Sheffield Hallam University

Sheffield Hallam University Blue Spaces Network brings together researchers from across Sheffield Hallam University and work with local organisations, interest groups and communities to share knowledge, contacts, resources and ideas. Together we understand and improve Sheffield's blue spaces and deepen the connections of those that live, work and play in and around the city's blue (and green) spaces.

Key individuals 

Mel Lacey: Mel is a microbiologist with over a decade’s teaching experience at Sheffield Hallam University. She currently teaches microbiology, molecular biology and biochemistry across the Biosciences and Chemistry undergraduate and postgraduate degree programme. She leads the Accessibility of Science Research Group in the Biomolecular Sciences Research Centre and the interdisciplinary Sheffield Hallam Blue Spaces Network. Mel is the School of Biosciences and Chemistry recruitment and outreach lead.

Rachel Schwartz-Narbonne: Rachel is interested in a wide range of environmental chemistry. At Sheffield Hallam University she brings her love of the environment and chemistry background to teaching a range of bioscience and chemistry classes, as well as to her research career using microbial lipid biomarkers to study wastewater and community science to study the effects of soil pollution on microbial communities.

Julia Udall: Julia’s research is characterised by transdisciplinary working to address important societal and ecological challenges, exploring critical design pedagogies, artistic spatial practices, and urban commoning. She understands the eco-social both as an area of investigation and methodological approach, that is collaborative, exploratory, rigorous, and situated, with a strong feminist ethical underpinning. Over the past 15 years, she has worked with intercultural competence to develop infrastructures, relationships and pedagogical tools that operate at the highest levels, to enable academics to come together with civic, cultural and community actors and institutions both locally and globally, to have impact that matters.

Rebecca Sharpe: Dr Rebecca Sharpe is a Senior Lecturer and Programme Lead in Geography, specialising in urban water quality, GIS, and spatial analysis. With a background in both academia and the water industry, her research explores the intersection of environmental data, urban infrastructure, and community wellbeing.

Rebecca holds a PhD in Water Engineering from the University of Sheffield and has secured funding from major bodies. Her work is highly applied, involving collaborations with industry, local government, and community groups, and has been published in leading environmental journals. She leads modules across undergraduate and postgraduate programmes, with a focus on GIS, water management, and sustainability, and has supervised numerous dissertation and PhD research projects. Rebecca is also actively involved in outreach, citizen science, and public engagement initiatives that promote environmental awareness and responsible water stewardship.

Lizzie Freeman: Lizzie is a community-environmental psychologist, passionate about understanding: human-nature interrelationships and interaction; working with people to realise their potential and improve quality of life; and how natural environment experiences (and WSEs) might benefit people and engender more positive environmental attitudes, beliefs, behaviours, and stronger environmental identities. Her research focus involves the examination of well-being, emotions, self-concept, identity, values, attitudes and behaviour, and the exploration how natural environments work as a therapeutic medium (Eco-therapy/Nature therapy/ Ecopsychology).

Rebecca Brownlow: Rebecca has an academic background in Environmental Geoscience and Earth Science. Her current research interests include landfill gas, using low cost sensors to measure air quality, and emissions from burning.