Professor Maria Piacentini
ProfessorCurrent Teaching
PhD Supervision:
Apisara Khli-in; Lydia Hubbard; Shuntao Nian
Qualifications
1999 PhD(Open University)
1999 PG Cert.(Strathclyde)
1991 BSc Hons(Strathclyde)
Current Research
Plastic Packaging in People's Lives (UKRI/NERC funded)
Research Grants
‘Vulnerable Consumers’ with Susan Dunnett (Edinburgh) and Kathy Hamilton (Strathclyde) ESRC Seminar Series
‘The Role and Significance of the High School Prom Among Low-Income Adolescents’ with Dr Peter Nuttall (Bath) and Dr Julie Tinson (Stirling) The British Academy (£10,000)
‘Psychology of Consumer Behaviour’ Awarded £12,337 by the Office of Fair Trading (commissioned research) (2007) Principal investigators: Maria Piacentini, Sally Hibbert and Margaret Hogg.
'Faifley Community Action on Food: Exploring The Potential For Community Development' Awarded £1,000 by Greater Glasgow Health Board (1999) Principal investigators Maria Piacentini, Sally Hibbert and Haya Al Dajani.
'Consumers’ perceptions of speciality coffees' Awarded £62,888 by Teaching Company Directorate and Matthew Algie & Co. (1998-2000) Principal investigators: A. Paterson (Bioscience) & M. Piacentini (Marketing), University of Strathclyde.
'Reducing Confectionery Sales at Checkouts' Awarded £6,855 by Lanarkshire Health Board (1997-8) Principal investigators: M.Piacentini, L. MacFadyen, D. Eadie (Marketing, University of Strathclyde)
Research Overview
I am a qualitative social science researcher, and my research focuses on vulnerable consumers coping with difficult marketplaces. My research has been funded by UKRI (NERC; ESRC); the British Academy; Barnardo’s, and the European Foundation for Alcohol Research. I have published in international refereed journals in social sciences and marketing/management journal. O am co-editor of Consumer Vulnerability: Conditions, Contexts and Characteristics (Routledge, 2016) and co-author of Consumer Behaviour (Oxford University Press, 3rd Ed. 2022). Along with Emma Banister, Kathy Hamilton and Sue Dunnett, I am co-chair of the Academy of Marketing’s Consumer Research with Impact for Society (CRIS) Special Interest Group.
Profile
I am currently the LUMS Associate Dean for Research (2023- present). I was Head of Department in Marketing (2014-2017), was Deputy Dean/Associate Dean (Resources) in Lancaster University Management School (2018-2020), and then interim Pro-Vice Chancellor for Education and EDI (2020-2021).
I have extensive experience of teaching at both undergraduate and postgraduate level, and have a PG Certificate in Advanced Academic Studies (Strathclyde University).
Professional Role
2023 - Associate Dean for Research (LUMS)
2020-2021 Interim Pro Vice Chancellor Education and EDI (Lancaster University)
2018-2020 Deputy Dean/AD for Resources (LUMS)
2014-2017 Head of Department of Marketing
2013-2014 Director of Research, Department of Marketing
2009-2011 Academic Co-ordinator, Period Quality Review (Nov 2011)
2003-2009; 2012 Programme Director, MSc Advanced Marketing Management
External Roles
External Examiner, UG Marketing, Edinburgh University (2017-2020)
External Examiner, UG Marketing, Glasgow University (2014-2017)
External Examiner, PG Marketing, Manchester Business School (2011-2014)
External Examiner, BA Marketing, Stirling University (2009-2012)
External Examiner MSc Marketing Management, Glasgow Caledonian University (2003-2007)
My Role
Associate Dean for Research (LUMS)
Director of Centre for Health Futures (LUMS)
PhD Supervisions Completed
Hayley Cocker, Andres Barrios, Fredah Mwiti, Liz McIver, Piya Ngamcharoenmongkol, Kath Hennell, Donal Rogan, Virginia Mwangi, Scott Jones.
PhD Supervision Interests
I am interested in supervising PhD students in the broad area of consumption and society, particularly relating to commercial determinants of health and inequalities.
