Dr Patrick Devine-Wright

I am a chartered environmental psychologist and member of the British Psychological Society, committed to working in interdisciplinary contexts on research with significance for policy makers and practitioners. I joined the University of Manchester in 2006, having previously held posts as Research Fellow and Senior Research Fellow at the Institute of Energy and Sustainable Development, De Montfort University. I have a degree in Psychology from Trinity College, Dublin; an MSc in Environmental Psychology (Surrey) and a PhD in Social Psychology (Surrey). I have provided consultancy expertise to a range of private, voluntary and public sector organisations, and lead an interdisciplinary consortium researching public responses to renewable energy technologies. I sat on the National Advisory Group steering the Community Renewables Initiatives between 2001 and 2006, have been a member of the International Science Panel on Renewable Energy since 2005, and in 2007 was invited to act as Lead Expert to the Office of Science and Technology’s Foresight Project on Sustainable Energy and the Built Environment.

My primary research interest is in how places are designed, experienced, used and altered, and the interactions between these are manifest in several strands of my work:

• understanding the symbolic, affective and sensory dimensions of how people experience and use places
• investigating how new design (e.g. renewable energy technologies) changes places and leads to different public responses, particularly ‘NIMBYism’ and aspects of public engagement
• understanding the motivation for pro-environmental and pro-social actions, particularly conceptions of citizenship applied to energy and environmental problems

• Foresight Sustainable Energy Management and the Built Environment.
• Beyond Nimbyism: Towards a multidisciplinary framework for understanding public engagement with renewable energy technologies.
• Supergen FlexNet.
• City Form: The Sustainable Urban Form Consortium.
• Harnessing Community Energies: Embedding Sustainable Energy Technologies at the local level.

Research news

Two of my research students have recently won prestigious awards.

Sarah Payne has won the 'Young Researcher Award' given by the board of the International Association of People-Environment Studies, Rome in July. Sarah also won the 'Best Paper Award' at the conference of the Acoustical Society of America Conference, Paris. Sarah's project is an analysis of the sonic environment of urban parks and its influence upon the psychological health of park users.

Edward Devey has been awarded a prestigious Environmental Psychology prize by Surrey University, the Johnathan Sime Award. Edward's project was entitled: An Analysis of Urban Splash’s Vision for Park Hill, and the Likelihood of its Success.

I deliver a module on aspects of place theory and research, drawing on literature across the social sciences, particularly environmental psychology. Core concepts include place attachment, place identity, topophilia, place disruption and NIMBYism.

I also lead a series of student workshops entitled ‘Urban Power’ on social and psychological aspects of decentralised energy systems as well as supervising undergraduate projects

PhD supervision

Miss Sarah Payne: Soundscapes within urban parks, Principal supervisor

Ms. Fionnghuala Sherry-Brennan: Social representations and acceptance of hydrogen energy, project funded under the EPSRC Supergen Future Network Technologies project, Principal supervisor. Passed September 2008.

Dr. Rob Wall: Psychological and contextual predictors of environmentally significant behaviour, Principal supervisor. Passed January 2006.

Dr. Sara Batley: Electricity, deregulation and renewable energy, co-supervisor. Passed April 2003

Dr. Helen Chadwick: Decision support tools for sustainable planning, co-supervisor. Passed December 2003

Refereed journal papers

Walker, G., Devine-Wright, P., Hunter, S., High, H. and Evans, B. (forthcoming) 'Trust and community: exploring the meanings, contexts and dynamics of community renewable energy'. Invited submission to special issue on Trust. Energy Policy.

Devine-Wright, H. and Devine-Wright, P. (forthcoming) Social representations of electricity network technologies: exploring processes of anchoring and objectification through the use of visual research methods. British Journal of Social Psychology.

Devine-Wright, P. and Devine-Wright, H. (forthcoming) Public engagement with community-based energy service provision: an exploratory case study. Energy and Environment, 19(7).

