ACCESS - Advancing Capacity for Climate  and Environment Social Science
Some of the ACCESS Team outside on a winter's day

Meet The Team

Who are we?


The ACCESS team includes world-leading social science and interdisciplinary experts led by the Universities of Exeter and Surrey in a core team that includes

  • University of Bath
  • University of Leeds
  • University of Sussex
  • Natural Environment Social Research Network

(Natural Resources Wales, NatureScot, Natural England, Environment Agency and Forest Research)

The ACCESS core team is complemented by a wider network of expertise drawn from academic and stakeholder partners across UK devolved nations and internationally.

Partners include

  • Strathclyde University
  • Queens University Belfast
  • Cardiff University
  • Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research
  • Manchester University
  • Plymouth Marine Laboratory
  • University of Sydney

Stakeholders across policy, business and civil society at local and national levels including

  • Welsh Government (WG)
  • Scottish and Southern Energy (SSE)
  • Chartered Institute of Water and Environmental Management (CIWEM)
  • National Trust (NT)
  • Academy for Social Sciences (AcSS)
  • Community Energy England (CEE)
  • Winchester Science Centre (WSC)
  • Devon and Surrey County Councils (DCC, SCC)
ACCESS organogram

Leadership team

Professor Patrick Devine-Wright
University of Exeter

Professor Birgitta Gatersleben
University of Surrey

Sue Williams
Natural Resources Wales

Professor Lorraine Whitmarsh
University of Bath

Professor Benjamin Sovacool
University of Sussex

Professor Saffron O’Neill
University of Exeter

Professor Karen Bickerstaff
University of Exeter

Professor Alice Moseley
University of Exeter

Professor Sarah Hartley
University of Exeter

Professor Kate Burningham
University of Surrey

Professor Stewart Barr
University of Exeter

Professor Jillian Anable
University of Leeds

Dr Travis Coan
University of Exeter

Co-Investigators

Professor Neil Adger
University of Exeter

Professor Ian Bateman
University of Exeter

Professor Steffen Boehm
University of Exeter

Dr Catherine Caine
University of Exeter

Dr Fiona Charnley
University of Exeter

Ian Peter Christie
University of Surrey

Professor Nigel Gilbert
University of Surrey

Professor Amelia Hadfield
University of Surrey

Dr Chris Jones
University of Portsmouth

Dr Nick Kirsop-Taylor
University of Exeter

Professor Angela Druckman
University of Surrey

Professor Ruth Garside
University of Exeter

Professor Steve Hinchliffe
University of Exeter

Professor Matt Lobley
University of Exeter

Dr Rebecca Lovell
University of Exeter

Dr Melissa Marselle
University of Surrey

Dr Beth Brockett
Forest Research

Dr Jean-Francois Mercure
University of Exeter

Professor Clare Saunders
University of Exeter

Professor Ian Walker
University of Swansea

Professor Hywel Williams
University of Exeter

Knowledge Exchange
and Impact Fellows

Dr Sarah Golding
University of Surrey

Dr Steve Guilbert
University of Exeter

Dr Jo Hamilton
University of Exeter

Dr Jenny Hatchard
University of Exeter

Anita Lateano
University of Westminster

Dr Rory Murphy
University of Exeter

Dr Harry Marshall
(completed Fellowship)
Forest Research

Dr Valentine Seymour
(completed Fellowship)
University of Surrey

Dr Michelle Spruce
(completed Fellowship)
Liverpool John Moores University

Dr Gerardo A. Torres Contreras
(completed Fellowship)
University of Sussex

Dr George Warren
(completed Fellowship)
University of Surrey

Project team

Sarah Baker, Project Manager
University of Exeter

Kirstie Hatcher, Project Manager
University of Surrey

Trevor Hood, Administrator
University of Surrey

Sarah Thorn, Administrator
University of Exeter

Suzy Darke, Communications Officer
University of Exeter