A PhD chemist and technology specialist with 25+ years’ experience in technology and commercial development working with local authorities, businesses, entrepreneurs, and the public. Her career spans leadership of enterprise development, science and technology research, and leadership of teaching as a Senior Lecturer in Environmental Sustainability and Green Technology. Her PhD on high temperature corrosion of refractories was grounded in industrial collaboration, a value that has underpinned her career direction ever since. She specialises in collaboration with external partners. She has a sustained track record in mobilising and leading local, national and international consortia, for example, the regional £5M HyDEX project bringing together expertise across the main 8 Midlands universities to unlock the hydrogen economy and make demonstrator facilities open to businesses in the area.

Key skills

• Over 25 years’ experience in technology development working with sectors including: manufacturing; clean energy production and storage; prototype development; low-carbon agriculture; circular economy and place-based decarbonisation.
• Experience in bid writing and managing funded projects from UK, EU and international funding calls.
• Experience in contract research project development and consultancy management and delivery with both public and private sector.

Selected publications

• Bowen, B., Khisa, K., and George, S. (2024). ‘Uncovering the circular economy potential and opportunities for the textile and apparel sector in Kenya’. E3S Web of Conferences 557, 04002. DOI: 10.1051/e3sconf/202455704002
• Mercer, Theresa G.; Kythreotis, Andrew P; Harwood, Joseph; Robinson, Zoe P.; George, Sharon M.; Sands, David; Brown, Joshua M.; Sims, Toby (2023). ‘The benefits of virtual fieldtrips for future-proofing geography teaching and learning’. Journal of Geography in Higher Education
• Catney, P., Khalifa, Y., & George, S. (2022). Securing sustainability and access to energy in low- and middle-income countries: opportunities for the ‘Hayah Karima’ programme in Egypt. https://climatecompatiblegrowth.com/wp-content/uploads/Opportunities-for-the-Hayah-Karima-Programme_COP27-Policy-Brief.pdf: COP27
• Fan Z, Cao J, Jamal T, Fogwill C, Samende C, Robinson Z, Polack F, Ormerod M, George S, Peacock A et al., (2022) The role of ‘living laboratories’ in accelerating the energy system decarbonization, Energy Reports 8:11858-11864
• Mercer TG, Kythreotis AP, Harwood J, Robinson ZP, George SM, Sands D, Brown JM, Sims T., (2022) The benefits of virtual fieldtrips for future-proofing geography teaching and learning, Journal of Geography in Higher Education, 26, 330-338
• Mercer, T.G., Kythreotis, A.P., Harwood, J., Robinson, Z.P., George, S.M., Sands, D., Kelly, H.,  Brown, J.M., Sims, T. (2021) Future-proofing geography teaching for uncertain times: Co-production approaches during the COVID-19 pandemic, Journal of Geography in Higher education
• Moolna, A.,Selim, S., George, S., Kumar, S., Roberts, C., Bhowmik, J., Hulme, A., George, S. Karim, S.,Robinson, Z. (2019). How can we meet the energy challenges of small and remote coastal communities affected by changing climate in Bangladesh and globally? DOI: 10.21252/ztr7-xp38
• George SM, Haycock PW, Ormerod RM. (2018). The mechanism of corrosion of Aluminium Zirconium Silicate (AZS) material in the float glass furnace regenerator. Journal of European Ceramic Society, vol. 38(4), 2202-2209
• Mercer TG, Kythreotis AP, Robinson ZP, Stolte T, George SM, Haywood SK. (2017). The use of educational game design and play in higher education to influence sustainable behaviour, International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education, vol. 18(3), 359-384
• George SM. 2017. Postgraduate Taught Students can do Posters too: Enhancing Postgraduate Taught Student Communication Skills through Interdisciplinary Peer Networking. Journal of Academic Development and Education
• Lockyer, J and George SM. 2012. What women want: barriers to female entrepreneurship in the West Midlands. International Journal of Gender and Entrepreneurship, vol. 4(2), 179-195
• George, S.D., Cronje, M., Farn, S.M., (2006) Modelling High Temperature Refractory Structures for the Glass Furnace, Advances in Science and Technology, Vol.45, pp. 2308-2315
• Farn, S., (2004), Thermochemical Corrosion of Alumina-Zirconia-Silica Refractories for Glass Furnace Regenerators, PhD, Keele University
• Baxendale, S., Farn, S., (2002) Glass Making Refractories – Importance of Corrosion Assessment, Refractories Engineer, pp. 15-18

Book chapters

• George S. 2020. Plastics we cannot live without. In Plastic Waste and Recycling Environmental Impact, Societal Issues, Prevention, and Solutions. Academic Press.
• Mercer, T.,G.; Kythreotis, A., P.; Kelly, H,; Robinson, Z P.; George, S., M.; Sands, D. 10-06-2022. ‘Future-Proofing Geography Teaching and Learning, Using Remote Learning and Co-Creation Approaches’
  

Conference Papers

• Bowen, B., Khisa, K., George, S., (2024) Uncovering the circular economy potential and opportunities for the textile and apparel sector in Kenya. E3S Web Conf. 557 04002 DOI: 10.1051/e3sconf/202455704002
• Khalifa, Y., George, S.,Catney, P., (2019). Resources Management for Urban Sustainability in the Global South. The International Conference on Energy and Sustainable Futures (ICESF)
• S.George, P.Bailey, B.Waddell, (2012) Buildings for Sustainability- how buildings are utilised to develop skills and community participation, EAUC Annual Conference, York University
• S.George (2012), Making Science Matter for Different Audiences at Keele Earth Observatory, 2nd RSC Younger Members Symposium, University of Nottingham, 13/06/2012