Dr Sabine Hielscher

Biography

In 2011, Sabine completed her EPSRC-funded PhD. The study investigated the potential in applying an approach inspired by practice theory to everyday routines to engage with the socio-technical arrangements of practices which impact on resource consumption. Her current work at SPRU examines the diffusion of community energy projects in the UK. 

Role

Research Fellow

Sabine’s research interests have to do with the relation between everyday practice, technologies and consumption and the development of design-led qualitative research methods. Analysis tends to be interdisciplinary, drawing upon theoretical frameworks from variety of disciplines, but especially practice theory and transition theory. Sabine has made use of a variety of qualitative research methods (such as in-depth interviews, evocative interviews, creative design workshops, participant observations and focus groups) and has been employed on research projects with different organisations (such as Economic and Social Research Council and Engineering and Physical Science Research Council).

Sabine contributes a class to the SPRU MSc in Science, Technology and Sustainability on qualitative interviewing. She supervises a Doctoral student, Nicolette Fox, who is studying the evolution of domestic energy routines in the UK.

Hargreaves, Tom, Hielscher, Sabine, Seyfang, Gill and Smith, Adrian (2013) Grassroots innovations in community energy: the role of intermediaries in niche development. Global Environmental Change. ISSN 0959-3780 (In Press)

Hielscher, Sabine, Seyfang, Gill and Smith, Adrian (2013) Grassroots innovation for sustainable energy: exploring niche development processes among community energy initiatives. In: Sustainable Lifestyles in a New Economy: Ecological Macroeconomics, Socio-technical Transitions and Social Practice. Advances in ecological economics . Edward Elgar, Cheltenham, pp. 133-158. ISBN 9781781001257

Hielscher, Sabine, Smith, Adrian and Hargreaves, Tom (2012) An 'innovation histories' approach to community energy case studies. In: CLUES conference, 8 May 2012, UCL, London.

Hielscher, Sabine and Smith, Adrian (2012) Spaces of experimentation to engage in practical action in the context of community energy and design activism. In: Association of American Geographers Meeting.

Hielscher, Sabine, Hargreaves, Tom, Smith, Adrian, Seyfang, Gill and Park, Jin (2011) Community energy niche in sustainable energy transitions. In: 2nd International Conference on Sustainability Transitions, June 13-15, 2011, Lund University, Lund, Sweden.

Hielscher, Sabine (2011) Learning and networking in the community energy field - some initial reflections. In: Community Energy Action: Opportunities and Barriers Seminar, June 2011, Edinburgh.

Hielscher, Sabine and Fisher, Tom (2010) Having a bad hair day? Approaches to changing everyday hair care routines. In: The Learning Network on Sustainability Conference, 29 September - 1 October 2010, Bangalore, India.

Hielscher, S and Fisher, T (2008) Are you worth it? Can you fix it? Investigating the sustainability of mundane activities using theories of everyday practice and human/ object interactions. In: Changing the Change.

Hielscher, Sabine, Fisher, Tom and Cooper, Tim (2008) The return of the beehives, brylcreem and botanical! An historical review of hair care practices with a view to opportunities for sustainable design. In: Design Research Society International Conference, 16-19 July 208, Sheffield Hallam University, Sheffield, UK.