Clair Cooper is a passionate and innovative creative thinker and social scientist currently working on the Research England Hydrogen Innovation project (www.rehip.co.uk) where she investigates how society perceive industrial use of hydrogen and the implications for catalysing a just transitions to a hydrogen economy. This work builds on her post doctoral role with ERC NovelEco project (www.NovelEco.eu) at Trinity College Dublin where she used co-design, photo-walk and backcasting methods to co-produce research questions to aid the development of a citizen science tool. This involves confidently presenting complex information and facilitating workshop discussions with a broad range of audiences by adapting my tone of voice to suit different stakeholder needs including climate action, friends of groups, but also those that are marginalised including young and disabled people.  In addition, Clair also leads on lead on the design of a global survey to investigate how societal world views and social practices influence pro-environmental behaviour.

Clair also works independently as a consultant assisting third sector organisations with the evaluation of the social impacts of nature-based solutions. This work adopts a mixed method approach to evaluate the impact that nature-based solutions have on employability, health and well-being and connectedness to nature. Recent projects include Social Impact of the Revitalising Our Estuaries and  the role that nature-based solutions can play disrupting social to influence mental well-being.

Clair takes a collaborative approach  to research design with different stakeholders to ensure that primary data collection are fit for purpose by co-designing survey, interview and focus group questions and has excellent analytical skills with a wealth of experience of analysing qualitative and quantitative data. For example, for my PhD research I combined geometric data analysis techniques, spatial analysis and text mining to illustrate how nature-based solutions can influence quality of life. Clair also has the ability to secure grant funding and was awarded an ESRC ABC Grant during Covid-19 to assist Greening Wingrove CIC evaluate the impact of an informal household gardening programme on mental health. Following this study, Clair was also commissioned by Greening Wingrove to evaluate the impact of a community-based monitoring project called the Wild West End on nature-connectedness, social cohesion and health and well-being.

Prior to studying for her PhD, Clair was a Demand Planning Project Manager with Northumbrian Water where she was responsible for the design and implementation of water efficiency projects including commissioning studies or contracts with external stakeholders to ensure delivery of regulatory targets. Clair also has considerable experience of writing and developing guidance and strategies such as the development of the Environment Agency’s water resource planning guideline.