Kate R. Johnson

My research interests are focused on the ‘Blue Economy’ and the human uses of marine resources - their planning, management and conservation. This includes an understanding of maritime industries (such as marine renewable energy), their impacts and the legal frameworks under which they operate (jurisdiction, law and regulation).  I have worked as PI on a number of large EU funded research projects designed to increase understanding of ecosystem based management and marine planning including:

MESMA (Monitoring and Evaluation of Spatially Managed Areas) EU FP7 Funded €8m. 2010-2014

MARIBE (Marine Investment in the Blue Economy) EU H2020 Funded €2m. 2014-2017

Kate graduated as a civil engineer in 1967 and worked for over thirty years in the international construction business holding senior management positions including those of overseas director and managing director. Kate was awarded her PhD by Heriot-Watt University in 2004 with a thesis entitled ‘Perspectives on inshore fisheries - case studies in conflict, participation and cooperation’. She joined Heriot‐Watt University (HWU) in 2009 as a Research Fellow before leading the HWU role in an EU FP7 funded multi-partner project to design and test a generic model for marine spatial planning across Europe. She was made Assistant Professor in 2013 and researches the emerging ocean economy (Blue Economy and Blue Growth). She also teaches at postgraduate level leading MSc programmes in marine planning and development. Projects also include the EU H2020 funded MARIBE (Marine Investment in the Blue Economy) Project completed in 2017. She retains a strong international interest with recent work in Ecuador, Vanuatu and Philippines as well as across Europe.