(PROJECT LEAD) DR RICHARD COOK
My research interests are sociological and focus upon people and technology. Having technical expertise and skills in a wide range of traditional and emergent technologies, and a curiosity about people’s motivations and behaviours,
I collaborate on interdisciplinary research. I have studied cyclists, graffiti artists, large language
AI models, and schools.
Prof. Philippa Ward
I have over 25 years of experience in retail and academia.
My research centres on the effects of situational factors on consumers, the psychological and sociological determinants of consumption,
and the exploration of value. I have explored a diverse range of issues, spanning how and why we consume, our connections with technology,
and our relationship with finance. At the core is appreciating how these experiences shape us – our vulnerabilities and well-being –
and how we, in turn, affect our environment. I am a passionate advocate for the application of a broader range of methods in research and for
transdisciplinarity. These approaches enable us to gain insights and propel our understanding.
DR RUFFIN RELJA
My professional and academic career spans over 20 years predominantly in the global luxury industry.
In my roles as brand and business development lead, I gained a profound understanding of the stretching and retrenching of brands,
including the management of brand/product portfolios across lifecycles – applying the full marketing mix. This provides a valuable
backdrop for my academic practice and research activities.
DR MAH-RUK FIDA
My research focuses on data analytics, applied AI, and network performance modelling, with applications in 5G/6G systems, edge computing, and
sustainable digital innovation. I worked as a Postdoctoral Fellow at SimulaMet, Oslo, where I contributed to AI-based network performance prediction,
CloudRAN optimization, and congestion localization.
DR BAY OMOTOSHO
I previously served as a Lecturer in Cyber Security at the School of Engineering and Computing at the University of Central Lancashire.
I have undertaken postdoctoral research at the Chair of Software Engineering at the University of Potsdam in Brandenburg, the University of
Passau in Bavaria, and the Chair of Internet Technologies and Systems at the Hasso Plattner Institut in Brandenburg.
DR IMOGEN MANSFIELD
I recently completed my PhD at the University of Birmingham, where I led a four-year field study on plastic litter in bird nests. During my PhD,
I gained policy experience through a UKRI-funded internship at WRAP and industry experience through a Marie Skłodowska-Curie staff exchange with
NovaMechanics in Cyprus, contributing to the development of an AI-driven plastic identification app. My interests include environmental monitoring,
citizen science, and ornithology, with a commitment to accessible and open science.
MR MOHAMMAD CHIZARI
I am a PhD student in AI and Cyber Security. I am developing a comprehensive cybersecurity framework using AI-powered systems.
My areas of interest include AI and Machine Learning models, cybersecurity, app development, and data analytics.
As a research assistant, I contributed to the RUSTIK project on rural digital inclusion, where I developed the Smart Dashboard to support
community organisations in analysing and visualising their data. I developed a new metaheuristic algorithm called the Mouthbrooding Fish (MBF) Algorithm.
CLLR. GILL THOMAS
My appointment in 2024 as Stroud District Council’s first-ever Member Champion for Litter and Clean Environment has sparked a real war on waste across the district.
I work with local communities, schools and businesses — organising clean-up events, working with schools and promoting positive messaging about the impact of litter.
I Chair the Gloucestershire Resources and Waste Litter Working Group — a sub-committee I created to deliver a more collaborative approach to tackling litter across the county.
I am taking my work work to a national level, building partnerships with councils across the UK as we campaign to make the Voluntary Code of Practice for Food on the Go mandatory.
MR ERIC TORRINGTON
Since 2018, I’ve been a committed litter campaigner and advocate for real change. I use my industry skills to gather and
deliver data to decision-makers and calling for stronger waste-management and accountability across all litter-generating business sectors.
I believe in the power of hard-hitting evidence to drive real change, protecting the environment, wildlife, and, critically for me, our oceans.
By raising awareness and collaborating with local authorities, businesses, environmental groups and young people, I aim to build cleaner,
greener communities through government policy and corporate best-practice changes that put the environment at the heart of litter and waste
management decisions.
