Claire Quinn is a professor in Natural Resource Management at the Sustainability Research Institute at the University of Leeds. She is an environmental social scientist with over 20 years of experience working on interdisciplinary projects in Africa, Asia, and Europe. Her research is in agri-food systems focusing on:
1) smallholder livelihood vulnerability, adaptation, and resilience (especially in the context of multiple stresses); and
2) knowledge and governance for natural resource management and climate smart agriculture.
Claire is interdisciplinary, drawing on theories and methods from both the natural (particularly ecology) and social sciences. Her research investigates the role of natural resources in smallholder livelihoods, examines institutions in shaping rural livelihoods and adaptation to climate change, and involves participatory stakeholder engagement and knowledge exchange.
She is the co-director of Food Systems Research Network for Africa (FSNet-Africa), a research excellence project led by the University of Pretoria, the University of Leeds, and FANRPAN (Food, Agriculture and Natural Resources Policy Analysis Network) and funded by the Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF) under a partnership between UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) and the African Research Universities Alliance (ARUA). FSNet-Africa seeks to strengthen researchers' capacities to conduct food systems research and translate evidence into implementable policy solutions and practical interventions to support the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) targets for Africa.