Rebecca Laycock Pedersen

Interests

• Food systems
• Sustainability education
• Action-oriented, participatory, and arts-based methods
• Prefigurative politics
• Grassroots activism

Research

Through my research, I strive to understand how educational and food systems can be made more sustainable, and view learning and education, as well as participatory, action-oriented, and arts-based methods as means to increase the sustainability of education and food systems.

My current research project is Prefiguring sustainable food enterprise for sustainability education and explores how sustainable food entrepreneurs and change agents attempt to 'be the change they want to see' through their enterprises. Learn more about this project here and here.

Previously, I have assessed the impact of urban agriculture projects in Malmö, Sweden (see here) and conducted research to build common ground for sustainable food systems amongst nutrition and dietetic professionals (see here). My PhD research explored how to manage the impact of students' transience on student-led food gardens in universities (see here).

I co-chair the University of Calgary's Food Studies Interdisciplinary Research Group.

Teaching

I teach topics like sustainability, food systems, education for sustainability, social research methods and theories of change. I have taught undergraduates, graduate students, and academics and in Canada, Sweden, England, and China.​ I have taught on the following programmes:

• Sustainability Studies Certificate at the University of Calgary
• Master's of Strategic Leadership towards Sustainability at Blekinge Institute of Technology
• Certificate in Green and Sustainable Transitions at Blekinge Institute of Technology
• ​Bachelor's of Environment and Sustainability at Keele University

I have supervised 8 undergraduate and 10 Master’s theses, and co-supervised 2 doctoral students.

With my colleagues at Blekinge Institute of Technology, I developed a Certificate in Green and Sustainable Transitions.

I received a Teaching Excellence Award from Keele University for my student-centred, participatory, and culturally inclusive approach to supporting Chinese students in their transition into UK higher education.

My teaching philosophy is underpinned by the belief transformative learning engages the whole person and as a consequence, all learning journeys are unique to those embarking upon them. I take a participatory approach which means I use creative, activating teaching methods.

Outreach

I have delivered popular science presentations through, at example, Botildenborg's Food and Farming Week, the UK's Environmental Association of Universities and Colleges' Sustainability Sharing Series, and a UK National Union of Students' Conference. published blog posts on the topics of my teaching and research, both on my own webpage and on blogs about research and education (e.g., i2INSIGHTS). I have also written for the Conversation. Below you can find videos I have created and a video of a presentation about my research.

For further information about my work visit www.laycockpedersen.com.