Dr Emma Wainwright
Reader
Summary
Emma is a Reader and a Geographer with expertise in the geographies of education, training and welfare. She is co-lead of the Human Geography: Space, Place and Society research group (with Nicola Ansell and Monica Degen). She is also a member of the Centre for Health and Wellbeing Across the Lifecourse, and Education, Identities and Society, and Embodiment in Academic and Professional Practice research groups. Emma studied Geography at the University of Aberdeen and, after completing her PGCE (Secondary) at the University of Edinburgh and a brief period of secondary teaching, was awarded a scholarship by the University of St Andrews to undertake her PhD in Social and Historical Geography. Prior to working at Brunel, Emma was a Research Executive in the Social Research Institute at MORI (now Ipsos MORI).
Emma's interdisciplinary research interests focus on education, training and welfare-to-work. In particular her works explores higher education and student experience; social housing and resident engagement; family, parenting and care; embodiment, body work and emotional labour. Emma's work engages low-income, marginalised and 'hard to reach' groups.
Research has been funded through external grants awarded by the ESRC, the British Academy, the City of London Corporation, Barclays, the Froebel Trust, the Learning and Skills Council, and the Money Advice Service. Emma has successfully collaborated with various social housing providers across London and the South East including A2Dominion, Catalyst and East Thames (now L&Q) to deliver research and evaluation projects. The impact of this research was captured in a REF 21 case study.
For six years, Emma was editor of the British Educational Research Journal (Jan 2018- Dec 2023). She has recently been external examiner at the University of Hertfordshire (BSc Geography), University of Newcastle (BSc Geography) and Cardiff University (MSc Education and MSc Childhood and Youth), and acts as a regular reviewer for various academic journals. In 2006 Emma was awarded the Newbigin Prize by the Royal Scottish Geographical Society for her paper published in the Scottish Geographical Journal. Recent work has been published in Area, Educational Review, Education 3-13 and Population, Space and Place.
Emma has worked at Brunel for 20 years, nine years as part time. She currently works 4-days a week (Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday).
Qualifications
PhD, Geography, University of St Andrews
PGC in Higher Education, Brunel University London
PGC in Secondary Education (Geography and Modern Studies), Moray House, University of Edinburgh
MA (Hons) Geography (1st Class), University of Aberdeen
Awards and Prizes
BERA Conference Award for Best Paper in the Educational Policy and Educational Research SIG, 2023
BERA Conference Commendation for Best Paper in the Alternative Education SIG, 2021
Brunel Teach Award for Innovative Assessment, 2018
University's Student-Led Teaching Award for Outstanding Feedback, 2017
Royal Scottish Geographical Society, Newbigin Prize, 2006
Responsibility
Internal:
Co-lead Human Geography: Space, Place and Society research group
ESRC Grand Union Doctoral Training Programme lead for Education
Senior Tutor (2017-2021)
Programme Co-Lead BA Education (2019-2021)
Chair of EC panel and SEC meetings (2017-2021)
Member of Department Management Board (2017-2021)
Member of University's British Academy review panel
Director of Centre for Human Geography (until 2015)
Research Lead, Division of Social Work (2014-16)
External:
ESRC Peer Review College member (2010-ongoing)
Co-Editor: British Educational Research Journal (2018-2023)
External Examiner, MSc Education, Policy and Society and MSc Childhood and Youth, Cardiff University (2018- 2022)
External Examiner, BA/BSc Geography, University of Hertfordshire (2018-2022)
External Examiner, BA Geography, Newcastle University (2014-2018)
Newest selected publications
Biesta, G., Wainwright, E. and Aldridge, D. (2023) 'The future of educational research: Observations from the outgoing editors of the British Educational Research Journal'. British Educational Research Journal, 49 (6). pp. 1133 - 1141. ISSN: 0141-1926 Open Access Link
Wainwright, E. and Hoskins, K. (2023) 'Spatial-temporal enactments of home-schooling among low-income families of primary-aged children'. Educational Review, 0 (ahead of pront). pp. 1 - 19. ISSN: 0013-1911 Open Access Link
Wainwright, E., Barker, J., Chappell, A. and McHugh, E. (2023) '‘On the high street’ tuition for primary-aged children in London: Critiquing discourses of accessibility, attainment and assistance.'. Education 3-13: the professional journal for primary education, 0 (ahead of print). pp. 1 - 13. ISSN: 0300-4279 Open Access Link
Hoskins, K. and Wainwright, E. (2023) '‘I am not a teacher!’ The challenges of enacting home schooling during the Covid-19 pandemic among low-income families of primary-aged children'. Education 3-13: the professional journal for primary education, 0 (ahead of print). pp. 1 - 15. ISSN: 0300-4279 Open Access Link
Wainwright, E., Aldridge, D. and Biesta, G. (2023) 'Navigating the complex space of journal editing: Exploring the tensions between the intellectual and commercial dimensions of academic publishing'. British Educational Research Journal, 49 (1). pp. 1 - 4. ISSN: 0141-1926 Open Access Link