Dr Alison Stowell
Senior LecturerProfile
My research asks how companies, governments, civic society, local communities, individuals and non-human actors respond to, and develop solutions for, the global waste crisis. It began with electronic waste, expanded to other complex wastes including plastics, and more recently turned to a critical examination of the circular economy.
My route into this field began in the public sector, where witnessing the arrival of the first connected computer systems sparked a curiosity about technology that led to my first degree and then a career in IT. Over fourteen years in the public and private sectors before my PhD, I began to wonder what happened to computers and electronic devices when they were discarded. That question drew me towards complex wastes and into the interdisciplinary space between organisation studies, social theory, and science and technology studies. I joined Lancaster University Management School as a Masters student in 2005, and then as a PhD student in 2007, receiving my doctorate in Organisation, Work and Technology in 2012.
My work is organised around three interconnected questions: how actors respond to institutional pressure to change practices; how latent value is negotiated and attributed to and by actors; and how actors construct meaning and legitimacy through their work.
My research has attracted competitive funding from UK research councils (UKRI ESRC, NERC, EPSRC) and international funders (GCRF, ISPF), and I have led and collaborated on projects spanning social, natural and physical sciences. I publish across management and organisation studies, environmental studies, material science, and sociology, and I have written co-authored book chapters and two short books. I lead the Waste and Circular Economy Knowledge and Action Hub for the Pentland Centre for Sustainability in Business and am one of the core leads of Opening the Bin, an international community of social science and humanities waste scholars.
Qualifications
BSc Business and Information Technology (Portsmouth)
MSc Information Technology, Management and Organisational Change (Lancaster)
PhD Organisation, Work and Technology (Lancaster)
Current Research
My current research is interdisciplinary and collaborative ventures:
1. UKRI EPSRC Reimagining digital research infrastructure in environmental science for a sustainable future with Professor Adrian Friday, Dr Michael Stead, Dr Carolynne Lord, Dr Oliver Bates and Dr Marcia Smith.
2. Plastic Packaging in People's Lives (PPiPL) includes a suite of 4 projects.
- UKRI NERC: PPiPL: Bridging the consumer attitude behaviour gap with Professor Maria Piacentini, Dr James Cronin, Dr Alex Skandalis, Professor Linda Hendry, Dr John Hardy.
- LU GCRF and Newton Consolidation Fund and FCRI: PPiPL Malaysia with Professor Maria Piacentini, Professor James Cronin, Professor Alex Skandalis, Dr Ooi Pei Boon, Dr Jane Lai Tai Gew.
- LU GCRF and Newton Consolidation Account and FCRI: International Communications Platform (ICP) for Food Plastic Packaging with Professor Maria Piacentini, Professor Alex Skandalis, Dr Ooi Pei Boon, Dr Jane Lai Tai Gew.
- LU EPSRC IAA, Shared Prosperity Fund, LUMS Impact Funds: In the Loop with Professor Maria Piacentini and Dr Marta Ferri.
Research Grants
UKRI International Science Parternship Funds (ISPF) Institutional Support Grant (£255,730) Awarded to Professor Rebecca Lingwood (PI) for multiple projects, Dr Alison Stowell (Co PI - £35,000), Professor Maria Piacentini (Co PI), Professor Alex Skandalis (CI), Dr Ooi Pei Boon (CI), Dr Jane Lai Tai Gew (CI) for International Communication Platform for food plastic packaging (2024/2025).
UKRI EPSRC (£780,072) awarded to Professor Adrian Friday (PI), Dr Alison Stowell (CI), Dr Michael Stead (CI) for Reimagining digital research infrastructure in environmental science for a sustainable future (2024-2027).
UKRI NERC (£950,321) - Awarded to Professor Maria Piacentini (Co PI), Dr Alison Stowell (Co PI), Dr James Cronin (CI), Dr Alex Skandalis (CI), Professor Linda Hendry, Dr John Hardy (CI) for the Plastic Packaging in Peoples Lives: Bridging the consumer attitude-behaviour gap (2020-2024).
