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Personal statement

Dr Katherine Ellsworth-Krebs is a Chancellor’s Fellow in Sustainable Design at the University of Å·ÃÀ¸ßÇå. She brings over fifteen years of experience translating sustainability research into practical impact across higher education, government, and industry.

Her interdisciplinary work focuses on organisational change, sustainable lifestyles, and circular-economy transitions, with a particular interest in how to embed cultures of sustainability within teams and institutions. Katherine has partnered with SMEs, NGOs, and professional bodies such as the Institute of Sustainability and Environmental Professionals (ISEP), co-designing mentoring and training programmes that strengthen sustainability leadership across sectors.

Katherine is passionate about helping organisations bridge strategy and implementation, using qualitative and participatory research methods to identify leverage points for meaningful change. She has advised on initiatives ranging from low-carbon campus frameworks to reusable-packaging pilots with Starbucks, and her insights on behaviour change and decarbonisation have been featured by CNN, Forbes, and Fast Company.

Her research appears in leading journals including Nature Energy and continues to inform international sustainability policy and practice — from community-led transition design to inclusive professional development for sustainability practitioners.

Expertise

• Organisational culture change for sustainability

• Qualitative research, stakeholder engagement, and thematic analysis

• Sustainability auditing and performance frameworks

• Circular economy and sustainable design innovation

• Programme design for sustainability professional development

Current Projects & Collaborations

• Collaborating with SMEs and NGOs to co-design sustainability training and reporting frameworks

• Researching organisational enablers of circular-economy practices in design and procurement

Selected Impact & Highlights

• Co-founded Transition University of St Andrews, securing over £1 million in funding and developing community net-zero initiatives

• Published in Nature Energy — findings cited by the UN and EU sustainability frameworks

• Featured by CNN, Forbes, and Fast Company for leadership in sustainability transitions

• Delivered award-nominated sustainability teaching and mentoring programmes across higher education