Overview

My teaching and research examine the role of the relationships between people and environments in relation to climate change, natural resource management, and sustainability transformations. I am particularly interested in the role of low-carbon living and the social and economic practices that create more just and equitable relationships between people and the planet.

I currently contribute to the BA Human Geography and MSc Global Sustainability Solutions programmes.

I am also affiliated with the Centre for Circular Economy and the Global Systems Institute.

Broad research specialisms

Sustainability transformations and low carbon economies

Climate action and climate justice

Public participation in natural resource management and geopolitics (particularly water)

Qualifications

PhD in Human Geography, University of Exeter

MSc in Sustainable Development, University of Exeter

Postgraduate Diploma in Environmental Policy in an International Context, Open University

BA Media Arts, University of Plymouth


 

Career

Before academic research, I worked in community outreach and development. I undertook my PhD in the Geography department at the University of Exeter and have subsequently held positions at the University of Bristol, the Centre for Climate Justice, and the University of the West of England.

Research group links

• Environment and Sustainability

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Research

Research projects

Current Project

ExeMPlaR: I am part of the Exeter Multi-disciplinary Plastics Research (ExeMPlaR) team, a UKRI/NERC funded project that brings together academics from across the University of Exeter. The project examines the possibilities afforded by circular economy approaches to significantly reduce plastic waste and pollution. Within the project, my research examines place-based initiatives to reduce plastic consumption, with a focus the systemic shifts that reconfigure relations between people and material goods through new social practices and diverse economic practices around avoiding, repairing, reusing, and sharing items and resources.

Past projects

Co-producing Climate Actions: This project recieved early career funding to work with voluntary groups and stakeholders creating community level flood resilience schemes in Bristol. The project included workshops and action research using design for real methods to create new community spaces that responded to both extreme weather events and ongoing needs for communal sites.

Sustainable Water Action (SWAN): This large multi-disciplinary EU funded project worked across European and US universities to examine water management and governance. Within the project, I examined the role of contestation and alternative spaces of participation in water governance. This included work on contestation and the Somerset levels flooding, and anti-fracking protests in Balcombe.

Recent grants and funding

2017-2019 ESRC Seminar Series: Increasing Civil Society's capacity to deal with changing extreme weather risk: negotiating dichotomies in theory and practice (Co-I). 

2018-2019 Climate Xchange: Extreme weather threats to care delivery

2018 Newton Fund: Social innovation for maintaining and restoring natural capital in post conflict Colombia 

2015-2016 UWE ECRF: re-imagining urban waters and co-producing climate actions 

Research grants

• 2017 ESRC
  Increasing Civil Society's capacity to deal with changing extreme weather risk. Co-I

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Publications

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Teaching

Modules

2023/24

• GEO2317 - Climate Change: Science and Society
• GEO3603 - Professional Placement for Geographers
• GEOM433 - Sustainability in Practice (Work Placement)

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Office Hours:

I hold student office hours twice a week.  All office hours are held on campus and must be booked in advance on my Bookings page HERE

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