Marine social scientist, interdisciplinary researcher, all about the sea

Qualifications

PhD Environment, Energy and Resilience, University of Exeter, 2021 - Thesis on marine citizenship

MRes Environment, Energy and Resilience (Distinction), University of Exeter, 2016 - Dissertation on general and environmental volunteering

MSc Coastal Zone Management (Distinction), University of Ulster, 2014 - Dissertation on stakeholder dynamics in coastal partnerships

Level 3 Award in Effective Management, Institute of Leadership and Management, 2011

BSc (Hons) Marine Biology (First Class), University of Newcastle upon Tyne, 2001 - Honours project on segmental regeneration in King Ragworm

Research and Consultancy

Academic years 2022-23 I have been an ESRC Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Exeter. Find out more here.

I have worked with the Ocean Conservation Trust on their public and school engagement programmes, their theory of change, and how they evaluate it.

I am working with Coastal Partnerships Network on their Environment Agency funded 3Cs Project (Championing Coastal Coordination), reviewing and developing evaluation and Natural England’s investigation of partnerships for marine nature recovery.

As part of a University of Exeter team, I recently worked with WWF on research examining the implications of the blue economy for coastal communities. I led on data collection and analysis.

I’m a member of the Ocean Literacy Working Group, led by the Ocean Conservation Trust and working with DEFRA .

I recently worked with a new team at the Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership which is charged with examining the future of Boards for meeting sustainability governance challenges.

Science Communication

From 2005 to 2014 I worked in the field of public engagement with science / science communication.

After setting up Junior Cafe Scientifique in schools in the North East, I moved to the British Science Association where I managed volunteers across the North of England, developed and delivered events.

I grew the volunteer base from ~30 to 100 active volunteers, and from five to nine branches.

I developed the volunteering strategy and policies across the British Science Association.

I set up and ran the North East Science Alliance - a network for science communicators and educators across the North East of England.

Political Leadership

I served as a Plymouth City Councillor representing the Honicknowle Ward from 2018-2022, when I retired to focus on my research. In this role I brought through the Climate Emergency Declaration to Plymouth City Council and Devon & Somerset Fire & Rescue Service Authority. I also supported the development of the Plymouth Sound National Marine Park and associated Heritage Horizons bid, embedding marine citizenship in the heart of these projects. In November 2021, I proposed the Ocean Recovery Declaration and Plymouth City Council became the first to pass this important #Motion4TheOcean.

I served as the Vice Chair of the Brexit, Infrastructure and Legislative Change Overview and Scrutiny Committee. I represented Plymouth City Council on:
Devon & Somerset Fire & Rescue Service Authority (Environment Member Champion)
Devon & Severn IFCA (Vice Chair)
South West Regional Flood and Coastal Committee
Tamar Estuaries Consultative Forum