Simon Kennedy Beames

Simon Kennedy Beames is a Professor of Friluftsliv at the Norwegian School of Sport Sciences' Department of Teacher Education and Outdoor Studies. He joined NIH in 2019 after 14 years at the University of Edinburgh where he created and developed the Outdoor Journeys programme, a pupil-driven approach to facilitating local, cross-curricular outdoor learning. With a background as an outdoor instructor working with young people in Canada, the US, and Southeast Asia for 10 years before entering academia in 2001, Beames brings extensive practical experience to his academic work.

His educational background includes a Bachelor of Physical Education from McMaster University, a Master of Science in Experiential Education from Minnesota State University, and a PhD on Overseas Youth Expeditions from the University of Chichester. Beames has published seven influential books including Understanding educational expeditions, Learning outside the classroom, and the Routledge handbook of mobile technology and social media.

Beames' research focuses on the intersection of adventure, technology, and outdoor education, with particular interest in adventure and social media, technology and friluftsliv, equality and diversity in outdoor spaces, learning outside the classroom, social theory, sustainable adventuring, and mental health benefits of outdoor activities. His recent publications reveal a growing emphasis on digital technology's role in outdoor education and the challenges of sustainability in adventure tourism.

He serves on the editorial boards of the Journal of Experiential Education and the Journal of Outdoor Environmental Education, and has supervised numerous PhD students including Jerry Tracey, Clare Nugent, John Pierce, and Jack Reed. Beames continues to bridge theory and practice through initiatives like the Outdoor Journeys app (2020-23) and NIH's Outdoor Studies Forum, demonstrating his commitment to practical applications of outdoor education research.