GCRF and Newton Consolidation Accounts Lancaster University (£384,000) Awarded to Professor Louise Heathwaite (PI) for multiple projects, one Dr Alison Stowell (CI - £40,000) for Plastic Packaging in Peoples Lives: Malaysia (2022-2023).
UK WEEE Funds (£200,000 - Pentland Centre (£51,000) - Awarded to Anthesis (PI), Valpak (CI), REPIC (CI), Dr Alison Stowell (LU Pentland Centre PI), Dr Dmitry Yumashev (CI), Oliver Schaer, Camilia De Jesus Silva (2019).
ESRC IAA (£6500) - Awarded to Dr Alison Stowell (PI) and Dr John Hardy (PI) for IAA: A violet biotechnology understanding of organic electronics (2019-2020)
REPIC Grant (£81,175.20) - Awarded to Dr Alison Stowell (PI), Dr Dmitry Yumashev (CI), Dr Lingxuan Liu (CI) for the UK EEE and WEEE Quantification and Compliance Target Study (2017 - 2018).
Santander Universities Global Division and Lancaster University International Projects Award (£25,000) - Grant awarded to send Lancaster University Management School Students to attend the World Business Council for Sustainable Development's Annual Meeting (2017, 2018).
Santander Universities Global Division and Lancaster University International Projects Award (£10,000) - Grant awarded to send Lancaster University Management School Students to attend the World Business Council for Sustainable Development's Annual Meeting (2016).
Economic and Social Research Council - (UK) +3 studentship; Doctoral Scholarship in pursuance of a PhD in Organisation Studies focusing on the organisation of Electronic Waste, Lancaster University Management School, University of Lancaster (2007-2010).
Current Teaching
Postgraduate
EMBA & MBA Sustainability and Ethical Management, Dissertation Supervisor.
MNGT7705 Responsible Management of People and Society
Undergraduate
DOWT6001 Global Sustainable Development, Dissertation Supervisor.
Professional Role
Department Director for Engagement
Co-Principal Investigator - Plastic Packaging in People’s Lives (including UK PPiPL, PPiPL Malaysia, International Communications Platform for Food Plastic Packaging, In the Loop)
Co-organizer for Opening The Bin (OTB4) La vie en bin: When waste reflects the materiality of societies
Co-Investigator - Reimagining digital research infrastructure in environmental science for a sustainable future
LUMS Research Committee representative
Lead - Waste and Circular Economy Knowledge and Action Hub
External Roles
WBCSD Education Faculty Member and Academic Advisor
Additional Information
Awards:
2022 LUMS Dean's Professor Alistair Anderson Award
2018 LUMS Dean's Award for Excellence in Business Engagement
2017 World Business Council for Sustainable Development's inaugrual Education and Innovation Award
2015 LUMS Academic Staff Member of the Year
PhD Supervision Interests
I am interested in supervising students in subjects that are waste related or ideas surrounding the Circular Economy. More specifically, topics that focus on social, organisation and managerial responses, the negotiations surrounding values attributed to waste and waste as a particular type of work.
-
IAA: Plastic Packaging in People's Lives (PPiPL): In the Loop
17/03/2025 → 28/11/2025
Research
-
Reimagining digital research infrastructure in environmental science for a sustainable future
01/01/2025 → 31/12/2027
Research
-
International communications platform for food plastic packaging.
