Melanie Rohse

Melanie Rohse is an Associate Professor of Sustainable Communities at the Global Sustainability Institute (GSI) within Anglia Ruskin University’s Faculty of Science and Engineering. Her research focuses on everyday experiences and perceptions of environmental change, particularly in the energy and water sectors, with an emphasis on personal/collective narratives of resilience and interdisciplinary approaches.

• PhD in Peace Studies (University of Bradford, 2014)
• Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the University of Birmingham (School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences)

Melanie’s work explores the intersection of emotional geography and energy transitions, using narrative analysis to bridge public engagement and policymaking. She investigates topics such as:

• Energy consumption and user engagement with low-carbon technologies
• Water extremes (droughts/floods) and community resilience
• Interdisciplinary collaboration mechanisms and challenges
• Storytelling methods for sustainability communication

Her research spans projects in the UK, Kenya, South Africa, and the Limpopo River Basin, combining qualitative methods (oral histories, digital storytelling) with hydrological modeling. Recent publications address geothermal energy engagement, emotional lenses in energy transitions, and drought-flood dynamics.

Scientific Awards:

• Fellow, Royal Geographical Society with IBG

Current Students:

• Heidi Mendoza (2021-): Drought-to-Flood Risk Futures
• Ruben Weesie (2021-): Erratic Waters in Kenya
• Maxine Van Bommel (2020-): Ecological Grief and Identity Change
• Tom Hambley (2019-): User Engagement with Renewable Energy
• Rebecca Fisher (2018-): Sustainability Education at the Eden Project

Grants & Projects: Melanie serves as PI for the UKUH-funded ‘Underground Energy On-the-Ground’ project, co-investigator for NERC’s BARIN initiative, and work package co-lead in the Horizon 2020 SHARED GREEN DEAL. Her roles in EPSRC’s EnergyREV and UKERC’s Energy-PIECES highlight her expertise in user engagement and interdisciplinary policy research.

Labs & Teams: Active in the GSI’s Energy Geographies Research Group, collaborating with institutions in the UK, Zimbabwe, and Kenya. She co-organizes initiatives like the Energy Pioneers Catalyst Debate under Green Alliance’s ‘She is Sustainable’ program.