Overview

As an interdisciplinary social scientist, I follow emerging socio-ecological, technological, economic and agri/cultural ideas, practices and policies that ‘promise’ sustainable futures. 

Much of my research to date has focused ethnographically on future food politics, particularly the global implications of synthetic biology and lab-grown food and effects upon food cultures, agricultural livelihoods, diversity and traditional knowers, growers and users of natural products.

Some of this has involved attending UN Convention on Biological Diversity COP meetings, researching the governance of genetic resources and synthetic biology, the issue of (digital) biopiracy, the bioeconomy and biocultural justice. Another part of this has involved a 'follow-the-thing' study of the stevia plant. I am currently writing a book on this topic supported by a Postdoctoral Fellowship Award from the UK Economic & Social Research Council (ESRC).

I am interested in developing further research into agrobiocultural diversity, plant/food culture extinction, and the promissory interface between agroecology and gene-editing horizons incorporating anti-colonial, feminist, creative audio/visual and transdisciplinary approaches.

Broad research specialisms:

• Critical Agrarian Studies (future food systems, plant politics).
• De/anti-colonial, feminist Science & Technology Studies (STS).
• Global Bioeconomies, genetic engineering & Synthetic Biology
• UN Biodiversity Governance (agri-biodiversity and justice)
• Political Ecology (politics of knowledge and promissory sustainability)
• Corporate Social Responsibility and Responsible Innovation
• Creative methods, multi-sited global ethnography and Follow-the-thing

Qualifications

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

Foundation Degree in Art & Design (Falmouth University)