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School for Cross-faculty Studies Global Sustainable Development

Katie Files

Email: Kathryn.Files@warwick.ac.uk 
 Find me on LinkedIn
 

Current PhD student

Biography

I am currently in my first year as a PhD student in Global Sustainable Development, funded by the Midlands4Cities programme run by the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC). My research focuses on the importance of historical knowledge when making decisions surrounding land use and land planning, especially in the contexts of uncertainty created by climate change and biodiversity loss. Initially focused on heritage landscapes and protected land, this research has evolved from my undergraduate dissertation to focus on how sustainable decision-making surrounding future land use requires an understanding of the history of a landscape to ensure decisions made are economically, socially and environmentally viable. This research combines environmental humanities with ecological studies and map history to generate a new transdisciplinary approach to landscape management that builds from a foundation of historical evidence.

This is now my fifth year within the GSD department, having completed both my Undergraduate and Masters degrees here. I have recently taken on a Graduate Teaching Assistant Role on the Health and Sustainable Development Module, teaching seminars for second year students and completing assessment marking. During my time within the department, I have been actively involved in trying to create a strong community across the School for Cross-Faculty Studies, primarily in my role as Acting Chair and Secretary of the Student-Staff Liaison Committee (SSLC) during my Master's degree, and now as the Postgraduate Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Representative. I have been a student ambassador for the GSD department for several years as well, actively working with staff members to generate improvements to teaching and welcome events in pursuit of strengthening the GSD community.

Research Overview

My research focuses on landscape management and the role that historical knowledge can play in making sustainable decisions surrounding planning and conservation, especially considering the uncertain contexts of climate change and biodiversity loss.

Academic Background

  • PhD Global Sustainable Development - University of Warwick (2024-Present)
  • MASc Global Sustainable Development - University of Warwick
  • BASc Global Sustainable Development - University of Warwick

Supervisors

Research interests

  • Climate Change and Biodiversity Loss
  • Land Conservation and Management
  • Heritage and Preserved Landscapes
  • Environmental Humanities
  • Map History
  • Ecological and Landscape History

Funding and awards

  • 2024-2028: Midlands4Cities