Cheryl Willis

School: College of Life and Environmental Sciences
Department: Geography & Politics
Research Centre/Unit: Centre for Sport, Leisure & Tourism Research & Centre for Rural Policy Research

I graduated from Keele University in 1996 with a BA Dual (Hons) degree in French & Geography and after a brief period in the world of finance, I completed an MSc in International Development form the University of Bath in 2002. This fuelled my enthusiasm for further researching the motivations and meanings embraced by tourist experiences, the non-economic value of tourism and how local participation in political and planning processes can work best to achieve sustainable ends. I have researched these themes in practical settings during two work placements in Peru and consultancy work throughout the UK. Most recently, I have worked in Local Authorities on rural development and Third Sector policy issues.

I started this ESRC and Dorset County Council funded PhD in November 2009 which brings together many of my research interests.