Public experiences of service change in primary care: Focusing on the spaces and places of service delivery
01/10/2023 → 01/11/2026
Research
LU GCRF Block Grant and Newton & FCRI: Plastic Packaging in Peoples Lives - Malaysia
03/10/2022 → 30/09/2023
Research
Plastic Recycling and Reduction in Cities
01/04/2022 → 30/09/2022
Research
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 → 30/04/2024
Research
Lifestyle, social media and alcohol consumption
01/01/2015 → 01/01/2016
Research
CCI Roundtable Session on Social media’s Otherworldly Subcultures
Public Lecture/ Debate/Seminar
CCI Roundtable Session on Halloween: History, Lore, & Consumption (2023)
Public Lecture/ Debate/Seminar
Panel Discussion: Packaging Today
Invited talk
UKSS International Conference 2023
Participation in conference - Academic
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
CCI Roundtable Session on the Cost of Living Crisis
Public Lecture/ Debate/Seminar
The future of recycling
Invited talk
CCI Roundtable Session on Halloween: History, Lore, & Consumption (2022)
Public Lecture/ Debate/Seminar
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
PPiPL: Valuing the afterlives of materials
Invited talk
Weaving solutions to societal grand challenges: why marketing matters
Invited talk
Plastic Packaging in People’s Lives: Reflections on Engaged Academic Research
Invited talk
LUMS What Matters Now
Other
CCI Roundtable Session on Technoconsumption and Artificial Intelligence
Public Lecture/ Debate/Seminar
Morecambe Bay Curriculum
Oral presentation
CCI Roundtable Session on Halloween: History, Lore, & Consumption
Public Lecture/ Debate/Seminar
Responsibility and Plastic Packaging: Exploring the issues for the packaging supply chain
Participation in workshop, seminar, course
Standing Conference on Organizational Symbolism
Participation in conference -Mixed Audience
Consumer Research with Societal Impact Workshop at the Academy of Marketing Conference
Participation in conference -Mixed Audience
Transformative Consumer Research
Participation in conference -Mixed Audience
Alcohol Focus Scotland
Invited talk
43rd International Macromarketing Conference
Participation in conference -Mixed Audience
How to protect children from alcohol and junk food marketing
Invited talk
Women and Alcohol: What’s next?” Royal College of Physicians
Invited talk
Drinking Bodies in Consumer Culture
Invited talk
ACR North American Advances
Participation in conference -Mixed Audience
Transformative Consumer Research Conference
Participation in conference -Mixed Audience
ACR North American Advances
Participation in conference -Mixed Audience
International Steering Committee for Transformative Consumer Research (External organisation)
Membership of committee
Association for Consumer Research (External organisation)
Membership of committee
British Sociological Association (External organisation)
Member of an organisation
Academy of Marketing (External organisation)
Member of an organisation
European Marketing Academy (External organisation)
Member of an organisation
Advertising Educational Forum (External organisation)
Member of an organisation
Journal of Business Research (External organisation)
Membership of board
Journal of Marketing Management (External organisation)
Membership of board
Journal of Consumer Behaviour (External organisation)
Membership of board
European Journal of Marketing (External organisation)
Member of an organisation
British Journal of Management (External organisation)
Member of an organisation
Journal of Business Ethics (External organisation)
Member of an organisation
Association for Consumer Research (External organisation)
Member of an organisation
Consumer Culture Theory (External organisation)
Member of an organisation
European Marketing Academy Conference
Participation in conference -Mixed Audience
European Marketing Academy Conference 2014
Participation in conference -Mixed Audience
Consumer Culture Theory Conference
Participation in conference -Mixed Audience
Child and Teen Consumption Conference
Participation in conference -Mixed Audience
Journal of Historical Research in Marketing (Journal)
Editorial activity
Consumer Culture Theory conference 2012
Participation in conference -Mixed Audience
Consumer Culture Theory conference 2012
Participation in conference -Mixed Audience
University of Exeter
Participation in workshop, seminar, course
Lancaster Health Network
Participation in workshop, seminar, course
Ethics in Public Health Workshop
Participation in workshop, seminar, course
Kufstein University of Applied Social Sciences
Visiting an external academic institution
Birmingham University
Participation in workshop, seminar, course
Journal of Marketing Management (Journal)
Editorial activity
Ethics in Marketing Event - OU Business School/AM SIG
Participation in workshop, seminar, course
Visiting Lecturer
Appointment
Centre for Consumption Insights
- Centre for Health Futures
- Health Equity Network
- Management and Society