Contact Dr Theresa Mercer
- Email: Theresa.Mercer@cranfield.ac.uk
- Twitter: @TheresaGMercer
- ORCID
- Google Scholar
- ResearchGate
Areas of expertise
- Environment and Health
- Environmental Impacts
- Natural Capital
- Soil Resources
- Sustainable Land Systems
- Waste Management and Resource Efficiency
Background
Dr Mercer is trained as an inter-disciplinary environmental scientist. Her research interests lie in environmental systems change following perturbations such as landuse change and management interventions. She uses collaborative education approaches for optimising environmental system goal setting and in promoting pro-environmental behaviours for environmental sustainability. Areas of teaching and disciplinary-based educational research focus on education for sustainable development (ESD), environmental management and digital tools for future-proofing environmental teaching and learning.
Theresa joined the Cranfield Environment Centre in May 2023 as a Senior Lecturer in Environmental Sustainability and Environment Programme Director following academic postings at the University of Lincoln, Cardiff University, Cranfield University, Keele University, the University of Queensland (Australia) and the University of Hull. She obtained her PhD in physical geography from the University of Hull (UK Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council funded) with a PGDip in Research Skills following a degree in environmental science from the University of East Anglia and MSc in environmental management from Sunderland University.
She is currently a Visiting Academic for the University of Lincoln, a Member of the Institution of Environmental Sciences and an Affiliate Member of the Institute of Environmental Management and Assessment. She holds a Senior Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy.
Research opportunities
Examples of current and recent research supervision
PhD:
Community Education and Its Impact on Environmental Stewardship in Tuvalu (Commonwealth Funded studentship) (Soseala Tinalu, completed, external supervisor)
Masters by Research:
The efficacy of using gamification for educating HE students on sustainability and climate change (Jessica Thomas, completed, external supervisor)
An investigation into R. ponticum impacts on woodland soil health and recommendations for management and removal techniques (Michaela Loria, completed, first supervisor)
Current activities
Current and Recent Research Activities include:
ESRC REGENYSYS (Project Co-lead):
Project website: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/circularity-hub/regenysys
The REGENYSYS project aims to build the capacity for a circular bioeconomy in the Thames Estuary. The circular bioeconomy restores local ecosystems to benefit local food production, wildlife, flood management, soil quality, aid in carbon sequestration and provide recreational opportunities for local people. It also harvests organic waste to produce feedstock, pharmaceuticals, construction materials and produce bioenergy. These activities offer new economic opportunities for residents living near the Estuary.
The team will create a living lab in the Thames Estuary to explore the potential for creating a circular bioeconomy of wellbeing. It will engage with local stakeholders and seek to develop experimental projects with them to benefit the local community. The team will also develop an educational programme for young people living near the estuary, so they too can be part of his transformation process. The team will monitor the ecological and social impact of these efforts and further explore their potential to transform the Thames Estuary.
Publications
Articles In Journals
- Rust W, Sotkewicz M, Li Z, Mercer T & Johnston AS. (2024). Soil–Plant–Pollinator Relationships in Urban Grass and Meadow Habitats: Competing Benefits and Demands of Tall Flowering Plants on Soil and Pollinator Diversity. Diversity, 16(6)
- Mercer TG, Kythreotis AP, Harwood J, Robinson ZP, George SM, .... (2023). The benefits of virtual fieldtrips for future-proofing geography teaching and learning. Journal of Geography in Higher Education, 47(2)
- Eze S, Magilton M, Magnone D, Varga S, Gould I, .... (2023). Meta-analysis of global soil data identifies robust indicators for short-term changes in soil organic carbon stock following land use change. Science of The Total Environment, 860
- Kythreotis AP, Jonas AEG, Mercer TG & Marsden TK. (2023). Rethinking urban adaptation as a scalar geopolitics of climate governance: climate policy in the devolved territories of the UK. Territory, Politics, Governance, 11(1)
- Mercer T. (2023). The support I needed. Science, 382(6675)
