Dr Amanda Slevin is an environmental social scientist, educator and researcher who researches, teaches and writes about some of the most pressing challenges facing our socio-ecological world. Amanda currently works as a Lecturer in Climate Policy, Politics and Sustainability and her research centres on complex society-environment interactions, examined through qualitative, mixed methods, and interdisciplinary research.

Amanda's original policy- and practice- engaged research focuses on important socio-ecological issues such as:

• Multi-level climate action;

• Community energy principles, practices and policies;

• Climate breakdown and inequalities (local and global);

• Energy conflicts and just transition;

• Sustainability praxis and transformative pedagogy;

• Policy frameworks, decision-making and practices related to climate action, community energy, hydrocarbon extractivism;

• Political economy and society-environment interactions;

• Ideology and resource management;

• Community activism, community and stakeholder participation in decision-making and multi-level climate action.

Hand in hand with conducting her own research, Amanda supervises and guides numerous research projects aligned with her work and research interests:

1. Postdoctoral research: Amanda supervises a postdoctoral researcher employed on the 'Goals for Climate' participatory action research project, for which she is the Principal Investigator.
2. PhD research: Supervises 4 PhD researchers, three of whom are based in HAPP (primary supervisor for one researcher; second supervisor for two PhD candidates; AHSS) and one PhD candidate in SBS (second supervisor; MHLS). These multi-year projects span the full academic year (semesters 1 to 3). Following some research funding successes, the number of students Amanda supervises is likely to increase in the 2026-27 academic year.
3. MA research: Supervises 4 students from different PGT programmes in HAPP, AHSS; Semesters 2 & 3.
4. BIO339 Environmental Management: Supervises and assesses two UG students' research projects, SBS, MHLS; Semesters 1 & 2.

As QUB's first cross-University Lecturer, Amanda primarily works in two Schools: the School of History, Anthropology, Philosophy and Politics (HAPP, 0.7FTE) and the School of Biological Sciences (SBS, 0.3FTE). Working mainly within two schools and Faculties (Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences (AHSS), Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Sciences (MHLS), Amanda designs and delivers undergraduate and postgraduate social science and interdisciplinary modules. Amanda also collaborates with colleagues in QUB's third Faculty (Engineering and Physical Sciences, EPS) around various teaching and research initiatives, including the new interdisciplinary UG module QUB1001.

In tandem with her own teaching, learning, assessment and supervision work, Amanda has moderated modules in various schools, incl. PAI7106, PAI3026, PAI7070, LFE8030, LFE8044 (HAPP, SBS, and previously in SSESW), supervised MSc Leadership for Sustainable Development 8-week student placements, and double-marked MA disserations (HAPP, SSESW). In addition, Amanda has served as an external examiner for UG programmes (ATU Sligo), an internal examiner for PhD research (QUB), and external examiner for MSc and PhD research (University College Cork).

Teaching and learning

1. LFE8031 Foundations for Sustainable Development: PGT interdisciplinary module, Module Convenor & Lecturer, SBS, MHLS; Semester 1.
2. LFE8044 Skills for Sustainable Development: PGT interdisciplinary module, Lecturer, SBS, MHLS; Semester 1.
3. HAPP7001 Approaches to Research Design: PGT social science module, Lecturer, HAPP, AHSS; Semester 1.
4. LIB1001: Understanding Now Guest Lecturer on this Liberal Arts module, School of Arts, English & Languages, AHSS; Semester 1.
5. PAI1010:What is to be done? Sustainability, climate change and just energy transitions in the Anthropocene. UG interdisciplinary module. Module Convenor & Lecturer, HAPP, AHSS; Semester 2.
6. PAI2068: The Politics of the Planetary Crisis: Power, people and place, Lecturer, HAPP, AHSS; Semester 2.
7. QUB1001: The Climate Crisis, guest lecturer on this new interdisciplinary UG module which will be open to all QUB students from Sept. 2026; SNBE, Faculty EPS. 

Amanda has held various academic positions since joining QUB (March 2018), and in July 2024, she commenced her current role as Lecturer in Climate Policy, Politics and Sustainability. As a Co-Founder and Co-Director of Queen’s Centre for Sustainability, Equality and Climate Action (SECA, est. in 2019), Amanda plays a leading role in efforts to advance collaborative teaching, learning and research on pressing socio-ecological issues, for example, in 2019 she initiated and still convenes QUB’s first cross-Faculty, interdisciplinary module on sustainability, climate change and just energy transitions (PAI1010, HAPP). Amanda also convenes the interdisciplinary postgraduate module Foundations for Sustainable Development (LFE8031, SBS) and teaches on several undergraduate and postgraduate modules across QUB. Along with SBS colleagues, Amanda was awarded a QUB Team Teaching Award (2025) for interdisciplinary teaching and learning on environment and sustainability.

