Overview

I am a interdisciplinary social scientist. My work focuses on sustainable futures and the diverse socio-ecological, cultural, economic and technological ideas, innovations and policies emerging that ‘promise’ to address global challenges.

Much of my research to date has focused ethnographically on disruptive innovation in agriculture and food production, particularly the global transformations and implications of synthetic biology, gene-editing and biosynthesis upon agricultural livelihoods and traditional knowers, growers and users of natural products.

A part of this has involved attending a number of UN Convention on Biological Diversity COP’s, researching the global framing and governance of genetic resources, (digital) biopiracy, the bioeconomy and benefit-sharing.

Methodologically I am interested in developing further work in multi-sited ethnography and follow-the-thing research through decolonial, feminist, audio-visual and transdisciplinary approaches.

My work is currently supported by a Postdoctoral Fellowship Award from the UK Economic & Social Research Council (ESRC).

Broad research specialisms:

• Political Ecology (particularly politics of knowledge and politics of sustainability)
• Agrarian livelihoods, food systems and social movements.
• Decolonial, feminist science & technology studies.
• Global Political Bio-Economy and genetic engineering
• Corporate Social Responsibility and Responsible Innovation
• Multi-sited Ethnography
• Geographical areas of expertise: Latin America, USA, UK and Cornwall.

Qualifications

PhD Human Geography (University of Bristol)
MRes Global Political Economy: Transformations & Policy Analysis (University of Bristol)
BA (hons) International Development (University of Sussex)