01/11/2024 → 31/03/2025
Research
-
LU GCRF Block Grant and Newton & FCRI: Plastic Packaging in Peoples Lives - Malaysia
03/10/2022 → 30/09/2023
Research
-
GCRF and Newton Consolidation Accounts Lancaster University
01/04/2022 → 31/03/2023
Research
-
Plastic Recycling and Reduction in Cities
01/04/2022 → 30/09/2022
Research
-
ERM External Assurance Panel Member
26/03/2021 → 10/10/2021
Consultancy
-
Plastic Packaging in Peoples' Lives (PPiPL): Bridging the consumer attitude-behaviour gap
01/11/2020 → 31/10/2023
Research
-
Plastic Packaging in Peoples' Lives (PPiPL): Bridging the consumer attitude-behaviour gap
01/11/2020 → 31/05/2024
Research
-
Electrical Waste – Challenges and Opportunities: An independent study on Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) flows in the UK
16/04/2019 → 01/01/2020
Consultancy
-
Independent study on Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) flows in the UK
01/04/2019 → 31/12/2019
Consultancy
-
Climate and science insights for Nestlé’s TCFD reporting process
01/12/2018 → 31/07/2020
Consultancy
-
UK EEE and WEEE Quantification and Compliance Target Study, REPIC
01/10/2017 → 15/07/2018
Research
-
REPIC UK EEE and WEEE Quantification and Compliance Target Estimation Study
21/08/2017 → 15/07/2018
Research
-
IAA: A violet biotechnology understanding of organic electronics
01/01/1900 → …
Research
Working on funded research projects: The Case of Plastic Packaging in People's Lives (PPiPL)
Invited talk
Caroline Biron
Hosting an academic visitor
OTB4 La vie en bin. When waste reflects the materiality of societies
Participation in conference -Mixed Audience
OTB4 La vie en bin. When waste reflects the materiality of societies
Participation in conference - Academic
Knowledge Exchange Event: Packaging Responsibility in the UK & Malaysia: Policy, People & Waste Management Practice
Participation in conference -Mixed Audience
Plastic Free July and the experiences of the Plastic Packaging in People's Lives Team
Oral presentation
Plastic Packaging in People's Lives: Rethinking the Consumer Attitude Behaviour Gap
Public Lecture/ Debate/Seminar
Panel: Critically Exploring Different ‘Sustainability-Change’ Approaches, chaired by Dermot O’Reilly
Invited talk
International Communication Platform for Food Plastic Packaging: Knowledge Exchange Malaysia
Participation in conference -Mixed Audience
Pop-Up Study UK - Packaging up plastic
Types of Public engagement and outreach - Festival/Exhibition
Panel Discussion: Future Plastics
Invited talk
Keith Barnes
Hosting a Non-Academic Visitor
The Future Workforce
Participation in workshop, seminar, course
Plastic Packaging in People's Lives: Rethinking the consumer attitude behaviour gap
Invited talk
Critiques of the Circular Economy(revisited)
Invited talk
Reflections on working on interdisciplinary funded projects
Invited talk
Meeting with colleagues from The Work Foundation
Expert Opinion
Meeting with CEO/Founder Rafa Jafar & Co-Founder Wirjadi Lorens
Expert Opinion
Panel Discussion: Packaging Today
Invited talk
UKSS International Conference 2023
Participation in conference - Academic
Do we need to change our attitudes towards recycling e-waste
Types of Public engagement and outreach - Festival/Exhibition
Environmental Industries Commission (EIC) Waste and Resources Taskforce (External organisation)
Membership of committee
OTB3 (Opening the Bin 3) – Waste, economy, culture and society: ‘One World, one Bin?’
Other
BPF Sustainability and Plastics 2023: Weighing social responses to the challenges of waste plastics
Invited talk
Advancing Plastic Waste Reduction in Agri-Food Supply Chains: A Stakeholder Perspective
Invited talk
Panel Discussion: Plastics Sustainability: myth busting and the human factor
Invited talk
Futures work at Lancaster University no.2: The little book of plastics in everyday life
Invited talk
The future of recycling
Invited talk
Polymer International (Journal)
Editorial activity
Plastic Packaging in People’s Lives: Perspectives on the Consumer Attitude-Behaviour Gap
Oral presentation
Plastic Packaging in People’s Lives: Perspectives on the Consumer Attitude-Behaviour Gap
Invited talk
Plastic packaging in People's Lives (PPiPL): From farm to fork and beyond?
