Dr Rachel Manning

Growing up in rural North Devon, since a young age I have been interested in the natural environment and how people connect to the world around them. Growing up, I developed an interest in how our environments impact our health and wellbeing, and the way that we learn. It is through my own experiences in the natural world and the education system that I went down the path of working in the outdoors and for educational charities before going down a research path.

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 I have taught climbing and water sports to diverse groups of people in the UK as well as Italy, Turkey and Greece.

I have a BSc in Education Studies and MSc in Learning for Sustainability from the University of Plymouth.

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My MSc research investigated the role of The Future Leaders Programme at Plymouth University in developing sustainable competencies in students. I then went on to have roles at Education through Expeditions, The Centre for Sustainable Futures and Sustrans before starting my PhD at the University of Exeter.

My PhD research in partnership with The Field Studies Council explored the role and potential of environmental education for supporting young people's wellbeing, gathering student’s perspectives on environmental education. The research aimed to understand the mediators of positive and negative emotions in residential environmental education, drawing from theories of social constructivism and the capabilities approach

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I have extensive experience facilitating workshops to encourage students and organisations to think about the UN Sustainable Development Goals and how they link to their education and business models. 

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