PUSH-IT Underground Heat Storage

The PUSH-IT project is developing ways to store energy underground. As part of this work, we (colleagues at the University of Exeter and Anglia Ruskin University) explored public and stakeholder perceptions of underground thermal energy storage (UTES) and engagement. I led a cross-national survey and the co-creation of the Engagement Catalogue; a practical, free resource for anyone interested in engaging communities with UTES and the energy transition . It is full of practical advice, guidance and hands-on engagement activities. 

The Climate Comic Intergenerational Activity Book

We co-created the Climate Comic Intergenerational Activity Book with schools, care homes, several interested groups and illustrator Laura Sorvala. The book is designed to  facilitate intergenerational climate change conversations and action, and is available in Welsh and English. Access the free bilingual resources here:  ​

Coastal wellbeing

NERC-funded CoastWEB used in-depth mobile interviews to better understand the connections between coastal habitats and human health and wellbeing. With Prof. Nick Pidgeon, Prof. Karen Henwood and Dr Erin Roberts at Cardiff University. 

Public and expert perceptions of sea-level rise

I completed my PhD in 2013 using a mixed-methods, mental-models approach to explore public and expert perceptions of sea-level change on the Severn Estuary. I was supervised by Prof. Nick Pidgeon, Prof. Lorraine Whitmarsh (Psychology) and Dr. Rhoda Ballinger (Earth Science) at Cardiff University. 

Skybear

My children's book 'Skybear' (2016) raised money for the Bumblebee Conservation trust and was used in local schools to raise awareness of nature conservation. 

The Climate Comic 

The Climate Comic was a collaboration between South Wales communities, researchers, our advisory group and illustrator Laura Sorvala. We used creative methods (comics, mobile interviews, video) with intergenerational groups to understand older people’s climate change perceptions, imaginaries and behaviours. Access the comic by clicking the image below. I led this project while at the Centre for Ageing and Dementia Research at Swansea University.

Shout Trout and river engagement

At Swansea University's Freshwater Interdisciplinary Research and Engagement (FIRE) Lab, I worked with Dr. Stephanie Januchowski-Hartley and colleagues to connect and explore people's relationships with rivers. This work included comic creation, poetry, schools engagement, stakeholder interviews and surveys. The Shout Trout comic, illustrated by Ethan Kocak, can be downloaded here.

Perceptions of shale gas extraction by 'fracking'

Also with Prof. Nick Pidgeon in the Understanding Risk Group at Cardiff University, this NSF-funded project (with UCSB Santa Barbara) used deliberative workshops and roleplay to explore public perceptions of shale gas development in the UK and USA. 

SeaChange 

In 2015, I led a public engagement exhibition 'SeaChange’, which married findings from my PhD research with my black and white images of the Estuary to explore visualisations of climate change. This work was shortlisted for the Climate Outreach Climate Communications Research Award (2019): an international award recognising innovative research that has developed fresh understanding and insights on climate change communication.