Civic engagement researcher, urban planner and designer.
I am interested in centring people in decision-making, whether that is in policymaking, democratic participation, health, or technology. I am currently finalising my PhD at Newcastle University, split between Urban Planning and Human-Computer Interaction – namely within Digital Civics. I also have a BA and MA in Town Planning and a MRes in Digital Civics.
Prior to the PhD, I worked in both planning and health, facilitating a number of community-led placemaking projects, leading heritage projects, and delivering research around NHS health service pathway reviews. Throughout this, the golden thread has always been engaging people in deicision-making. My PhD focuses on neighbourhood planning as a citizen-led policy tool, considering the appropriateness of the process and how civic technology could be embedded within it.
I am experienced researcher working with a range of stakeholders to deliver qualitative, participatory methods. I endeavour to use innovative methodologies and develop new ways to support stakeholders to be involved in decision-making.
Jennifer Manuel 