Research interests

• Social responses to and acceptance of renewable energy: including on- and offshore wind farms, marine energy, hydrogen, and domestic micro-generation
• The social experience of noise from wind farms
• Energy consumption and domestic practices, and responses to energy technology and energy efficiency advice
• Governance, public participation, and planning, in relation to sustainable development
• The construction and dissemination of environmental risks
• The role of the media in framing environmental problems, solutions, and responsibility
• Health and well being and the natural world: particularly ‘tranquillity’ in the landscape
• Critical use of discourse analysis as a theory and method

Teaching Interests

I am responsible for the MA in Sustainable Development, a new interdisciplinary undergraduate degree, starting September 2011:

http://www.ed.ac.uk/polopoly_fs/1.44124!fileManager/Sustainable-Development.pdf

http://www.sps.ed.ac.uk/undergrad/prospective/sustainable_development

I currently teach about the sociology of sustainability, focusing on the social construction of the environment and landscape value and quality; responses to energy generation and use of energy in the home; and the role of the media in shaping information about the environment.  I also teach a range of qualitative research methods.

I was delighted to be awarded the ‘Overall High Performer’ runner up prize from the  Edinburgh University Student Association (EUSA) Teaching Awards, and the 'Best Teaching in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences' runner up prize, and the Best 'Supporting Students' Learning' runner up prize.