Irvine, K., Devine-Wright, P., Payne, S., Fuller, R., Krausse, B. and Gaston, K. (forthcoming) 'Green space, soundscape and urban sustainability: an interdisciplinary, empirical study'. Local Environment.

Wall, R., Devine-Wright, P. and Mill, G. A. (2008). Interactions between perceived behavioural control and personal normative-motives: qualitative and quantitative evidence from a study of commuting-mode choice. Journal of Mixed Methods Research, 2(1), 63-86. DOI: 10.1177/1558689807309967.

Walker, G. and Devine-Wright P. (2008) Community Renewable Energy: What does it mean? Energy Policy, 36, 497-500.

Fuller, R. A., Irvine, K. N., Devine-Wright, P., Warren, P. H. & Gaston, K. J. (2007) Psychological benefits of greenspace increase with biodiversity. Biology Letters (doi:10.1098/rsbl.2007.0149).

Walker, G., Hunter, S., Devine-Wright, P., Evans, B. and Hunter, S., Fay, H. (2007) Harnessing community energies: explaining and evaluating community-based localism in renewable energy policy in the UK. Global Environmental Politics, 7(2), 64-82.

Tleubayeva, M. and Devine-Wright, P. (2006) 'Developing an environmental psychology of sustainable energy: challenges and opportunities'. Zeitschrift Umweltpsychologie, 10(1), 178-191.

Devine-Wright, P. and Devine-Wright, H. (2006) 'Social representations of intermittency and the shaping of public support for wind energy in the UK'. International Journal of Global Energy Issues: Special issue on Intermittency, 25(3/4), 243-256.

Devine-Wright, P. (2005) 'Beyond NIMBYism: towards an integrated framework for understanding public perceptions of wind energy'. Wind Energy, 8(2), 125-139.

Devine-Wright, P. (2005) 'Local aspects of renewable energy development in the UK: public beliefs and policy implications'. Local Environment, 10(1), 57-69.

Devine-Wright, H. and Devine-Wright, P. (2004) 'From Demand Side Management to Demand Side Participation: towards an environmental psychology of sustainable electricity system evolution'. Journal of Applied Psychology, 6(3-4), 167-177.

Devine-Wright, P., Devine-Wright, H., & Fleming, PD. (2004) 'Situational influences upon children’s beliefs about global warming and energy'. Environmental Education Research, 10(4), 493-506.

Devine-Wright, P. (2004) 'Society, Energy and Sustainable Development'. Context: Built, Living and Natural¸ 1(1), 55-58.

Devine-Wright, P.; Fleming, P.D. & Chadwick, H. (2001) 'The Role of Regional Social Capital in advancing Sustainability'. Impact Assessment and Project Appraisal, 19(2), 161-167.

Devine-Wright, P. (2001) 'Identity, memory and the social status of groups in Northern Ireland: relating processes of social remembering with beliefs about the structure of society'. Irish Journal of Psychology, 22, 1-21.

Devine-Wright, P. (2001) 'History and Identity in Northern Ireland: An Exploratory Investigation of the Role of Historical Commemorations in contexts of Intergroup Conflict'. Peace and Conflict: Journal of Peace Psychology, 7, 297-316.

Devine-Wright, P. & Lyons, E. (1997) 'Remembering Pasts and Representing Places: The construction of National Identities in Ireland'. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 17, 33-45.

Book chapters

Devine-Wright, P. Reconsidering public acceptance of renewable energy technologies: a critical review. M. Grubb, T. Jamasb, and M. Pollitt (Eds) Delivering a Low Carbon Electricity System: Technologies, Economics and Policy. Cambridge University Press: Cambridge.

Irvine, K.N., Fuller, R.A., Devine-Wright, P., Payne, S., Tratalos, J., Warren, P., Lomas, K.J. and Gaston K.J. (forthcoming) Ecological and psychological value of urban green space. In J Jenks & C Jones (Eds.). Dimensions of the Sustainable City. Springer Science, Netherlands.

