About
Dr. Megan Blake is a Senior Lecturer in Human Geography at the University of Sheffield's School of Geography and Planning, where she has been employed since 2000, initially as a visiting instructor before becoming a full lecturer in 2002 and being promoted to Senior Lecturer in 2010. She received her PhD in Geography from Clark University in 2001 and has established an international reputation as an expert in food security and food justice.
Dr. Blake's educational background includes:
- PhD in Geography from Clark University (2001)
Dr. Blake's research focuses on the intersection of food security, social justice, and community resilience. She is particularly known for her work on surplus food chains, community organizations and self-organization practices, and social inequalities. Her practice-based theoretical approach examines how social institutions, everyday practices, and place create possibilities for and constraints on everyday practices in domestic and community spaces. She has developed the Food Ladders framework, a multi-scaled and asset-based approach that uses food to increase everyday food security, connect communities, and build local resilience.
Analysis of Dr. Blake's recent publications reveals a strong focus on food insecurity in both developed and developing contexts, with particular attention to community-based solutions and the social dimensions of food access. Her work spans public health, urban geography, and social policy, with a consistent emphasis on practical applications that can drive real-world change. A notable trend is her development and application of the Food Ladders framework across multiple contexts, examining how community-based food initiatives can address not just hunger but broader social issues like isolation, mental health, and community cohesion.
Dr. Blake actively collaborates with numerous organizations to translate her research into practice:
- Sheffield City Council, Doncaster Council, and Barnsley Council
- Greater Manchester Poverty Action and Sustainable Food Cities
- Food Power and FareShare UK (where she served as their first Academic in Residence)
- The Bread and Butter Thing, City Harvest London, and Community Shop
- She is a member of Feeding Britain's Academic Advisory Board
Dr. Blake has designed and taught a wide array of modules covering urban geography, social geography, cultural geography, economic geography, and food geographies, as well as research methods and professional skills. She serves as a personal tutor to undergraduate students and supervises dissertations at levels 2 and 3. Her public engagement includes frequent media appearances, writing for The Conversation and The Mint Magazine, and organizing community workshops and conferences.
Dr. Blake's work extends to practical applications through initiatives like the Food Ladders Toolkit launched in September 2024 and her film "More than just food," which illustrates how community-based food initiatives can transform places. She has developed strong partnerships with community organizations that implement her Food Ladders framework, such as The Bread and Butter Thing, and has been instrumental in shaping local food policy through her collaborations with multiple local authorities across England.
