Dr Huw Thomas
Currently : Exam Invigilator/Senior Invigilator
Formerly : PhD research : Social Resilience in Cornish Fishing Communities
Successfully defended thesis and awarded PhD July 2017
- PhD research funding from the ESF (European Social Fund) through the CuC (Combined Universities of Cornwall) and commenced in January 2012, completed July 2017
- Current status of research is fieldwork in Mousehole, Polperro and Mevagissey
- My supervisors were Professor Geoff Wilson (Plymouth University), Dr Stephanie Lavau (Plymouth University) and Professor Mike Winter (Exeter University)
- The scope of my work was that of observing the aspects of fishing community life that express resilient traits that may contribute to community ability to cope with negative aspects of social, environmental and economic change. These pressures may be driven internally to the community or from many scales external to the community.
- Changes in fishers behaviours were investigated in regard to traditional practice in fishing and 'forced' response to external and local governance changes. Social memory is believed to be a key driver in fishers behaviors especially in regard to the diversity of livelihood that fishers have traditionally enjoyed and the specific changes in these livelihoods.
- These resilience traits are expressed in many ways within fishing communities that have various degrees of dependence on commercial fishing and the adoption of fishing heritage to create different mixes of livelihoods over time.
- The objectives of the research included identifying these resilient traits and coping strategies and disseminating the approaches taken by various communities in order that these benefits may be considered for adoption by other fishing communities in Cornwall and beyond
Qualifications
PhD Human Geography : Social Resilience in Cornish Fishing Communities (Awarded July 2017)
PGCAP600 Teaching Certificate (2014)
Post Graduate Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society (2013)
GTA Graduate Teaching Associate (2012)
MA Environment, Policy and Society (OU) (2010)
MRes Environmental Sciences (UEA) (2004)
MSc Oceanography (Southampton Uni/NOC) (2003)
BSc (Hons) Environmental Sciences (Wolverhampton Uni) (1984)
PADI Rescue Diver
Field First Aider
Research
Research interests
Resilience
Cornish Fishing Communities
Environmental Capital
Social Capital
Economic Capital
Identity
CFP