Chris Macdonald

Dr Chris Macdonald is a behavioral scientist and Fellow at Lucy Cavendish College, University of Cambridge, where he serves as Lab Director, Communications Director, and Sustainability Engagement Lead. He is also a Fellow at the Institute of Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability and a Public Engagement Fellow at Cambridge Zero.

His research focuses on the intersection of behavioral science, virtual reality technology, and sustainability initiatives. Macdonald has pioneered VR applications for public speaking anxiety treatment and developed innovative methods for visualizing emissions data through immersive technology. His work on sustainable food consumption interventions has received significant recognition.

Macdonald's research output shows strong trends in applying emerging technologies to solve real-world problems in mental health and environmental sustainability. His publications demonstrate expertise in creating accessible, evidence-based interventions that translate complex data into experiential learning.

• Cambridge University's Excellence Award (received for three consecutive years)
• National Innovation Award for VR emissions data project
• Digital Health Award for VR speech anxiety treatment
• 40 Under 40 Award in Science and Innovation category

Macdonald actively supervises research at the University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership and has created multiple free educational resources including Virtual Reality Public Speaking platform and a data science programming course. His Immersive Technology Lab develops award-winning applications that transform how students globally interact with sustainability concepts through climbing emissions data, swimming through water use metrics, and traversing land use metrics in virtual environments.