Invited talk
Alone, the circular economy will not phase out the linear economy
Invited talk
Getting into the circle: Alone, the circular economy will not phase out the linear economy
Invited talk
38th Annual IMP Conference
Participation in conference - Academic
PPiPL: Valuing the afterlives of materials
Invited talk
Plastic Packaging in People’s Lives: Reflections on Engaged Academic Research
Invited talk
LUMS What Matters Now
Other
E-Waste, Circular Economy and Innovation
Public Lecture/ Debate/Seminar
Single use plastic: A way forward
Public Lecture/ Debate/Seminar
Morecambe Bay Curriculum
Oral presentation
Mitie
Business Engagement
Textile Waste Meeting - Sewing Cafe
Other
ERM Stakeholder Engagement Interview
Expert Opinion
Enabling research in smart sustainable plastic packaging (SSPP) Workshop #4 - Defining the value of plastic packaging [by different stakeholders]
Participation in workshop, seminar, course
The International Institute for Industrial Environmental Economics - Lunch Seminar Critiques of the Circular Economy
Invited talk
Biotech Services Ltd.
Business Engagement
IS4CE Seminar Critiques of a Circular Economy
Invited talk
Seminar - ReTrace Network
Invited talk
Circularity is not the panacea many had hoped for
Invited talk
Research Seminar - Critiques of the Circular Economy
Invited talk
Responsibility and Plastic Packaging: Exploring the issues for the packaging supply chain
Participation in workshop, seminar, course
Collaborating across Organizational Boundaries: Co-Creating a more Just and Thriving Society (session 529)
Invited talk
Circular Economy and e-waste
Invited talk
Enabling research in smart sustainable plastic packaging (SSPP) Workshop #02 - Advanced Labelling & Sorting.
Participation in workshop, seminar, course
Standing Conference on Organizational Symbolism
Participation in conference -Mixed Audience
Scope 3: Sustainability across the Supply Chain - Live Panel
Invited talk
Managing e-waste in a Circular Economy
Invited talk
E-waste, Circular Economy, Innovation
Invited talk
Finding your pathway into Sustainability
Invited talk
Enabling research in smart sustainable plastic packaging (SSPP) introductory meeting.
Participation in workshop, seminar, course
37th European Group of Organizational Studies Colloquium
Participation in conference -Mixed Audience
CPI introduction - electronics and sustainability
Other
European Group of Organizational Studies conference – Sub Plenary co-chairing with Professor Stefan Bohm and Professor Herve Corvellec
Participation in conference -Mixed Audience
15th Organizational Studies Workshop
Participation in conference -Mixed Audience
Environmental Audit Committee Inquiry: Electronic Waste and the Circular Economy
Invited talk
NeuDrive Ltd.
Business Engagement
Re-Opening the bin: Waste, economy, culture and society
Participation in conference -Mixed Audience
3rd Product Lifetimes and the Environment Conference
Participation in conference -Mixed Audience
‘Waste and the Circular Economy’ Lancashire Low Carbon Forum workshop
Invited talk
Business Breakfast - Master Class in Loop Management
Invited talk
How can the Circular Economy improve business in Ghana
Participation in workshop, seminar, course
‘How can the Circular Economy improve business in Ghana’ in collaboration with Footprints Africa
Invited talk
Master Class in Loopy Management’ at LU Ghana Business Breakfast meeting
Invited talk
Reopening the bin – waste, economy, culture and society’ at Gothenburg University
Participation in workshop, seminar, course
Setting robust and realistic PCS targets for WEEE to support the transition to a Circular Economy
Invited talk
Setting robust and realistic PCS targets for WEEE to support the transition to a Circular Economy
Invited talk
Circular Economy disruptions, past, present and future, International Symposium
Participation in conference -Mixed Audience
Circular Economy disruptions, past, present and future, International Symposium
Participation in conference -Mixed Audience
13th Organization Studies Summer Workshop
Participation in conference -Mixed Audience
Meeting with Burlington Stone
Types of Business and Community - Hosting of external, non-academic visitor
13th Organization Studies Summer Workshop: Responding to Displacement, Disruption, and Division: Organizing for Social and Institutional Change
Participation in conference -Mixed Audience
Methodologies for setting WEEE targets’’ -presented with Yumashev, D to the REPIC Executive Board
