Dr Susan Lee

Profile

I am a Research Fellow within the Consumer Data Research Centre employed by Leeds University Business School at the University of Leeds. I work within the Ethical and Sustainable Consumption core theme and support current projects on healthy and sustainable diets. CDRC have major projects such as with the Institute of Grocery Distribution (IGD) along with 20 food retailers and manufacturers. My research focus is on assessing consumer behaviours through research relating to eco-labelling and the impact of diet on sustainability, greenhouse gas emissions, land and water use as well as biodiversity. My work includes data analysis as well as outreach activities. I am a Fellow of the Royal Meteorological Society.

I spent five years at the UK Meteorological Office initially as an Agricultural Meteorologist and then as a Consultant and Weather Forecaster, before studying for a PhD on Vegetation Modelling and Climate change at the University of Sheffield. I also worked as a database consultant at a large market research company before returning to Academia. Since then, Susan has worked in several postdoctoral positions across a variety of University Departments including Architecture, Engineering and Environmental Science at the Universities of Birmingham, Leeds, Sheffield, and Manchester. Her work has included resource flow analysis (energy, water, food, materials, and waste) of several cities (Birmingham, Southampton, and Lancaster) (urban metabolism), whole energy system modelling, urban heat island monitoring and thermal modelling of buildings (Manchester and Sheffield), wind farm fieldwork and meteorological modelling (Leeds). More recently, and prior to my current post, I initially worked for the N8Agrifood programme, undertaking knowledge exchange across the three themes of sustainable food systems, resilient supply chains, and improved consumption and health, at the University of Manchester. I then transferred to Tyndall Manchester where I was employed by the Centre for Climate Change and Social Transformations (CAST) and analysed food and dietary changes using data from an Integrated Assessment Model (IAM).

Research interests

I have a background in Environmental Science with research interests encompassing dietary change, sustainable food systems, urban metabolism and the natural environment. I work across the physical and natural sciences with data scientists, nutritionists, environmental and social scientists, as well as the business community, to address current world issues relating to food and diet.

Qualifications

• BSc (Hons) Geography, University of Sheffield
• MSc Agricultural Meteorology, University of Reading
• PhD Global Vegetation Modelling and Climate Change, University of Sheffield

Research groups and institutes

• Centre for Decision Research