Donna Heddle

Donna Heddle is a Professor and Institute Director at the Institute for Northern Studies, University of the Highlands and Islands in Orkney. She specializes in Scottish and Northern Isles studies, small island studies, and Scottish cultural history. Her work explores interdisciplinary themes such as Norse influence, Scottish dialects, and locative research rooted in community engagement. She leads international projects on cultural tourism and Nordic-Scottish synergies.

Prof Heddle has supervised PhDs on topics including Scottish war poetry, Shetland boat history, and renewable energy perceptions in small communities. She has received awards for teaching and innovative use of distance learning. Her research integrates historical, literary, and linguistic approaches, with a focus on Northern Europe's cultural and historical connections.

Key projects include Archipelagoes of Adventure exploring Pacific island tourism and Scots-Nordic balladic synergies. She actively participates in academic conferences and public lectures, emphasizing Northern Studies' relevance to contemporary issues.