At the heart of NUSC’s interdisciplinary mission is a commitment to tackling urban challenges through diverse perspectives. Dr Jingxi Huang, a researcher in consumer behaviour and sustainability, embodies this spirit with her unique blend of marketing insight and psychological depth. Jingxi’s passion for sustainability goes beyond academic theory. “It’s a long-term challenge that affects both our generation and the next,” she explains.
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What happens when creativity meets one of the biggest demographic shifts of our time? Dr Jingxi Huang’s latest research dives into the world of creative entrepreneurship in the ageing sector, exploring how arts-based programmes are transforming the lives of older adults.
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In the heart of Belgium, a football academy – KRC Genk – buzzes with quiet intensity. Coaches huddle over data sheets, young players lace up boots with dreams of stardom, and behind the scenes, a task force assembles — not just to talk tactics, but to ensure that the academy stays at the forefront of developing talent. This task force is composed of individuals selected from within the academy- taking a bottom-up approach that leverages their expertise. By including external knowledge, this task force can also challenge the status quo and promote innovative thinking.
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Meet Neal Layton, one of our newest PhD Students. For Neal, pursuing a PhD isn’t just an academic milestone—it’s a meaningful way to round off a dynamic career that’s spanned consultancy, leadership, and even a stint in a banking start-up. “I loved the research during my Master’s” he says. “This felt like a great way to finish working life ahead of retirement.”
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Picture this: A customer storms onto Reddit, furious about a company’s controversial advertisement.
They join an anti-brand community, rallying others to boycott the company. Six months later, that
same person is defending the brand on social media and recommending their products to friends.
This transformation isn’t magic-it’s psychology. And according to new research led by the NUSC researcher Shoaib Ul Haq from the University of Greenwich, it happens more often than you think.
Imagine a startup that creates edible packaging made from seaweed. You buy a takeaway coffee, and instead of a plastic lid, it’s sealed with a biodegradable, tasteless seaweed film (Product innovation). You can toss it in the compost—or eat it.
Now scale that up: this packaging replaces millions of plastic wrappers in supermarkets. It dissolves in water, leaves no microplastics, and is made from a fast-growing, carbon-sequestering marine plant (Process innovation). The company partners with coastal communities to harvest seaweed sustainably, creating jobs and restoring marine ecosystems (Social impact).
This is eco-innovation in action.
It’s not just clever—it’s transformative.
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When a shampoo retailer requires you to return 10 empty shampoo bottles to receive a new bottle of shampoo, does that represent a limitation on your consumption freedom?
Ever wondered why some customers choose plastic over planet—even when eco-friendly rewards are on the table? It turns out, the answer lies in how we react to restrictions.
Continue readingOn 5 November 2024, NUSC member Dr. John Tull (BOS) and his collaborator from Royal Holloway (Prof. Tom Dyson) presented findings to the over 100 military officers and civilian managers participating in the NATO Explosive …
Continue readingIn a rapidly globalising world, the transfer of knowledge across borders has become vital for innovation and development. Recent research conducted by NUSC colleague Dr. Mingchu Wang, along with co-authors from the University of Leeds …
Continue readingProfessor Li Zhou and the team—Dr. Hetty Wenxian Sun, Dr James Duong, Dr Maggie Mao Xu, Dr Carlos F.D.Z. Arranz, and Professor Petros Ieromonachou—have secured significant funding from Horizon Europe. On 27th November 2024, Professor …
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