Katy Appleton

Katy Appleton is an Associate Professor in the School of Environmental Sciences at the University of East Anglia. She teaches on Environmental Sciences and Geography degree programs, organizing the first-year Research & Field Skills module and co-teaching GIS Skills for Project Work. As Course Director for Environmental Sciences degrees, she oversees BSc, MSci, and industry-linked programs. Her research focuses on GIS-based landscape visualization for environmental management, stakeholder communication, and multifunctional landscape assessment. She has supervised PhD students including Jacqueline Zavala, Sarah Taigel, and Nick Bearman.

Key projects include the EU-funded RUFUS initiative for rural multifunctionality policy and the RELU Biomass project on spatial technology in landscape management. She is Research Officer for the SSEVREL virtual reality facility and supports GIS integration across research and teaching. Her work contributes to UN Sustainable Development Goals related to climate action and responsible consumption.

Research interests emphasize perceptions of visualization methods, real-time landscape modeling, and participatory decision-making in coastal and agricultural contexts. Over 25 publications span GIS applications, spatial data collection via web tools, and climate change impacts on landscapes.

She has led or contributed to projects like the Smart Data Analytics initiative for business and local government, advancing data-driven solutions in environmental planning. Her expertise bridges geospatial technology, environmental policy, and stakeholder engagement in landscape management.