- Moore HE, Mercer TG, de Alwis Pitts D, Beagley S, Naura M, .... (2021). Assessing the progress of river restoration in the
UK : Has biophysical condition improved over two decades of intervention?. River Research and Applications, 37(10) - Kythreotis AP, Howarth C, Mercer TG, Awcock H & Jonas AEG. (2021). Re-evaluating the changing geographies of climate activism and the state in the post-climate emergency era in the build-up to COP26. Journal of the British Academy, 9s5
- Norton BA, Bending GD, Clark R, Corstanje R, Dunnett N, .... (2019). Urban meadows as an alternative to short mown grassland: effects of composition and height on biodiversity. Ecological Applications, 29(6)
- Kythreotis AP, Mantyka-Pringle C, Mercer TG, Whitmarsh LE, Corner A, .... (2019). Citizen Social Science for More Integrative and Effective Climate Action: A Science-Policy Perspective. Frontiers in Environmental Science, 7(FEB)
- Corstanje R, Mercer TG, Rickson JR, Deeks LK, Newell-Price P, .... (2017). Physical soil quality indicators for monitoring British soils. Solid Earth, 8(5)
- Mercer TG, Kythreotis AP, Robinson ZP, Stolte T, George SM, .... (2017). The use of educational game design and play in higher education to influence sustainable behaviour. International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education, 18(3)
- Mercer T. (2017). By students, for students. Nature, 541(7635)
- Mercer TG & Greenway GM. (2014). Diffusive gradient in thin films (DGT) for profiling leaching of CCA-treated wood waste mulch into the soil environment. International Journal of Environmental Analytical Chemistry, 94(2)
- Mercer EV, Mercer TG & Sayok AK. (2014). Effects of forest conversions to oil palm plantations on freshwater macroinvertebrates: a case study from Sarawak, Malaysia. Journal of Land Use Science, 9(3)
- Mercer TG & Frostick LE. (2014). Evaluating the potential for environmental pollution from chromated copper arsenate (CCA)-treated wood waste: A new mass balance approach. Journal of Hazardous Materials, 276
- Kythreotis AP, Mercer TG & Frostick LE. (2013). Adapting to Extreme Events Related to Natural Variability and Climate Change: The Imperative of Coupling Technology with Strong Regulation and Governance. Environmental Science & Technology, 47(17)
- Mercer TG & Frostick LE. (2012). Leaching characteristics of CCA-treated wood waste: A UK study. Science of The Total Environment, 427-428
- Mercer TG, Lillie MC & Smith RJ. (2012). Changes in the Physico-Chemical and Microbial Nature of Wetlands from the Leaching of Chromated Copper Arsenate (CCA)-Treated Wood. Conservation and Management of Archaeological Sites, 14(1-4)
- Mercer TG, Frostick LE & Walmsley AD. (2011). Recovering incomplete data using Statistical Multiple Imputations (SMI): A case study in environmental chemistry. Talanta, 85(5)
- Mercer T, Kythreotis A, Lambert C & Hughes G. (2011). Student‐led research training within the PhD: “PhD experience” conferences. International Journal for Researcher Development, 2(2)
- Tinilau SS, Hemstock SL, Mercer TG, Hannaford M & Kythreotis AP. Environmental Stewardship Education in Tuvalu, Part 1: The Role of Policy Alignment. Sustainability, 17(3)
Books
- Wang Z, Lourdes KT, Hamel P, Mercer TG & Lechner AM. (2023). Tools for mapping and quantifying ecosystem services supply In Engineering and Ecosystems: Seeking Synergies Toward a Nature-Positive World.
- Mercer TG, Kythreotis AP, Kelly H, Robinson ZP, George SM, .... (2022). Future-Proofing Geography Teaching and Learning Using Remote Learning and Co-Creation Approaches In Vega AGDL(ed.), Advances in Educational Technologies and Instructional Design. IGI Global.
- Mercer TG & Kythreotis AP. (2020). Science, Faith and the Climate Crisis In Myers S, Hemstock S & Hanna E (eds), Science, Faith and the Climate Crisis. Emerald Publishing Limited.
- Kythreotis AP & Mercer TG. (2020). Collaborative Education as a ‘New (Urban) Civil Politics of Climate Change’ In Climate Urbanism. Springer International Publishing.
- Frostick LE, McLelland SJ, Mercer TG, Kirkegaard J, Wolters G, .... Frostick LE, McLelland SJ & Mercer TG (eds). (2011). Users Guide to Physical Modelling and Experimentation
- Frostick LE, McLelland SJ, Mercer TG, Kirkegaard J, Wolters G, .... Frostick LE, McLelland SJ & Mercer TG (eds). (2011). Users Guide to Physical Modelling and Experimentation
- Frostick L, McLelland S & Mercer T. (2011). Chapter 1: Introduction In Users Guide to Physical Modelling and Experimentation Experience of the HYDRALAB Network. CRC Press.
- Frostick L, McLelland S & Mercer T. (2011). Chapter 5: Ecological Experiments In Users Guide to Physical Modelling and Experimentation Experience of the HYDRALAB Network. CRC Press.