Invited talk
International Workshop – Uncanny Futures: Speculative Ecologies of Waste
Participation in conference -Mixed Audience
International Workshop – Uncanny Futures: Speculative Ecologies of Waste
Participation in workshop, seminar, course
Methodologies for setting WEEE targets’ co-presented with REPIC
Invited talk
Master Class in Waste, Ethics and Sustainability – the Circular Economy
Invited talk
'Master Class in Waste, Ethics and Sustainability – the Circular Economy’
Invited talk
Speaker – the importance of education’ at the 2017 WBCSD Leaders Program Graduation Ceremony
Invited talk
Opening the Bin
Participation in conference -Mixed Audience
Opening the Bin Conference
Participation in conference -Mixed Audience
European Group of Organizational Studies conference
Participation in conference -Mixed Audience
World Business Council for Sustainable Development (External organisation)
Member of an organisation
Culture and Organization (Journal)
Editorial activity
World Business Council for Sustainable Development (Publisher)
Publication peer-review
Speaker – the importance of education’ at the 2016 WBCSD Leaders Program Graduation Ceremony
Invited talk
Plastics Landscape’ presented at the World Business Council for Sustainable Development’s annual meeting
Invited talk
20th EMAN Conference
Participation in workshop, seminar, course
12th International Conference on Organisational Discourse
Participation in conference -Mixed Audience
Policy Solutions Lab (Circular Economy) Workshop - Geneva
Invited talk
6th Ethnography and Qualitative Research Conference
Participation in conference -Mixed Audience
University of Cardiff’s Business School Staff Seminar
Invited talk
World Business Council for Sustainable Development (Publisher)
Publication peer-review
Umeå School of Business and Economics Staff Seminar Series
Invited talk
Information Systems Journal (Journal)
Publication peer-review
110th ASA Annual Meeting
Participation in conference -Mixed Audience
110th American Sociological Association Annual Meeting
Participation in conference -Mixed Audience
European Group of Organization Studies, 30th EGOS Colloquium
Participation in conference -Mixed Audience
30th European Group of Organization Studies Colloquium
Participation in conference -Mixed Audience
Management Staff Seminar Series
Participation in workshop, seminar, course
Organizing e-waste: A UK perspective’ presented at the University of Bristol’s Business School Staff Seminar
Invited talk
International Journal of Systems and Society (Journal)
Publication peer-review
The Business Systems Laboratory 2nd International Symposium Systems Thinking for a Sustainable Economy: Advancements in Economic and Managerial Theory and Practice
Participation in conference -Mixed Audience
8th International Conference in Critical Management Studies
Participation in conference -Mixed Audience
Higher Education Academy
Participation in conference -Mixed Audience
Global Sustainability Institute Seminar Series
Participation in workshop, seminar, course
United Nations Environment Programme - Global Waste Management Outlook (Publisher)
Publication peer-review
International Journal of Systems and Society (Journal)
Publication peer-review
Managing e-waste
Participation in workshop, seminar, course
Work, Employment and Human Resource Management: Observations from Japan and the UK
Participation in workshop, seminar, course
Quadrangular Conference
Participation in conference -Mixed Audience
European Group for Organizational Studies, 27th EGOS Colloquium
Participation in conference -Mixed Audience
Rethinking Materialism Workshop
Participation in workshop, seminar, course
Staff and Education Development Association (SEDA) (External organisation)
Member of an organisation
Lancaster University Management Dean's Award for Excellence in Business Engagement
Prize (including medals and awards)
World Business Council for Sustainable Development's inaugural Education and Innovation Award
Prize (including medals and awards)
Lancaster University Management School Academic Staff Member of the Year
Prize (including medals and awards)
Lancaster University Management School Dean's Professor Alistair Anderson Award
Prize (including medals and awards)
Centre for Technological Futures , Materials Science Institute PhD Student
- Centre for Consumption Insights
- Centre for Technological Futures
- MSF Supervisors 2019/20
- Pentland Centre