KEYNOTE SPEAKER
Dr. Christina Kelly, Queen’s University Belfast
Academic Keynote
Dr Christina Kelly is a Research Fellow in the School of Natural and Built Environment at Queen’s University Belfast. Christina is currently working on the EU- and UKRI-funded PERMAGOV project and EPA-and Marine Institute-funded 'Sustainable and Holistic management of Irish Ports' (SHIP) project. Prior to these, Christina worked on the Interreg funded ‘Maritime, Ocean Sector and Ecosystem Sustainability' (MOSES) project. These projects involve developing best practice in marine governance, ports and shipping, coastal transition management, marine and coastal planning and stakeholder participation. Christina has a BSc in Environmental Planning, MSc in Environmental Systems and a PhD in Environmental Planning. Her doctoral research (2017) funded by the Irish EPA and Irish Government, investigated the integrated management of Irish estuaries and coasts and the development of a coastal transition pathway towards sustainability. In addition to her research experience, Christina worked as a Marine Spatial Planner in Scotland and as a Planning Consultant in Ireland and has 10 years professional experience. Her research has been published in leading international, peer-reviewed journals and she has presented her work at numerous national and international conferences and participates in an international coastal transitions research network.
MSP WORKSHOP
Dr. Heather Ritchie, Queen’s University Belfast
Dr Heather Ritchie is a Senior Lecturer in Planning at the School of Natural and Built Environment, Queen’s University Belfast, appointed in May 2023. Prior to joining Queen’s, she was a Lecturer in Spatial Planning and Energy Policy in Ulster University, where she joined in 2009. Heather holds an undergraduate degree in Law (LLB Hons, 2:1) from the University of Dundee (2004), followed by an MSc in Environmental Planning with Distinction from QUB (2005). She completed her PhD at QUB (2006–2011), focusing on stakeholder engagement in Marine Spatial Planning. She is Programme Director for the Master of Planning (MPlan) in European Planning and serves as ERASMUS and Industrial Placement Coordinator. Heather teaches planning law and regulation across both undergraduate (BSc) and postgraduate (MSc) programmes in Planning and Development. Her research interests centre on transboundary governance and stakeholder engagement in MSP. Heather is involved in two research projects. The first is the ESRC Funded TRACC (Transformative Research Actions for Resilient Coastal Communities) where Heather leads a case study of the Foyle. The second is the Marine Institute funded CoCoMar (Enabling co-existence and co-location in shared island marine governance) with UCC. Heather currently supervises 4 PhD students. She is Co-Champion of the School’s Athena SWAN initiative and is a Chartered Town Planner with the Irish Planning Institute (IPI), where she serves on both the Marine Spatial Planning Committee and the Northern Branch. Heather has recently taken up an External Examiner post at the University of Birmingham.
BLUE ECONOMY FUTURES
INDUSTRY PANEL
Speakers TBD