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BA (Hons), National University of Ireland, Galway (2009)
M.Litt Candidate (2009-Present)
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Room: |
116, Geography Department
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Email:
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emerhenders gmail.com
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http://www.linkedin.com/pub/emer-henderson/50/37b/477 |
| National University of Ireland, Galway (NUIG) |
Masters of Literature (MLitt) 2009 - 2011 |
| National University of Ireland, Galway (NUIG) |
Bachelor of Arts (BA)
2006 - 2009 |
| National University of Ireland, Galway (NUIG) |
Diploma in Irish (Dioplóma sa Ghaeilge) 2007 - 2009 |
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Biography
Emer completed her Geography and Legal Science honours degree (2006-2009) and honours diploma sa Ghaeilge (2007-2009) from NUI, Galway.
Emer enjoys travelling and the outdoors and has spent previous summers exploring India and Eastern Europe. Emer has also had the fortunate opportunity to partake on the NUI, Galway, Geography fieldtrip in the spring of 2008 to Shanghai, China.
Research Interests
Emer's primary research interests relate to energy-efficient consumer behaviour. In particular, effective energy behaviour change solutions amongst specific consumer groups (e.g. at home (households), at work (employees), of young adults and at schools). Other broader areas of interest include environmental psychology and environmental sustainability, specifically sustainable consumption and sustainable lifestyles.
Previous Research
Masters of Literature (M.Litt)
Title: Unpacking Public Understandings of Energy Efficient Technology and Conservation Behaviours
Household energy efficient technologies and conservation behaviours are key topics for consideration within the sustainable consumption discourse. However, public awareness and debates around energy efficiency and
conservation behaviours remain relatively under-researched topics. In Ireland, over the past decade, a number of significant changes have been made to promote energy efficiency and improve conservation behaviours in the home; these include the introduction of a range of regulatory, economic and communicative measures.However, energy usage per dwelling in Ireland remains approximately 31% higher than the rest of Europe. There is an obvious need for more research into public awareness of energy efficiency and conservation behaviours, specifically the reasons for adoption of energy efficient products and services in the home. Building on the work of recent critical human geographers and social scientists researching in the field of environmental behaviour, this thesis offers a critical insight into ecological modernisation theory and identifies a need for a more holistic approach to studies of public understandings of energy efficient technologies and conservation behaviours. The research initially maps energy related policy instruments (legislative, economic and
communicative measures) which were developed at the EU, national and local scales and were introduced between the years ’2000-2010’. Although many of these measures are designed to influence changes in household energy consumption, research into the effectiveness of many of these instruments is currently lacking. Drawing on data obtained from in-depth focus group discussions with householders in Galway City and interviews with energy professionals based in Ireland, the study attempts to unpack public understandings of energy efficient appliances and energy consumption behaviours in the
home. Specifically, the results from the thesis identified economic factors, a lack of tailored information, and location of dwelling (issues related to perceptions of space) as some of the key barriers to engaging in energy conservation behaviours in the home. The study also highlights some of the main reasons put forward by respondents for the adoption or nonadoption of energy efficient products and technologies in the home. In particular, respondents’ opinions on issues such as ’uptake of energy efficient appliances’, ’installing insulation products’, ’installing domestic micro generation’ and ’switching to green energy tariffs’ are critically discussed. Overall, the results from the research indicate that household
energy consumption issues cannot be solved by technical solutions on their own and that there is a need for policy makers to acknowledge and understand the social, economic, cultural and political issues involved in household energy consumption behaviours.
Research Cluster
Planning and Sustainability.
Academic Awards and Distinctions
2011 Chosen as one of top ten research projects during the NUIG “Energy Night” conference.
2011 Received NUI Galway ’ALIVE’ Presidential award for volunteering with the Energy Society NUI Galway.
I was a founding member and elected public relations officer for the NUIG's first Energy Society; which pioneered an innovative energy conference called Energy Night. During this event experts from the field of energy technology, policy, innovation and business came together in NUIG to discuss the future of energy in Ireland. The conference received local
and national media attention and was publicised as a huge success. As a result,it is now an established yearly event.
http://www.nuigenergynight.com/
2011 NUI Galway travel bursary (€2,500) for the academic year 2010-2011, to allow for travel to conferences and the presentation of research findings.
