At work
Traffic, transport and environmental psychology
Hello, I'm Ian Walker. I am a Professor of Psychology and Head of the School of Psychology at Swansea University. Before this I was at Surrey University and, for many years before that, worked at the University of Bath. Right now I am heavily involved in the £1.2m UKRI LOCAST project on designing the next generation of human-focused tall buildings.
I am an Environmental Psychologist working across a range of areas, making use of psychological ideas like behaviour change, habits, identities and how our surroundings shape our behaviour. A good way of seeing what I do is to look at my publications. Some highlights of my work to date include:
- Our work on motonormativity - the shared bias that prevents us from judging motorised transport rationally - its causes and its effects on public perceptions. This has also led me to ask whether electric cars are really a motonormative non-solution that don't address most of today's transport problems
- Work on how much energy householders could save if only smart meter energy displays were designed properly
- My slightly infamous work on drivers overtaking cyclists and subsequent work on bicycle helmets
- Work on the built environment, including how occupants are affected by the buildings they inhabit, and what is going on with the people who create buildings
My work has seen me work with UK Central Government (e.g., DfT, DESNZ); Welsh Government and Public Health Wales; Industry (Western Power Distribution, RWE npower, several water companies); other research centres (Transportøkonomisk institutt Norway, many UK and overseas universities); bodies like Cycling England, Natcen and Sustrans; and a lot of local authorities.
- Many £m of research income from UKRI, H2020, Horizon Europe and industry
- Winner of Bath's highest teaching award
- Strategic leadership experience as Head of School, Head of Department and Associate Dean for Research
