Dr Liz Cooper
Last modified: August 22, 2025
About
PhD in Psychology, University of Edinburgh; MSc Business and Community, University of Bath. Member of the Royal Society of Edinburgh Young Academy of Scotland.
About the organisation(s) I've worked for
Organisation name:
Heriot-Watt UniversityAbout my experience and expertise
Personal statement:
I research decision-making and influencing within organisations in terms of how sustainability factors are negotiated and prioritised, using a discursive psychology approach to analyse conversations.
I am open to new collaborations on understanding how people get engagement on sustainability issues through interactions within organisations and groups, for example in meetings.
I previously worked extensively on sustainable production and consumption, approaching the issues from different roles in different sectors. I worked for local non-governmental organisations in Senegal and India on value chain development and sustainability certification projects. I worked as a Research and Policy Manager focused on sustainable supply chains and procurement in higher education institutions.
Key topic areas of research or interest:
- sustainable production and consumption
- sustainable business
- sustainable product development
- sustainable procurement
- discursive psychology
- qualitative research
- social influence
- decision-making
- responsibility in organisations
Publications:
Reconceptualizing the Notion of Values in Design Talk. She Ji: The Journal of Design, Economics, and Innovation. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sheji.2024.08.003
Constructing accounts of decision-making in sustainable design: A discursive psychology analysis. Design Studies. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.destud.2022.101158
Role Morality Discrepancy and Ethical Purchasing: Exploring Felt Responsibility in Professional and Personal Contexts. Business and Society. https://doi.org/10.1177/00076503211056540
A Holistic Approach to Embedding Social Responsibility and Sustainability in a University—Fostering Collaboration Between Researchers, Students and Operations. Handbook of Sustainability Science and Research. https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-319-63007-6_11
Determining How to Invest More Responsibly as an Institution: A case study at the University of Edinburgh. The Routledge Handbook of Responsible Investment. https://www.routledge.com/The-Routledge-Handbook-of-Responsible-Investment/Hebb-Hawley-Hoepner-Neher-Wood/p/book/9781138385795
