Nick Sidwell

Geography (2024 cohort)

My research explores how and why novel technologies come to be used in biodiversity governance, and the consequences they have for human-nature relations. My DPhil investigates the emergence of environmental DNA (eDNA) as a tool for biodiversity monitoring, and the ways in which it is engaging new actors and shaping approaches to biodiversity governance in England. I draw on ideas and methodologies from political ecology, more-than-human geographies, and science and technology studies.

I hold a Master’s degree in Environmental Policy and Management from the University of Bristol, for which I received the Outstanding Research Performance Prize. I also hold a BA in English Literature from the University of Durham, and an MA in Publishing Studies from City University, London. Prior to my doctoral study, I worked as an editor in book and newspaper publishing before co-founding a consumer software company.