I am a Lecturer in Heritage and MSc Heritage Programme Director in the History, Heritage and Politics Division at the University of Stirling. Most of my anthropological work within the field of museum and heritage studies has looked at museological transformation expressed theoretically and practically. My PhD research (University of Manchester) looked at change in the ‘aftermath’ of a large-scale redevelopment at a Scottish museum to increase social access and inclusion. Earlier research investigated museum-community relationships in New Zealand. Through post-doctoral work at Loughborough University on applied, interdisciplinary projects I moved out of the museum to consolidate my expertise in organisational anthropology and sensory, visual, and short-term ethnographic methods. From 2015-2019, I worked on the Profusion theme of the AHRC-funded Heritage Futures project leading to the co-authored Heritage Futures: Comparative Approaches to Natural and Cultural Heritage Practices book (UCL Press, 2020). In collaboration with theme director Sharon Macdonald, I looked at what – when faced with many possible things – museums and homes decide to keep for the future. In our publications we explore a range of topics including contemporary collecting, significance assessment, value, storage, and disposal. Not only do I study museums but I previously worked in the sector as a Curator of Pictorial Collections at Puke Ariki (New Zealand).

For an up-to-date list of my publications (which feature in peer-reviewed sources like Museum and Society, International Journal of Heritage Studies, and Journal of Material Culture) please visit my University of Stirling profile. You will also find additional details about my current research and teaching.