2010 Awarded first place at a Europe Direct Regional Competition Debate on “Wind Energy – the future, or a blot on the landscape?”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fD6jfy1VX3Y
2009 NUI Galway travel bursary (€2,500) for the academic year 2009-2010, to allow for travel to conferences and the presentation of research findings.
Academic Research Presentations
2011: “
Unpacking Householders’ Understanding of Energy Efficiency” Poster Presented at CIG, Conference of Irish Geographers, Limerick, May 6th
2011: “
Unpacking Householders’ Understanding of Energy Efficiency” Paper Presented at AAG, Association of American Geographers, Seattle, Washington, April 15th
http://meridian.aag.org/callforpapers/program/AbstractDetail.cf
m?AbstractID="39991
2011: “Incentives and Regulations aimed at Changing Irish Householders’ Energy Behaviours” Research presented at the Geography Department Seminar Series, NUI, Galway, February 17th
2011: “ Unpacking Householders’ Understanding of Energy Efficiency” Poster Presented at NUI, Galway’s Energy Night hosted by the Energy Society of NUI, Galway, January 26th
2010: “An exploratory study of householder decisions to adopt and use energy efficient products and services” Research and Development Plan, presented at the Geography Department, NUI, Galway, June 15th
2010: “The Future of Energy in Ireland: exploring the relations between domestic energy efficient improvements and publics” Research presented at the Geography Department Seminar Series, NUI, Galway, January 28th
2010: “The future of renewable energy in Ireland: exploring the social acceptance of Ireland’s new energy networks” Paper presented at the Irish Postgraduate Training Consortium (IPTC), in Wicklow, Ireland, February 6th
Presentations
2011: “
Unpacking Householders’ Understanding of Energy Efficiency” Poster Presented at CIG, Conference of Irish Geographers, Limerick, May 6th
2011: “
Unpacking Householders’ Understanding of Energy Efficiency” Paper Presented at AAG, Association of American Geographers, Seattle, Washington, April 15th
2011: “
Incentives and Regulations aimed at Changing Irish Householders’ Energy Behaviours” Research presented at the Geography Department Seminar Series, NUI, Galway, February 17th
2011: “
Unpacking Householders’ Understanding of Energy Efficiency” Poster Presented at NUI, Galway’s Energy Night hosted by the Energy Society of NUI, Galway, January 26th
2010: “
An exploratory study of householder decisions to adopt and use energy efficient products and services” Research and Development Plan, presented at the Geography Department, NUI, Galway, June 15th
2010: “
The Future of Energy in Ireland: exploring the relations between domestic energy efficient improvements and publics” Research presented at the Geography Department Seminar Series, NUI, Galway, January 28th
2010: “
The future of renewable energy in Ireland: exploring the social acceptance of Ireland’s new energy networks” Paper presented at the Irish Postgraduate Training Consortium (IPTC), in Wicklow, Ireland, February 6th
Teaching Involvement
- Tutor for TI350 (Seminar Series in Research Methods)
- Tutor for TI150 (Principles of Human Geography)
Societies
- 2010 - 2011 Public Relations Officer of NUI Galway’s Energy Society
- 2009 - 2011 Member of the Geographical Society of Ireland
- 2009 - 2011 Member of NUI Galway’s Geography Society
- 2009 - 2010 Vice Auditor of NUI Galway’s Geography Society
Selected Readings
Davies, A., Fahy, F. Rau, H. and Pape, J. (2010) 'Sustainable Consumption: practices and governance’, Irish Geography Vol.43 (1) 59- 79
Hobson, K. (2003) Thinking habits into action: the role of knowledge and process in questioning household consumption practices. Local Environment, Vol.8 (1), pp.95-112
Leahy, E. and Lyons, S. (2009) Energy Use and Appliance Ownership in Ireland, Economic and Social Research Institute, Dublin, Ireland.
Mol, A.P.J., Spaargaren, G. and Sonnenfeld, D.A., (2009) Ecological Modernization: Three Decades of Policy, Practice and Theoretical Reflection: Routledge.
Roy, R., Caird, S. and Potter, S. (2007) People centred eco-design: consumer adoption of low and zero carbon products and systems. In: Murphy, J. ed. Governing Technology for Sustainability. London, UK: Earthscan, pp. 41–62
Walker, G. and Cass, G. (2007) Carbon reduction, ’the public’ and renewable energy: engaging with socio-technical configurations, Area, Vol. 39 No.4, pp.458-469
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Leagan Gaeilge
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