I am an interdisciplinary researcher whose work focuses on the socio-environmental interactions of the energy landscape. Community engagement and creative co-creation is playing an increasingly important role in my research, which broadly focuses on energy access and vulnerability, public perceptions and reaction to energy technologies, sustainable housing and behaviours, and a just transition to a low carbon economy. I specialise in using mixed method approaches in my research, including GIS, participatory mapping, mobile and social data collection techniques to explore the complex relationships among climate change, energy and sustainability.
PhD Opportunities:
I would be keen to supervise students on a range of topics that take interdisciplinary approaches to better our understanding and support a just transition to a low carbon future. The geographical focus of my research is currently South Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa and the UK. I am particularly interested in supervising projects on the following topics:
- Socio-technical assemblages of renewable and sub-surface energy systems
- Issues of energy access, poverty and justice
- The role of biogas in supporting sustainable livelihoods
- The water-energy-food-health nexus
- Exploring energy futures through innovative and participatory research methods.
My recent research activities include:
Water and Fire: Understanding and reducing risk with 15 “Best Bets” for enhancing capacity for transformative adaptation with vulnerable township residents on the Cape Flats in Cape Town, South Africa. (GCRF-ESRC). 2019-2022 Collaborators: Universities of Stirling (Lead), Cape Town, Western Cape. Total award size: £900k
Re-energising Clackmannanshire: engaging communities around energy for a healthier, wealthier and greener future. (UKRI). 2019-2020. Collaborators: Glasgow School of Art, Hawkhill Community Association, British Geological Survey, Clackmannanshire Council, Clackmannanshire Third Sector Interface (CTSI). Total award size: £39k.
Evaluating the relationship between public perception, engagement and attitudes towards underground energy technologies and UK Geoenergy Observatory science. (British Geological Survey) 2019. Total award size: £10k.
Understanding the spatial and temporal dynamics of public attitudes and community responses to shale gas: an integrated approach. (NERC Unconventional Hydrocarbons Programmer) 2018-2021. Collaborators: Universities of Exeter (Lead), Cardiff, Edinburgh, Heriot Watt. Total award size: £512k.
Beyond the ‘energy silo’: exploring energy challenges and their interactions with food, water and health in rural India and Scotland (Scottish Alliance for Geosciences, Environment & Society PECRE award). 2016. Total award size: £3.6k
An Ecosystem Analysis of Food Production and Security. (Stirling Crucible seed funding. Collaborators: Dr Anthony O’Hare, Susan Murray) 2016. Total award: £1.3k
Getting the right spatial mix: methods for robust spatial planning for renewable energy. (SECURE feasibility project) 2015 Collaborators: University of Leeds (Lead), Biomathematics & Statistics Scotland. Total award size: £25k