Dr Hugh Williamson

I am an anthropologist and science and technology studies (STS) researcher. Broadly, my work investigates the social, political and ethical dimensions of scientific research, technology development and policy interventions and facilitates stakeholder engagement in these processes. As well as being trained in anthropology, my work has been influenced by or drawn on the history and philosophy of science; responsible research and innovation; and stakeholder engagement methods in the social sciences.

Empirically, my research interests focus on agriculture and related areas of the biosciences, especially plant and animal biology and breeding. I am particularly interested in the use of data and digital technologies in these domains. Taking a socio-technical approach, my work looks at how data, technologies and digital infrastructures can be developed, governed and managed to facilitate participatory and sustainable approaches to farming and to living better with our environment and with non-human species. I am also interested in how we govern the movement of plant and animal biological materials across different sites and between communities, and how we govern land use.

In addition, I have conducted long-term ethnographic research on rural development and conservation (including ecotourism and agri-environment schemes) in Eastern Europe, specifically focusing on southern Transylvania, Romania. This work has focused on how people navigate major political-economic changes in the countryside, particularly in the face of pressures to leave or emigrate, as well as the role of transnational relationships (both personal and institutional) in shaping the available possibilities and challenges.

I am an honorary Associate with the Centre for Responsible Innovation at Exeter. Previously, I have worked at Exeter as Research Fellow in the Centre for the Study of the Life Sciences (Egenis) and in DIGIT Lab, an EPSRC Next Stage Digital Economy Centre, in the Business School. I have also worked as Research Impact Fellow for the Institute for Data Science and Artificial Intelligence (IDSAI).