy and the technical support of SC UK’s overseas work. During this period his professional responsibility and interest was in household economy, food and nutrition, and the economic aspects of health policy. From 1998 to 2004 he was Research Director of the Food Security and Livelihoods Unit, Save the Children UK.

"John qualified in medicine from the London Hospital in 1971 and began his career with extensive field work. He worked in emergencies in Biafra, Bangladesh, Ethiopia and the Sahel during the 1970s. John was co-founder and first editor of the journal ‘Disasters’; was a member (1977) of a US National Academy of Sciences committee planning the future of the US Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance and wrote or contributed to a variety of field manuals for the PAHO, WHO and UNHCR. He has been a member of the Board of London School of Hygiene and Tropical medicine; a member of the British Council Health Advisory Committee; nutrition advisor to ODA (1987 – 1990); Member of the MRC Tropical Medical Research Board (1989 – 92); Honorary Senior Lecturer, Department of Human Nutrition, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and contributed to many UN professional meetings. He was awarded the OBE in 1996."