Chad Walker

Hello there! I am an interdisciplinary environmental social scientist with broad interests in low-carbon transitions. Recent research endeavours include studying the impact of environmental justice and partisanship in shaping support for Canadian wind energy development, critically investigating the meaning of community wind energy, public participation and carbon pricing in Ontario (Canada), and using diverse methodologies — including Community-Based Participatory Research — to better understand reconciliation, autonomy, and pathways for improved health via Indigenous-led and owned renewable energy development in Canada (see A SHARED Future). Through these projects and others, I have used a combination of qualitative and quantitative approaches. Such work has spurred a keen interest in methodological questions surrounding the ways we think about and practice mixed methods.I have landed at the University of Exeter to work with Professor Patrick Devine-Wright on the UK Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund[ed] EnergyRev Project. As a diverse team of scientists and social scientists, we are working toward “providing evidence to overcome challenges associated with scaling up local energy markets to stimulate market uptake”. My main contribution will be to investigate user engagement and support for smart local energy systems (e.g. integrating renewable energy, energy storage, and electric vehicle charging networks).
Address: London, Canada