3S is pleased to welcome its first international visiting PhD student Charlotte Jensen. Charlotte is from Aalborg University Copenhagen in Denmark, and her PhD is part of a research alliance called Enabling and Governing Transitions towards a Low Carbon Society. Specifically, she researches social practices in energy related transitions, with focus on changes in domestic electrical lighting.

Charlotte has been inspired by some core 3S work developed by Tom Hargreaves, Noel Longhurst and Gill Seyfang on exploring intersections between Transition Research frameworks such as the Multi Level Perspective (MLP) and Social Practice Theory, and Charlotte draws on this work in her PhD.

After having met Tom and Gill at The International Sustainability Transitions Conference in Lund in 2011, Charlotte contacted Tom and Gill in order to explore the possibilities for coming to UEA for her external stay as part of the PhD, so that she could explore their framework more closely. 

She is visiting from January 2013 through March 2013. While she has been here, she has been writing up papers as well as doing analysis, exploring intersections between systems and practices in relation to one of her case studies about the historic and current development of (domestic) light, drawing on Tom, Noel and Gill’s framework. In addition to presenting her work in the ENV Social Science Seminar Series and discussing her work with 3S members, she has also made links with other 3S colleagues, and is engaged in the Social Practice Theory discussion group with Tom, Chris Foulds, Rachel Macrorie and Richard Hauxwell-Baldwin.

Charlotte reports that she has really enjoyed her visit, and says “I have been very happy to be at UEA, and I have felt welcome from day one, due to the amazing people in 3S and UEA in general”, and she describes the hospitality of the people she has met on her way. Her stay has been filled with great professional as well as personal experiences, which has also included plenty of pub quizzes, dinners with friends, birthday celebrations as well as a roller disco party.

While being in the UK she has built her academic networks beyond UEA, and has presented her work at Lancaster University (visiting Elizabeth Shove and Gordon Walker), as well as Sussex University (visiting Adrian Smith). As well as expanding her professional network, she also aims to strengthen collaborative links for potential future research.

Charlotte will be publishing a paper in the 3S working paper series, and hopes to continue the good working relationships and friendships she’s created. “I would love to visit UEA again in the future” she says, and we’re certain that with the strong connections forged during her visit, it won’t be long till we see Charlotte again.

Contact details:
Charlotte Louise Jensen
Aalborg University Copenhagen
Department of Development and Planning
A.C. Meyersvænge 15, A2
2450 Copenhagen SV
cjensen@plan.aau.dk
+4526815010