Profile
Caitlin is a Postdoctoral Researcher in Environmental Social Science interested in addressing interlinked social, environmental, and economic challenges through interdisciplinary and participatory research. Her research broadly explores the governance and equity dimensions of nature recovery and nature-based solutions. She is particularly interested in effective and meaningful public and stakeholder engagement in environmental decision-making processes.
She is currently working with the Nature-based Solutions Initiative as part of the Agile Initiative, on a project that explores scaling-up nature-based solutions in the UK. This will lead on to further research exploring the governance and equity of nature restoration efforts in two case study landscapes (Oxfordshire and the central Scottish Highlands) as part of the Leverhulme Centre for Nature Recovery.
Caitlin recently completed her PhD at the Countryside and Community Research Institute (CCRI), which focused on practitioners' perspectives of effective engagement in the digital age. During her PhD, she completed research internships with Natural England and the Welsh Government, as well as contributing expertise to the Defra Science Advisory Council (SAC) Social Science Expert Group (SSEG) review of public engagement. Caitlin has also worked on a number of interdisciplinary and collaborative research projects funded by Defra, Natural England, NICRE, and Innovate UK. Caitlin is a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society (with IBG) and member of the Participatory Geographies Research Group (PyGyRG) and Digital Geographies Research Group (DGRG).