I am passionate about ensuring that academic research is able to make a real life difference to people, and to help organisations to ensure that they help to improve people's quality of life. I have worked since the late 1980s with and for communities, seeking to improve their life quality (and knowing how to measure success), making communities more sustainable and resilient, and helping to make cities and communities more inclusive. I enjoy the challenge of working in a team to bring about lasting change. Whether through public speaking to large groups, or more intimate small community discussion groups, I am able to build shared visions of better futures. My specialisms include strategic planning, partnership working, and team leadership, and I apply this in my professional roles, as Board member, and in my voluntary work.Professionally, I help lead Strathclyde's Institute for Future Cities, a research unit which works with commercial partners, including SMEs, and city authorities to help develop solutions to contemporary urban issues (www.ifuturecities.com). We focus especially on sustainable communities, risk & resilience, new urban business models and urban mobility & development. We bring together academic research and data analytics to help develop solutions and generate positive impact on the quality of urban lives for citizens across the world. I am currently engaged with research in S America, Africa, Asia and Australia, as well as within Europe. Beyond this, I am a competing athlete, athletic coach and official, and lead the development of my local athletic club to help encourage people of all abilities to improve their physical health and get enjoyment from social running.