More about Sam
A little background on how I got here...
I came to Aberystwyth in 2001 to study Human Geography and graduated in 2005. In the middle I took a year out to work as an energy advisor for the Centre for Sustainable Energy in Bristol. This was great fun, experience and provided fertile research ground for my dissertation about the role of NGOs in working towards a sustainable society. It was here I decided that I wanted to get more involved in energy efficiency, green building and renewables when I graduated.
So, after a little GIS work, a bit of traveling, I embarked on a life-changing masters course in 'Architecture: Advanced Environmental and Energy Studies' at the Centre for Alternative Technology (CAT). This course was very wide ranging, from politics, to practical Photo Voltaic experiments and attracted a large number of students from all walks of life. Whilst I got stuck into the practical work and theory of green building and renewable energy during the course, it was still the more social side of transitions to 'zero carbon' that really interested me. Hence my research thesis investigated home electricity use and possible ways of reducing this (you can find a summary of the findings on Academia.edu). Environmentally responsible behaviour and environmental values have remained a firm interest.
I spent nearly 5 more years at CAT. First helping to develop a distance learning version of the master's course, to further widen access, then facilitating the first intakes of the course as student support officer, before becoming a tutor and lecturer. I developed particular interests in eco-refurbishment, natural building materials, discourses of climate change and eco-pyschology. I also did some Environment Wales community research into strategies to increase uptake of energy efficiency measures. After toying with the idea of a PhD for quite a while, finally the timing, exciting research project and circumstances conspired to make it happen, and here I am!
...and what else I get up to
I'm also a founding member of Flowering Elbow: a not for profit collective of people working with reclaimed and environmentally responsible materials to invent/design/ make interesting and useful things, and encourage others to do so too. Hence, it's exciting to return to geography when making, crafting etc is actively being researched and discussed.
I also sing in a political/ peace choir, Côr Gobaith (Choir of Hope) and practice Acro Yoga and Yoga. I love to dance, bake, sing, bask in the sunshine and potter in the garden and at the sewing machine.
I came to Aberystwyth in 2001 to study Human Geography and graduated in 2005. In the middle I took a year out to work as an energy advisor for the Centre for Sustainable Energy in Bristol. This was great fun, experience and provided fertile research ground for my dissertation about the role of NGOs in working towards a sustainable society. It was here I decided that I wanted to get more involved in energy efficiency, green building and renewables when I graduated.
So, after a little GIS work, a bit of traveling, I embarked on a life-changing masters course in 'Architecture: Advanced Environmental and Energy Studies' at the Centre for Alternative Technology (CAT). This course was very wide ranging, from politics, to practical Photo Voltaic experiments and attracted a large number of students from all walks of life. Whilst I got stuck into the practical work and theory of green building and renewable energy during the course, it was still the more social side of transitions to 'zero carbon' that really interested me. Hence my research thesis investigated home electricity use and possible ways of reducing this (you can find a summary of the findings on Academia.edu). Environmentally responsible behaviour and environmental values have remained a firm interest.
I spent nearly 5 more years at CAT. First helping to develop a distance learning version of the master's course, to further widen access, then facilitating the first intakes of the course as student support officer, before becoming a tutor and lecturer. I developed particular interests in eco-refurbishment, natural building materials, discourses of climate change and eco-pyschology. I also did some Environment Wales community research into strategies to increase uptake of energy efficiency measures. After toying with the idea of a PhD for quite a while, finally the timing, exciting research project and circumstances conspired to make it happen, and here I am!
...and what else I get up to
I'm also a founding member of Flowering Elbow: a not for profit collective of people working with reclaimed and environmentally responsible materials to invent/design/ make interesting and useful things, and encourage others to do so too. Hence, it's exciting to return to geography when making, crafting etc is actively being researched and discussed.
I also sing in a political/ peace choir, Côr Gobaith (Choir of Hope) and practice Acro Yoga and Yoga. I love to dance, bake, sing, bask in the sunshine and potter in the garden and at the sewing machine.