Laura Pottinger

Laura Pottinger is a Dr. Simon Early Career Research Fellow in the Department of Geography at the University of Manchester. Her work focuses on cultural geography, environmental and social activism, and participatory methodologies. Current projects include Making Slow Colour, exploring natural textile dyeing’s relationship to environmental care, and Methods for Change, showcasing social science methodologies for societal impact. She holds a PhD in Human Geography (2015) from the University of Manchester, where her thesis examined seed-saving practices in the UK.

Her research interests include slow making practices, youth politics, sharing economies, and the intersection of austerity policies with gender/racial inequalities. Notable awards include the 2024 Best Outstanding Contribution to the Research Staff Environment (Faculty of Humanities) and the Simon Research Fellowship (2021). Her work contributes to UN SDGs related to sustainable consumption, climate action, and reduced inequalities.

Collaborations include projects with RECLAIM (youth devolution politics), Cracking Good Food (social cooking), and the Women's Budget Group (austerity impacts on BAME women). She actively engages in interdisciplinary initiatives, co-editing works on innovative methodologies and organizing events like the LITMUS cotton heritage project.