Bilton, M, C. Ramsay, M. Leach, H. Devine-Wright, P. Devine-Wright and D. Kirschen. (forthcoming) Domestic electricity consumption and demand side participation: opportunities and challenges for the UK power system in M. Grubb, T. Jamasb, and M. Pollitt (Eds) Delivering a LowCarbon Electricity System: Technologies, Economics and Policy. Cambridge University Press: Cambridge.

Sherry-Brennan, F., Devine-Wright, H and Devine-Wright, P. (2007) Social representations and risk perceptions of hydrogen in a UK community-owned wind hydrogen project. Invited book chapter for R. Flynn and P Bellaby (Eds.) Risk and the public acceptance of new technologies. Palgrave/Macmillan: Basingstoke, pp.154-174.

Devine-Wright, P. Reconsidering public acceptance of renewable energy technologies: a critical review. Invited contribution to Grubb, Jamasb and Pollitt (Eds.) Taking Climate Change Seriously: A low carbon future for the electricity sector. To be published by Cambridge University Press in 2007.

Devine-Wright, P. (2007) Energy citizenship: psychological aspects of evolution in sustainable energy technologies. In J. Murphy (Ed.) Framing The Present, Shaping The Future: Contemporary Governance Of Sustainable Technologies. London: Earthscan, pp. 63-86.

Devine-Wright, H and Devine-Wright, P (2006) Prospects for Smart Metering in the UK, in Jamash, T., Pollitt, M and Nuttall, W (Eds) Future Technologies for a Sustainable Electricity System. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Wall, R., Devine-Wright, P. and Mill, G.A., (2004) Psychological Predictors in Context: A Study of Travel Intentions Among University Staff and Students, in B Martens & A Keul (Eds), International Association of People-Environment Studies 18 – Post-conference Book, Göttingen: Hogrefe & Huber Publishers.

Devine-Wright, P. (2002) A Theoretical Overview of Memory and Conflict, in E. Cairns and M. D. Roe (Eds.) Memory and Conflict. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan, pp. 9-34.

Fleming, P.D.; Webber, P.; Chadwick, H. & Devine-Wright, P. (2001) Greenhouse gas inventory, in S. Shackley; J. Kersey; R. Wilby and P.D. Fleming (Eds.) Changing by Degrees: The potential impacts of climate change in the East Midlands. Ashgate Studies in Environmental Policy and Practice, pp. 185-219.

Professional reports

(2006) The Green Doctor Project: A Review. Leicester: Groundwork Leicester and Leicestershire. (Devine-Wright, P. and Devine-Wright H.).

Energy for Sustainable Development, De Montfort University, BDOR and Green Alliance (2005) Evaluating advice and support measures for community involvement in renewable energy in England. Report for Department of Trade and Industry, Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and the Countryside Agency.

Peak District Park Authority (2003) Supplementary Planning Guidance for Energy, Renewables and Conservation. Peak District National Park Authority: Bakewell, Derbyshire.

Devine-Wright, P. (2003) Social and psychological aspects of using Load Management on the Grid with Intermittent Power Generation. Report produced for the DTI/Econnect Ltd. Institute of Energy and Sustainable Development, De Montfort University: Leicester.

Fleming, P., Chadwick, H., Allman, L, and Devine-Wright, P. (2003) City of Leicester Climate Change Strategy. Leicester: Leicester Environment Partnership, Leicester Strategic Partnership.

National Energy Services and De Montfort University (2003) Selling the SAP: a research study into the display of energy ratings in private sector new homes. Milton Keynes: NES.

Devine-Wright, P., Fleming, P., Akehurst, P., Kersey, J. and Jamison, C. (2003) Key Success Factors in Carbon Emissions Reduction. Report produced for the Sustainable Development Commission. London: SDC.

Devine-Wright, P. (2002) Ashton Green Renewable Energy Community. IAPS Bulletin of People-Environment Studies, 21, Spring, 14-16.

Leicester City Council and De Montfort University (2002) Supplementary Planning Guidance on Energy Efficiency. Leicester: LCC.

