I am a Research Associate working within an interdisciplinary space in the School of Social Sciences at Cardiff University. My disciplinary background is in Human Geography – specialising in cultural, rural and energy geographies. My research interests include; issues regarding inequalities of energy access in the UK (including energy poverty and justice), and understanding how relationships – with people, places, and things – shape the everyday lives and consequent energy consumption of rural dwellers. My latter interest formed the basis of my recently completed doctorate at Cardiff University which focused on the dynamics of household energy demand in rural north-west Wales.
I am currently working on the Social Science work package (WP17) for the FLEXIS (Flexible, Integrated Energy Systems – http://www.flexis.wales/) research project, led by Professors Karen Henwood (SOCSI – Cardiff University) and Nick Pidgeon (PSYCH – Cardiff University). FLEXIS is a multipartner programme coordinated by Cardiff’s School of Engineering and funded by the European Regional Development Fund. The project integrates social science and technical research to address issues concerning the energy systems of the future. WP17 aims to investigate lived experiences of changes to our energy systems and to also ensure that development proceeds on the model of ‘responsible innovation’: that is, building responsiveness to wider societal concerns into innovation processes.
