Who we are

The Balance Network was created and funded at a highly interdisciplinary EPSRC-run “sandpit” event on the theme of achieving work/life balance in a digitally dependent world. Our team involves academic investigators, advisors and support staff, as well as activity co-leads across 20+ UK universities.

Investigators and advisors

Dr. Rosie Robison

Principal Investigator

Rosie is a Senior Research Fellow at the Global Sustainability Institute at Anglia Ruskin University, and co-leads the Balance Network. She was also a Co-Investigator on one of the Network’s Sister Projects (Digital Epiphanies). An interdisciplinary academic with a background in mathematics, her research focusses on sustainable consumption. She is interested in how digital technologies are changing how we organise our lives, with impacts on wellbeing and sustainability.

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Prof. David Kirk

Co-Investigator

David is Professor of Digital Living in the School of Computer and Information Science at Northumbria University, and co-leads the Balance Network. He was also Principal Investigator on one of the Network’s Sister Projects (Family Rituals 2.0). He works in the area of Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) studying the design of interactive (computational) technologies and leading the University’s ‘Digital Living’ Multidisciplinary Research Theme as well as coordinating a new community of Human-Computer Interaction Researchers

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Beverly Leeds

Founding Investigator

Beverly co-founded the Balance Network whilst Principal Lecturer and Lead Academic For E-Learning at the University of Central Lancashire. She has 18 years of experience in Higher Education and 16 years’ experience in the IT industry as a systems design consultant and project manager. She has worked with a wide range of organisations and retains links with industry by providing client projects for her students and setting authentic learning assessments based on real organisations.

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Dr. Chris Foulds

Advisor

Chris is a Senior Research Fellow at Anglia Ruskin’s Global Sustainability Institute and is an interdisciplinary Environmental Social Scientist by background. He has acted as advisor to the Balance Network, and is an Associate both the University of East Anglia’s Science, Society and Sustainability (3S) Research Group and the University of Cambridge’s Centre for Science and Policy.

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Support

Stephanie Cziczo

Communications Coordinator

Stephanie was Communications Coordinator of the Balance Network from summer 2015 to early 2017 whilst an MSc student at Anglia Ruskin University. She has extensive university experience, including events and communications for The Earth Institute, Columbia University. She holds a Master of Public Administration from Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs.

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Joana Rodrigues

Assistant

Joana provided support to the Balance Network from May 2016 for events, post-event reports, and website. With a background in health sciences, her particular interests include the development of health technologies and exploring the management of relationships in the digital age. Joana is currently completing a Biomedical Science degree and is keen to move into research in the sustainability field following this.

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Victoria Circus

Assistant

Victoria assisted with the Balance Network’s ‘Beyond Balance’ event in London and has helped with the reporting of the network’s outputs and development of the new website. She is currently doing her PhD in sustainability education at The University of Sheffield.

Samantha Holder

Projects coordinator

Sam is a Projects Coordinator at Anglia Ruskin University. She has ably supported the Balance Network’s budgeting and financial reporting.

Greta Poskute

Assistant

Greta provided invaluable support in setting up the Balance Network website and social media feeds whilst a final year Public Relations student at University of Central Lancashire.