Devine-Wright, P. (2002) Book review of: “A sociology of energy, buildings and the environment: constructing knowledge, designing practice”. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 22(4), 415-417.

Tomie, I., Gledhill, A., Fleming, P.D., Devine-Wright, P., Ajiboye, P., Ringer, K., Jones, K., Quigley, B., Corominas, J., and Perez, S. (2001) Ashton Green 100% Renewable Energy Community Project: Final Report to the European Commission. Altener Project number 4.1038/A/98 – 058.

Devine-Wright, P. (2000) Energy & Planning/Building Control Case study: Leicester’s Ashton Green’ development. The Local Authority Energy Advisory Service.

Research grant awards

EU Framework 7, ADDRESS (Active distribution networks with full integration of demand and distributed energy resources),
300k of 7 million Euros, 2008-2011, Co-investigator.

Bruntwood Institute for Sustainable Cities,
£650k of £940k, 2007-2010, Co-investigator.

EPSRC, 'FlexNet', renewal of Future Network Technologies project (see below),
£625k of £7m, 2007-2011,  Co-investigator.

ESRC, under Towards a Sustainable Energy Economy research programme: "Beyond Nimbyism: Towards a multidisciplinary framework for understanding public engagement with renewable energy technologies".
£135k of £500k, 2005-2009, Principle Investigator.

EPSRC, under Supergen programme: Future Network Technologies.
£255 of £3.5m, 2003-2007, Co-investigator

EPSRC, under Sustainable Urban Environment programme: "City Form".
£400k of £2m, 2003-2007, Co-investigator.

ESRC, under Sustainable Technologies Programme: Harnessing Community Energies: Embedding Sustainable Energy Technologies at the local level.
£80k of £135k, 2004-2006, Co-investigator.

EU 5th Framework: INTUSER: Public attitudes to Energy Resources project funded by EU Framework 5.
£28K, 2002-2004, Co-investigator

EPSRC, under Partnerships for Public Understanding programme: Activity Based Sustainable Energy Futures.
£36K, 2002-2004, Co-investigator

EPSRC responsive mode: Evaluation & Dissemination of Greenhouse Gas Emissions Modelling In UK Local Authorities.
£62K, 2002-2003, Co-investigator

EU LIFE Programme: Making News: Community Sustainable Development Indicators" project.
£26K, 2002-2003, Co-investigator

Prizes and awards

Awarded ESRC Scholarship to attend UK Research Methods Summer School, University of Essex (2003)

Awarded travel bursary by British Academy to attend Environmental Design Research Association conference in USA (2003)

Awarded Travel bursary by Human Dimension of Climate Change Scientific Committee to attend conference in Brazil (2001) Recent invited presentations

Recent invited presentations

Welsh National Assembly Sustainable Energy Group: 'Public engagement and community involvement: research findings and policy implications', Cardiff, 3rd October, 2006.

University of Magdeburg, Germany, Department of Psychology: ‘Understanding public responses to energy technologies’ (September 24th, 2007).

Scandinavian Environmental Psychology Annual Conference, Gavla Sweden, Invited keynote address ‘Beyond Nimbyism: drawing on place theory to understand public responses to renewable energy technologies’ (Nov 13th, 2007).

Membership of external committees (including peer review colleges)

Member of International Science Panel on Renewable Energy, since 2005.

Member of editorial board of the journal Local Environment (since 2004).

Member of the National Advisory Group steering the Countryside Agency’s Community Renewables Initiative (2001-2006).

Member of Regional Advisory Group of East Midlands CRI (2002-2005).

I have reviewed manuscripts for the following journals: Journal of Environmental Psychology; British Journal of Social Psychology; Journal of Applied Social Psychology; Zeitschrift Umweltpsychologie; Local Environment; Journal of Environment, Planning and Management; International Journal of Environment, Technology and Management; Public Understanding of Science; Wind Energy; Journal of Peace Research.

I have also acted as a peer reviewer for the following institutions: Economic and Social Research Council, Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, the Office for Science and Innovation and the US National Science Foundation.