Members of the Science Communication Unit (SCU)

A variety of staff and students work with the SCU on our practical, academic and postgraduate project portfolio.

Co-Directors

Professor Emma Weitkamp, Professor in Science Communication, Co-Director of the Science Communication Unit
Professor Clare Wilkinson, Professor in Science Communication, Co-Director of the Science Communication Unit

Academic staff

Dr Kathy Fawcett, Senior Lecturer in Science Communication
Dr Laura Fogg Rogers, Associate Professor for Engineering in Society
Andrew Glester, Lecturer in Science Communication
Dr David Judge, Lecturer in Science Communication
Dr Achintya Rao, Communication and Engagement Manager for the COALESCE project
Dr Andy Ridgway, Senior Lecturer in Science Communication
Dr Amanda Webber, Senior Lecturer in Science Communication
Professor Alan Winfield, Professor of Robot Ethics

Research staff

Sarah Behenna, Research Associate for Science Hunters: Engineering for Sustainable Societies
Dr Louisa Cockbill, Project Coordinator for Curiosity Connections Bristol
Dr Laura Hobbs, Research Fellow
Sophie Laggan, Research Fellow
Dr Margarida Sardo, Senior Research Fellow
Josh Warren, Education Coordinator - DETI Inspire
Jane Wooster, Science Communication Unit Administrator

Current PhD students

Miriam Al-Futaih

Thesis title: Organic farming and knowledge exchange in Great Britain: Opportunities and barriers for organic agricultural knowledge exchange and innovation through social media.

Supervisory team: Dr Angelina Sanderson Bellamy (Director of Studies), Dr Hannah Little, Dr Emma Weitkamp.

Karen Collins

Thesis title: Exploring evaluation: How can science communication draw on evaluation best practice in other fields?

Supervisory team: Dr Clare Wilkinson and Dr Margarida Sardo.

Andreia Jorge

Thesis title: To understand how plant diversity communication is performed, both from the institutions’ perspective and communicators’ angle.

Supervisory team: Dr Emma Weitkamp (Director of Studies), Dr Hannah Little, Teresa Girão, António Gouveia.

Sophie Laggan (DPhil)

Thesis title: Enhancing public participation in environmental decision-making: lessons from research and practice.

Supervisory team: Dr Laura Fogg-Rogers (Director of Studies), Dr Enda Hayes.

Abbi Matthews

Thesis title: Using social media to reduce stigma towards visible differences and increase acceptance of appearance diversity.

Supervisory team: Dr Ella Guest (Director of Studies), Dr Amy Slater, Professor Clare Wilkinson.

Lisa Mayne

Thesis title: Exploring factors that influence recruitment of underserved patient populations in clinical trials.

Supervisory team: Dr Mo Salehan (Director of Studies) and Dr Clare Wilkinson.

Jen Weston

Thesis title: Citizen science, biodiversity and urban environments: A quantitative and qualitative study on the inclusivity and representation in urban citizen science research.

Supervisory team: Dr Bethan Hindle (Director of Studies) and Dr Clare Wilkinson.

Helen Whitfield-Williams

Thesis title: Understanding the role of clinical engineering: Workforce development and training.

Supervisory team: Dr Antony Hill (Director of Studies), Dr Clare Wilkinson.

Completed PhD students

Andy Ridgway (completed 2023)

Thesis title: Exploring how parents navigate and negotiate domestic food practices that have an influence on domestic food waste using online forums.

Supervisory team: Dr Katy Ling (Director of Studies), Dr Fiona Spotswood, Professor Alan Tapp, Dr Lucy Meredith.

Achintya Rao (completed 2023)

Thesis title: Exploration of factors that shape attitudes towards outreach within the particle physics research community (funded by the CERN Doctoral Student Programme).

Supervisory team: Dr Emma Weitkamp (Director of Studies), Dr Clare Wilkinson, Dr Erik Stengler, Christine Sutton.

David Judge (completed 2022)

Thesis title: Re-thinking transformative visitor experience in a science exhibition: Implications for science communication theory and practice.

Supervisory team: Dr Clare Wilkinson (Director of Studies), Dr Emma Weitkamp.

Ann Grand (completed 2021)

Thesis title: Open science and public engagement: exploring the potential of the open paradigm to support public engagement with science.

Supervisory team: Professor Alan Winfield (Director of Studies), Dr Clare Wilkinson, Dr Karen Bultitude.

Elena Milani (completed 2021)

Thesis title: Vaccine movements on social media: a visual and network analysis.

Supervisory team: Dr Emma Weitkamp (Director of Studies), Dr Peter Webb.

Pedro Larfargue (completed 2020)

Thesis title: Advanced traceability technologies to improve the supply chain of the multibillion cocoa and chocolate industry.

Supervisory team: Dr Joel Allainguillaume (Director of Studies), Professor Dawn Arnold, Dr Emma Weitkamp.

Laura Fogg-Rogers (DPhil 2016-2018)

Thesis title: Learning from engagement: exploring cultures of science communication at live science events.

Supervisory team: Dr Tim Moss, Professor Catherine Hobbs and Dr Clare Wilkinson.

Wilasinee Tryiyarat (completed 2017)

Thesis title: Factors affecting engagement with informal science learning in Thailand: a regional perspective.

Supervisory team: Dr Clare Wilkinson (Director of Studies), Dr Emma Weitkamp.

Supara Kamolpattana (completed 2016)

Thesis title: Science museum explainer training: exploring factors that influence visitor-explainer interactions.

Supervisory team: Dr Clare Wilkinson (Director of Studies), Professor Neil Willey, Dr Karen Bultitude.

Helena Wythe (completed 2016)

Thesis title: Meeting food hygiene challenges in older people: mobilising health assets for health promotion.

Supervisory team: Dr Emma Weitkamp (Director of Studies), Professor Judy Orme, Dr Clare Wilkinson, Dr Lucy Meredith.

Helen Featherstone (completed 2008)

Thesis title: Risk communication of climate change: Stakeholder objectives and public responses.

Supervisory team: Dr Emma Weitkamp (Director of Studies), Professor Frank Burnet, Dr Katy Ling.