Dr Kirstie O'Neill

(hi/ei)

Cyhoeddiad

• Date
• Type

Ymchwil

My doctoral thesis explored how policy makers could help establish and support sustainable local food economies. Local food is often seen as a means of boosting local economies and giving people access to autochthonous and quality foods that are not available via supermarket supply chains. Local food businesses in East Yorkshire and the Abruzzo region in Italy were involved in the research; these two case study areas were connected through their participation in the European Union’s LEADER rural development programme, and their connections to the University of Hull. Over the course of my research, I interviewed businesses and policy makers in the UK, as well as consumers in the UK, and local food businesses and policy makers in Italy. The main findings of this research included notions of complexity and messiness in policy landscapes and the impact of this on policy makers and their activities as ‘policy’ is in a regular state of flux and shifts frequently. Furthermore, the research identified that the different research groups made sense of what ‘local’ food is was spatially and temporally contingent concept, determined by imagined ruralities, historical experiences of agriculture, urban-rural relationships and place. Despite differences in the case study regions, I found that food networks in both countries experienced similar issues in accessing consumers, and employed different tools to access these customers, from Internet-mediated supply chains, to collective buying groups and urban farmers’ markets.

Of particular importance, this research challenged the idea that alternative food networks could only be found in non-industrial agricultural areas. The research was collaborative between the Department of Geography and the East Riding of Yorkshire Council, and involved the transfer of research knowledge from my PhD to practitioners at the local authority. The Economic and Social Research Council, and the East Riding of Yorkshire Council (ESRC-CASE) funded my PhD.

Following my doctoral research, I have widened my research interests through research exploring the role of green entrepreneurs in enacting the green economy. Part of this involved exploring the green building sector, through in depth interviews with architects, builders, materials suppliers, to build a more heterogeneous picture of green building as a concept and niche. This research on green building looked at approaches in the UK and Germany, and subsequently in Vancouver, Canada as part of an international project (Green Regio) led by colleagues at the Universities of Hull, Luxembourg and Cologne. I was also involved in an EPSRC funded ‘Research in the Wild’ project (led by Professor Adrian Friday, Lancaster University) exploring consumers’ perceptions of sustainable food and the relationship to digital technologies. I have published from these projects and have further publications in progress.

Addysgu

I teach on CP0372 Climate Change and other courses relating to environmental governance, climate change and sustainability.

Bywgraffiad

Yn dilyn fy ngradd israddedig (Newcastle, 1999), gweithiais fel swyddog datblygu cymunedol gwledig a swyddog datblygu economaidd gwledig i awdurdodau lleol a chynghorau cymuned wledig yng Ngogledd Lloegr.

Cymwysterau

• Tystysgrif Ôl-raddedig mewn Addysg Uwch (statws Cymrawd Llawn HEA), LSE (2017)
• PhD mewn Daearyddiaeth Ddynol, Prifysgol Hull (2012)
• PGCert, Y Brifysgol Agored (2003)
• BA (Anrh) Daearyddiaeth, Prifysgol Newcastle (1999)

Gyrfa

• Cymrawd yn yr Amgylchedd, Ysgol Economeg a Gwyddor Wleidyddol Llundain (2016-2018)
• Cydymaith Ymchwil, Prifysgol Lancaster (2016)
• Uwch Gydymaith Ymchwil, Prifysgol Hull (2015-2016)
• Cydymaith Ymchwil, Prifysgol Lancaster (2014-2015)
• Cydymaith Ymchwil, Prifysgol Hull (2011-2014)
• 2000-2007: swyddi datblygu gwledig a datblygu economaidd ar gyfer awdurdodau lleol (Cyngor Sir Gogledd Swydd Efrog a Chyngor Sir Durham) a'r trydydd sector (cynghorau cymuned gwledig yn Cumbria a Gogledd Swydd Efrog)

Aelodaethau proffesiynol

• Cymrawd Cyswllt yr Academi Addysg Uwch

Meysydd goruchwyliaeth

Byddai gen i ddiddordeb mewn goruchwylio prosiectau PhD mewn meysydd fel:

• Systemau bwyd cynaliadwy
• Adeilad gwyrdd (gan gynnwys adeiladu carbon isel)
• Llywodraethu amgylcheddol
• Ynni glân
• Economïau gwyrdd a didyfiant

Goruchwyliaeth gyfredol

Bingfu Ding

Myfyriwr ymchwil