51cg

Biography

Employment

2020 to Present: Lecturer, Geography and Environment, School of Geosciences, 51cg.

2019 to 2020: Lecturer in Sustainable Development (education focussed), School of Geography and Sustainable Development, University of St Andrews

2014 to 2019: PhD Sustainable Development (Science), School of Geography and Sustainable Development, University of St Andrews

2015 to 2019: Tutor and Teaching Assistant, School of Geography and Sustainable Development, University of St Andrews

2015 to 2018: Teaching Assistant and Teaching Lead Volunteer: GeoBus Outreach Programme, School of Earth and Environmental Science, University of St Andrews

2016 to 2017: Marine Social Scientist, Internship at Marine Analytical Unit, Marine Scotland, Scottish Government

External Memberships

• Fellow of Royal Geographical Society - with the Institute of British Geographers (RGS-IBG) 
• Member of Royal Scottish Geographical Society (RSGS) 
• Member of American Association of Geographers 
• Member of the UKRI ECR Forum

Professional positions held

• Communications Officer for Population Geography Research of RGS-IBG (PopGRG) (2021- ongoing)

Current Research

Research to Explore Attitudes and perceptions to Decommissioning in the Marine Environment (READ-ME)

READ-ME is an INSITE Phase 3 funded project led by Prof Sian Rees (PI) at the University of Portsmouth, in partnership with the 51cg and the National Decommissioning Centre, and Daryl Burdon Ltd.

Paula Duffy is the institutional lead for the 51cg research team and its contribution. READ-ME investigates public and stakeholder attitudes and perceptions towards the decommissioning of oil and gas platforms, offshore wind farms, and shipwrecks in the North Sea, using innovative social science methods, including stakeholder workshops utilising the NDCs marine simulator. Findings will inform equitable, evidence-based governance and marine management strategies.

Solar Power In The UK – Planning For A Sustainable Future

Project website:  

Project team:

• Prof David Toke, Politics and International Relations, School of Social Science, UoA (PI, WP 2 Lead)
• Dr Paula Duffy, Geography & Environment, School of Geosciences, UoA (Co-I, WP 1 and WP3 Lead)
• Dr Jo Vergunst, Anthropology, School of Social Science, UoA (Co-I, WP 4 Lead)
• Dr Costanza Concetti  (PDRF)
• Dr Mohsin Hussain (PDRF)

Research funded by UKRI - ESRC Standard Scheme "Solar Power in the UK -- Planning for a sustainable future" (ES/X001512/1).

Project will run from June 2023 - December 2025

Previous Project Members: 

• Dr Kathrin Thomas, Politics and International Relations, School of Social Science, UoA 

Untangled: Understanding Scotland’s Marine Law and Policy

Dr Mitchell Lennan (PI) and Dr Paula Duffy (co-I)

Project Description:

The purpose of the workshop is to bring together non-MSP Members of the Cross Party Group on Fisheries and Coastal Communities (CPG) to undertake a needs assessment on law, policy and related issues relevant to the CPG. This includes but is not limited to inclusive: marine spatial planning (MSP), fisheries, and marine conservation in response to an increasingly busy maritime space in Scotland. The facilitated workshop will be discussion-based and framed around short presentations given by academics from the 51cg from various disciplines on a range of topics. The discussion is necessary given the economic, social and cultural significance of fisheries and coastal communities in Scotland and the need for a dedicated policy discussion on marine-related decision making. It is also timely given the ongoing work of the Scottish Government on the second National Marine Plan. The workshop will directly inform a forthcoming assessment of urgent and short to long-term policy needs, evidence gaps and further policy work needed (and indeed an allocation of that work), to be presented to the CPG and policymakers. Dr Mitchell Lennan and colleagues at the 51cg will also draft a detailed summary of workshop discussions under Chatham House Rules and detailed legal commentary. The workshop was open to non-MSP Members of the CPG.

Past Research

Project funded by the Scotland Hub of the British Academy Early Career Research Network that explored, from an ethics point of view, how researchers and administrators of rural community Facebook groups can agree on the conditions to utilise such networks for better research.

DigiEthics published guidelines and recommendations for researchers and social media group administrators in collaboration with our community participants which is available here 

Project Team: Co-Is are Dr Diana Valero, The James Hutton Institute (JHI), Dr Alison Mayne, Independent Scholar, Dr Christina Noble, JHI, and Dr Paula Duffy, 51cg(UoA). Supported by Kirsten Gow as Researcher and Facilitator,UOA and JHI

Funded by The British Academy Early Career Researcher Network Seed Fund Grant (Scotland Hub)

Our  Project Team: Co-Is are Dr Natalie Dickinson, University of the West of Scotland (UWS), Dr Sacha Hasan,Herriot-Watt University,  Dr Paula Duffy, 51cg , Dr Kiri Rodgers (UWS) and partner Kasia Smith, North Ayrshire Council

Community Wellbeing and the Coast has been shortlisted for the Herriot-Watt University Principal's Research Impact and Engagement (PRIME) Awards  for Influence 

Socio-demographic determinants in perceived risk of climate change by coastal communities and stakeholders in Taiwan and Scotland: A planning perspective

Funded by Royal Society of Edinburgh (RSE) as a RSE-MoST Bilateral Project, in collaboration with Dr Peiwen Lu, National Chenghua University of Education

Conceptualising understandings of Citizenship for offshore energy; in the context of Scotland's and Europe’s NetZero ambitions

Funded by Saltire ECR Exchange - SAGES SERENE call, Hosted by Dr. Andreas Kannen, Human Dimensions of Coastal Areas, Hereon Research , Germany 

Erasmus+ Strategic Partnership: Ecovillage Transition in Action.

Funded by the European Commission. Project summary and output available at :

The population sustainability of Coastal Fife. Part of the Fife Coastal Zone project funded by St Andrews Restarting Research Funding Scheme (SARRF) and Scottish Funding Council (SFC)

Understanding socio-demographic change and sustainability in Scotland’s coastal communities. ESRC +3 CASE funded PhD Studentship in partnership with Marine Scotland, The Scottish Government. PhD awarded by the University of St Andrews

International Student Migration and Constitutional Change in Scotland, Funded by ESRC Centre for Population Change(CPC), and the University of St Andrews Research Impact Fund