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)