Sean Irving

Sean Irving serves as an Associate Tutor in the Faculty of Science at the University of East Anglia while pursuing his PhD through the SeNSS DTP programme. He is embedded in the Norwich Business School and Science, Society & Sustainability (3S) Research Group, with additional affiliations at the Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research, Employment Systems and Institutions Research Group, and Environmental Social Sciences.

His academic credentials include:

• Master of Science in Ecological Economics from the University of Leeds (awarded July 4, 2022)
• Bachelor of Arts in Natural Sciences (Environmental Sciences specialization) from the University of Cambridge (awarded June 1, 2019)

Irving's research investigates radical systemic transformations toward low-consumption societies through alternative economies, using the Norwich Sharing City project as a case study. He examines how local sharing and commoning initiatives can drive socially just transitions to high-wellbeing systems with reduced material throughput, bridging ecological economics, sustainable consumption, and social justice frameworks.

His 2024 publications reveal a strong focus on climate adaptation within academic institutions, analyzing participatory approaches like people's assemblies and future visioning for university resilience. These works demonstrate interdisciplinary engagement with institutional transformation, community-led climate action, and sustainability policy development in higher education contexts.

As an active member of UEA's Environmental Social Sciences and the Tyndall Centre, Irving contributes to collaborative research on societal responses to climate change. His current PhD work (commenced February 2022) explores systemic shifts in economic structures through diverse economies, positioning him at the intersection of sustainability transitions and social innovation.