As a social scientist with over 25+ years experience in applied adult and community education, youth and community work, Amanda's research goes beyond academic analysis to inform empirical pathways for a just transition to fairer, healthier and more sustainable societies. For example, her ongoing DfE funded research on community energy is informed by rigorous primary research, was designed to influence community energy and climate action principles, practices and policies, and is firmly aligned with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, notably SDGs 7, 10, 11, 12 and 13, and QUB’s Strategy 2030.

Amanda actively collaborates with public, private and third sector partners to translate sustainability and climate policy and research into action on the ground. As the Chair of Climate Coalition Northern Ireland (2020-22), Amanda worked closely with cross-community, cross-party MLAs, legal experts, CCNI members and key stakeholders to develop NI’s first Climate Change Bill, contributing to activities which culminated in the passing of NI’s first Climate Change Act in June 2022. In 2023, Amanda was awarded the prestigious RSPB Medal on behalf of Climate Coalition Northern Ireland, in recognition of their unprecedented collaborations for nature and climate.

Since her first contribution to research in 2003, Amanda's innovative, interdisciplinary research has consistently focused on complex social and environmental issues. Examples include her collaboration with cross-QUB colleagues on their OEP-funded evidence synthesis research on development pressures and drivers of biodiversity change (2023-4). Through her work with the UK-wide Place-based Climate Action Network (2019-2022), Amanda co-founded Belfast Climate Commission (co-chaired by QUB and Belfast City Council) and chaired its Community Climate Action Working Group. In tandem with her own research on community climate action, community energy and multi-level climate action, Amanda is a Co-Investigator in the tri-jurisdictional Co-Centre for Climate, Biodiversity and Water (Feb. 2024 to present). 

Amanda deliberately uses her expertise and skills to advance multi-level socio-ecological action, and alongside academic outputs, she often organises, co-organises and participates in community engagement events, writes accessible articles, engages in public debate via media interviews, and collaborates with myriad partners. Her track-record of impact encompasses over 200 outputs, incl. invited high-level inputs to climate and energy policy (UK, Irish and NI Governments); innovative student and stakeholder engagement like the award-winning ‘Creating our Vision for a Greener Future’; her co-edited book ‘Addressing the climate crisis: Local action in theory and practice’(Palgrave MacMillan, 2022); her monograph ‘Gas, Oil and the Irish State’ (MUP, 2016, 2017) and associated public book launches attended by several hundred people.

Alongside her socio-ecological endeavours, Amanda has undertaken research on broader socio-conomic and political issues within contemporary societies and was a researcher in ‘Generation What?’ a pan-European research project on the views and experiences of nearly one million 18-34 year olds. Working with colleagues in UCD's School of Sociology, Amanda co-analysed findings of the survey completed by over 33,000 young people in Ireland; she also provided analysis of the Irish findings in a RTÉ2 documentary televised in October-November 2017.

Amanda's qualifications include her PhD in Sociology (UCD, 2013), MA in Adult and Community Education and HDip in Adult and Community Education (both with first class honours, MU, 2006-8); BA Hons in Community Development (first class honours, LYIT, 2006). She completed postgraduate studies in 'Energy, Environment and Sustainable Development' with the University of Oslo (2010) and conducted primary research on Norwegian state hydrocarbon management while in Norway.

Amanda's Irish Research Council funded PhD (2009-2013, UCD) entailed the first academic, multi-level study of Irish state hydrocarbon extractivism and its consequences for communities and wider society, analysed in the context of international political economy. Outputs from her doctoral study include her monograph Gas, oil and the Irish state: Understanding the dynamics and conflicts of hydrocarbon management (2016, 2017, Manchester University Press), other publications on  hydrocarbon extractivism and climate action, and policy-engaged outputs such as expert advice to Oireachtas Committees (2011-2018), and members of the NI Assembly and UK Parliament (2020 to present).

Amanda's professional experiences mirror her academic interests and she has previously worked in higher education institutions across the island of Ireland (National University of Ireland Galway, University College Dublin, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland), adult and community education organisations (An Cosán Virtual Community College and Donegal Vocational Education Committee [now Donegal ETB]), numerous community and voluntary sector groups.

Complimenting her academic knowledge and applied work experience, Amanda has undertaken a wide range of professional training, including: learning technologies, VLEs and blended delivery; community leadership; conflict resolution; youth work; training for trainers (which she has also delivered); advice and guidance (NVQ L3).