Personal statement

A Visiting Scholar at the Centre for Writing and Environment at Bath Spa since Jan 2011, I retired from the University of Leeds in 2004 as Reader in Literature and Environment and Director of Research in the School of Performance and Cultural Industries where I taught Creative Writing. In this role I introduced practice-based PhD programmes at Leeds in Theatre, in Dance and in Creative Writing. For twenty-one years, until 2008, I was Founding Director of the annual International Festival of Mountaineering Literature.

I am also currently Profesor Honorifico at the Universidad de Alicante, Spain, where I co-supervise PhD students in ecocriticism and conduct research with staff in English. I am also a member of the Spanish research group GIECO (literature and environment) based at the University of Alcala.

Author of seven collections of poetry, several books of ecocriticism, a collection of climbing journalism, I also edited the complete works of John Muir in two volumes, and have written or edited five books on Ted Hughes.

 
  • PhD Lancaster University

Professional qualifications

  • 1993 Ph.D. English Literature, Beyond Pastoral Poetry: Notions of Nature in Poetry 1942-1992, University of Lancaster.
  • 1978 M.A. English Literature (by thesis: The Poetry of Ted Hughes), University of Sheffield.
  • 1973 B.Ed. Hons (II:i) in English and Education, University of Lancaster.
  • 1967 Certificate of Education (Education and English) with Distinction in Education Practice, Sheffield City College of Education.

Professional memberships

  • Ted Hughes Society.
  • Association for Studies in Literature and Environment, UKI and USA branches
  • D. H. Lawrence Society
  • John Muir Trust
  • Scottish Wild Land Group