PhD
My work investigates change in contemporary UK civil society, the state, and individuals. My focus is on how sustainability and mobility aims are being implemented by local & devolved government, contested through industrial relations, and shaped by civil society. These specifics are part of a wider wave of cultural and political changes; Brexit, the potential break up of Britain, volatile party politics, and declarations of Climate Emergency.
My work is engaged with society; crossing between industry and academia, addressing new audiences and teaching students from diverse backgrounds. I have worked on large and small research projects from across UKRI, along with research or public engagement consultancy from a range of NGO, Think Tank, Political, and Government funders (see ORCID and Google Scholar). I have been a cycle campaigner, a community organiser, and was the founding Chair of the Universities and Colleges Union ‘Climate and Ecological Emergency Committee’, coordinating the response to climate change by trade unions in Further and Higher Education.
Adept at communication beyond academia, I have written articles for ‘The Ecologist’ and ‘The Geographer’, been the Academic Media Consultant to BBC productions, and regularly been asked for comment on Talk Radio (LBC, BBC). I have submitted invited evidence to the Scottish Parliament and had submissions cited by the Greater London Assembly. My research and knowledge exchange has been featured in The Times and The Independent, a range of Scottish press, and trade magazines including Holyrood and Labour Research. I have been an invited speaker at the Trade Union Congress fringe, the Institute for Employment Rights, and the Local Government Chronicle ‘Net Zero conference’. I am also a founding Trustee of the Edinburgh Communities Climate Action Network, a charity dedicated to amplifying civil society’s ability to prevent and adapt to climate change, where I have lead on governance and learning.
You can find me on Twitter under @peterrhwood or on Mastodon @peterrhwood@mastodon.green Mastodon
In teaching at The Open University I have focused on final year Sociology (DD308) and final year Environmental Studies, Science & Management (SDT306) ‘independent study’ modules (training for dissertations). I also taught introductory Combined Social Sciences (DD102), and Criminology (DD105). Together this led me to teach students across England, Scotland and Ireland, including in secure environments, such as prison and probation. I have received three teaching awards, been nominated for three more, and published on teaching improvement.
Previously lead academic for informal learning projects on geography and environmental studies, on Brexit, Trade Union Learning, and on short courses from multiple arts and social science disciplines. Associate Lecturer representative on curriculum policy and management forums. Authored audio-visual module material for STEM Students in Secure Environments, and research methods for sociology & criminology.
You can find me on Twitter under @peterrhwood or on Mastodon @peterrhwood@mastodon.green Mastodon
For a full list of publications see
Inhabiting infrastructure: exploring the interactional spaces of urban cycling (2015-03-23)
Latham, Alan and Wood, Peter R. H.
Environment and Planning A, 47(2) (pp. 300-319)
Inclusive Frameworks in Online STEM Teaching and Learning (2023-08-18)
Veuger, Stephany Jane; Butler, Diane; Wood, Peter and Potter, Andrew
In: Keengwe, Jared ed. Handbook of Research on Innovative Frameworks and Inclusive Models for Online Learning (pp. 28-51)
ISBN : 9781668490723 | Publisher : IGI Global
What does an inclusive STEM curriculum look like in an online learning context? (2023-11)
Butler, Diane; Potter, Andrew and Wood, Peter R H
In : ISSOTL23: Context Matters (8-11 Nov 2023, Utrecht, The Netherlands)
Creating City Cyclists: Understanding Why People Start, and Sometimes Stop, Cycling in South London (2015)
Wood, Peter Robert Haddon
PhD thesis The Open University