1. Faculty of Environment
  2. School of Earth and Environment
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Dr. Thirze Hermans

Dr. Thirze Hermans

  • Position: Research Fellow
  • Areas of expertise: Sustainable Agriculture, Food Systems, Social-Ecological Systems, Innovation, STS, Interdisciplinary methods, processes & approaches, Physical Geography (Soil & GIS/RS)
  • Email: T.D.Hermans@leeds.ac.uk
  • Website: Twitter | LinkedIn | Researchgate | ORCID

Profile

My PhD research focused on the Conservation Agriculture scaling process, as an example of the process of agricultural innovation for development, and associated small holder farmer decision-making. This contributed to gaining an understanding of the processes of change, knowledge interactions, and learning processes between research and communities. I used interdisciplinary research approaches drawing on social and natural science methods, which offered insight into the complex nature of innovation, helped to expose the roles played by different knowledges and actors within them, and also offered an opportunity to reflect on the benefits and challenges of knowledge integration within the agricultural innovation ‘interaction space’. During my PhD I have also contributed to the 3rd UK Climate Change Risk Assessment Technical Report (https://www.ukclimaterisk.org/independent-assessment-ccra3/technical-report/).

Currently, I work on various projects including the Red Cross 510 Data Team Innovative Approaches to Response Preparedness (IARP) project on Early Warning and Early Action systems, and work following up from my PhD on agricultural innovation. 

<h4>Research projects</h4> <p>Some research projects I'm currently working on, or have worked on, will be listed below. Our list of all <a href="https://environment.leeds.ac.uk/dir/research-projects">research projects</a> allows you to view and search the full list of projects in the faculty.</p>

Qualifications

  • BSc Liberal Arts & Sciences, Major Environmental/Earth Science, Amsterdam University College
  • MSc Physical Geography and Ecosystem Analysis, Lund University
  • PhD University of Leeds

Professional memberships

  • Royal Geographical Society
  • British Ecological Society

Student education

  • SOEE2570 Research methods social environmental science – Teaching and statistics module development

Previously:

  • SOEE 5010 Research methods – statistics & interviews
  • GEOG1045 Living Planet – soil lab
  • MO262 Personal development program for sustainability
  • SOEE2371 People, sustainability and environment

Research groups and institutes

  • Sustainability Research Institute