Hannah had an unconventional route into engineering. She completed a BA in Music in 2018 at the University of Nottingham, continuing on to study for an MA by Research. During this time, Hannah gained an interest in psychology and studied the subject through subsidiary modules. She additionally developed her interests in behaviour change and personality over the course of her preliminary degree, something she would later explore in her academic career.
After her initial two degrees, Hannah pivoted into the healthcare industry in 2020, working firstly as a support worker before moving into pharmacy. She has additionally worked for the University of Southampton, helping disabled students with their academic journeys. During this time, she also studied for a Psychology MSc (Online Conversion) with the University of Glasgow, graduating in 2024. For her final dissertation, Hannah studied how personality predicts climate change risk perceptions and ecological dominance orientation. Her passion for climate change research within the psychology field continues as she takes an interesting route within the automotive industry, studying the development of the microcar industry.
The UK is heavily reliant on private modes of transport. The car offers a type of freedom that other modes of transport don’t: flexibility, privacy, and often an extension of our own identities. The size of the car has increased steadily over the past few decades, meaning they require more resources to build, are more dangerous to pedestrians, and emit more greenhouse gases. The average number of occupants in our car journeys is below two, and most journeys are within cities and towns. Traffic congestion is a norm due to our reliance on the car.
The microcar may offer a solution to many of these issues. These tiny cars are less resource-intensive, easier to drive than average-sized cars, and are also cheaper to buy and run. A city filled with microcars means less congestion and a safer environment for pedestrians. However, the microcar industry is incredibly small, offering few options for consumers. How do we build the demand for microcars, and how can we make them desirable? These are the questions my PhD project will aim to answer.
© Copyright 2024 AAPS CDT, Centre for Doctoral Training in Advanced Automotive Propulsion Systems at the University of Bath
