Meet the team
Professor Michael Leyshon
Associate Professor in Human Geography
Michael Leyshon is a social geographer and his research explores how third sector agencies and small businesses innovate to produce social change. In particular his work seeks to ground place-based person-centred approaches in a variety of locations, practices and performances, by focusing on issues relating to care in the countryside, young people and rurality, and business adaptation to climate change
Professor Catherine Leyshon
Professor of Human Geography
Catherine is a human geographer interested in place, identity, volunteering and social innovation. Her research asks how social innovation is linked to the particular configurations of people, energy, resources, agencies, and organisations in place. She also looks at the role of volunteers in social innovation. She is co-director of the Social Innovation Group (SIG), with Michael Leyshon. Catherine is a keen runner and cook.
Dr Tim Walker
Research Associate
Tim is a social geographer whose research interests include digital inclusion, social innovation, volunteering, knowledge exchange, and participatory methods.
Tim is currently a researcher on the Smartline project. Smartline is a research and innovation project which is exploring how technology can improve wellbeing and supporting the growth of the eWellbeing small and medium enterprise (SME) sector in Cornwall. Tim’s research in this project focuses on digital inclusion alongside supporting SME’s to develop new digital products.
Matthew Rogers
Lecturer in Citizen Journalism
Matthew is an innovative, multi-skilled and socially-minded thinker who enjoys communicating a passion for sub-cultures and equal forms of representation through participation. His personal interests include: triathlon, avant-garde music, co-housing and current affairs. Matthew has set up a community radio station and food buying co-operative in Falmouth.
Matthew developed the Citizen Journalism News Network (CJNN) as an attempt to create the news differently. Based on an innovative collaboration between the University of Exeter and a network of Cornish community radio stations the CJNN project has been devised to test whether Internet technologies can allow cash-strapped community media organisations to research and produce serious investigative journalism through collaborative practices via a bespoke social media app whilst also separated by geographic distances.
Dr Shukru Esmene
Research Fellow
Shuks’ research with SIG uses qualitative methods to explore how existing academic research can be adapted for implementation in specific places and communities. The approaches he uses focuses on building a detailed understanding of contextual influences, these include political, cultural and socio-economic factors, that need to be at the centre of any activity and/or solution stemming from the research. His previous work has involved working with voluntary sector organisations, primary healthcare providers, small-medium sized enterprises, non-governmental organisations and local / national government bodies.
Thomas Bailey
Graduate Research Assistant
Tom Bailey is a Cultural and Human Geographer interested in landscape, place, film and social innovation. Tom is currently an assistant researcher on the ANCHOR project, a pilot study using a Guided Conversation toolkit to deliver place-based person-centred care in the Coastal Primary Care Network. This research will aim to support communities and anticipate undesired health outcomes in the over 60s. Tom is a keen Hiker, film buff and European football fan.
Natalie Craig
Graduate Research Assistant
Nat Craig is a Graduate Research Assistant within the SIG team with a variety of experience in research, corporate and community work. She has worked across sectors spanning from corporate brand consulting, environmental advocacy, policy research and care. Her research interests include; community care, person centred counselling, nature connection and systems undergoing transformation. A Londoner with a love for the sea, she is grateful to be based in Falmouth and likes to spend her time crocheting, writing poems and swimming.