Research

My current research

I am an interdisciplinary researcher at VU Amsterdam, and my PhDresearch focuses on exploring the way in which my methodology, senstoryscapes (or place-based, multi-sensory stories of the future) can be used to encourage pro-environment attitudes and behaviour, and particularly, to encourage individual climate action.

You can learn bit more about my senstoryscapes project here: senstoryscapes.org.

My research journey

My route to this research was a bit unusual, as my MA was in the field of Classical Studies.

I have always had a deep interest in the ancient world, and the Middle Ages. In the course of my studies, I became interested in the sensory aspects of the past and my research resulted in a thesis that explored the lived olfactory experiences of people in Pompeii shortly before the eruption of Vesuvius (initially I wanted to recreate ancient perfumes of ancient Athens, but COVID-19 scuppered my experiments – which was a blessing!) I wanted to continue working with sensory research and I wanted to work with stories. I could probably have stayed in the Classics department, but I felt compelled to make sure that my research was contributing to co-creating these hopeful, sustainable futures that I go on about, and so my PhD research proposal was born.

I have a BA in English, with Classics and Philosophy, just to muddy my research journey further.