PRiSM Scientist in Residence Rose Pritchard
I am currently a Presidential Fellow in Social-Environmental Systems in the Global Development Institute (GDI) at The University of Manchester. My research explores how people are impacted by and adapt to environmental challenges like deforestation and climate change. The ultimate aims of this work are to help understand how human wellbeing can be maintained in the face of shocks, and to help identify just and equitable pathways to more sustainable futures.
My research is interdisciplinary and I draw on both ecological and social science research traditions in my work. I started out with an undergraduate degree in Zoology at the University of Sheffield, and then moved into social-ecological systems research during my PhD at the University of Edinburgh on deforestation-livelihood linkages in Zimbabwe. Before joining GDI in March 2020, I was a post-doc in the Sheffield Institute for International Development (SIID), supporting a project which was developing satellite data applications for African agricultural systems. Working with colleagues in SIID strengthened my interest in questions of equity and justice around climate adaptation and transitions to sustainability.
Working with PRiSM is exciting because it offers an opportunity to learn from experts with entirely different perspectives – while most of my work is interdisciplinary in some way, I’ve never collaborated on a research project with musicians or musicologists before, and so anticipate this role being really rewarding. As a (very!) amateur musician, making music has also always been an important part of my life, and I value the chance to bring elements of this into my work.