Teesside University academic shaping climate policy through prestigious fellowship

Lecturer in Environmental Science Dr Oluseye Oludoye has been awarded a prestigious UKRI Policy Fellowship with the Welsh Government to inform national climate and environmental policy.

Dr Oludoye will undertake an 18-month fellowship titled Welsh Government Using Behavioural Science to Inform Successful Climate Policies.

He will help strengthen the use of social and behavioural science evidence across climate, nature recovery and environmental policymaking as part of the Welsh Government’s Climate Behaviour Change & Engagement Team.

Across the fellowship’s inception, placement, and knowledge-exchange phases, Dr Oludoye will:

• Develop and pilot behavioural diagnostic and audit tools to support evidence-informed policy design
• Co-produce practical frameworks for integrating behavioural insights into climate engagement strategies
• Facilitate knowledge exchange between researchers and policymakers
• Identify structural, institutional and behavioural barriers to effective policy implementation
• Produce accessible decision-support resources tailored to government workflows

Dr Oludoye will help policymakers move beyond awareness-raising approaches toward more targeted, equitable and context-sensitive interventions.

The highly competitive award recognises his expertise in behavioural science, sustainability transitions and policy-engaged research.

Dr Oludoye has worked internationally across the UK, Nigeria, South Africa and Thailand, collaborating with governments and policy partners on issues including climate engagement, plastic pollution, pesticide use and sustainable food systems.

Reflecting on the award, Dr Oludoye said: "This fellowship provides a rare opportunity to close the loop between behavioural science research and real-world policy implementation.

“It allows behavioural evidence to be tested, refined and embedded within live governance systems, strengthening both research impact and policy effectiveness."

Funded by UK Research and Innovation through the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), the fellowship is designed to embed academic expertise directly into live policy environments, supporting evidence-informed policy development.

The fellowship highlights Teesside University’s wider commitment to delivering high-quality research that shapes public policy and supports sustainability transitions.

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