Personal profile
Profile Summary
Dr Melissa Marques-McEwan is Assistant Professor of Sustainable and Circular Businesses at Heriot-Watt University, Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, and Head of Sustainable and Circular Innovation Lab. Her research focusses on how businesses leverage reuse, sharing, remanufacturing, and recycling for competitive advantage and the transition to circular, sustainable systems.
Education & Background: She holds a BEng in Manufacturing Engineering from UFSCar (2017) and a PhD in Management from Heriot-Watt University (2022), with a thesis on the interplay between Circular Economy and Productivity.
Research Projects: Since 2021, Melissa has collaborated with dozens of organisations on funded projects including reuse in decommissioning (Scottish Institute of Remanufacturing), circular chemicals research (UKRI), and cold chain business models in Rwanda (UNEP). In 2024-25, she delivered a comparative analysis of circular economy policies in Scotland and the Netherlands (Scotland Beyond Net Zero, with Universities of Aberdeen and Dundee).
Knowledge Exchange & Policy Impact: Melissa led three circular economy knowledge exchange events across Glasgow, Aberdeen, and Edinburgh in 2023-24 (Scottish Universities Insights Institute). She served as expert witness to the Scottish Parliament during scrutiny of the Circular Economy (Scotland) Bill in 2023.
Teaching: She lectures on Managing Business Performance and Systems Thinking and Analysis at Heriot-Watt University.
Expertise related to UN Sustainable Development Goals
In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This person’s work contributes towards the following SDG(s):
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SDG 8 Decent Work and Economic Growth -
SDG 9 Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure -
SDG 11 Sustainable Cities and Communities -
SDG 12 Responsible Consumption and Production -
SDG 13 Climate Action
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Collaborations and top research areas from the last five years
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Advancing Circular Industrial Practices: A Comparison of Logics in Scotland and the Netherlands
Marques-McEwan, M., Farooqi, S., Robson, I., Paterson, A. S., Jackson, W. J., Souter, N. & Elsaesser, L., 2026, Advances in Production Management Systems. Cyber-Physical-Human Production Systems: Human-AI Collaboration and Beyond. APMS 2025. Mizuyama, H., Morinaga, E., Nonaka, T., Kaihara, T., von Cieminski, G. & Romero, D. (eds.). Springer, p. 61-75 15 p. (IFIP Advances in Information and Communication Technology; vol. 768).Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution
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Reimagining changeovers as a key value-adding business capability
Gungor, Z. E., Inan, G. G., Marques-McEwan, M., Evans, S. & Bititci, U. S., 4 Apr 2026, In: Production Planning and Control. 37, 5, p. 481-498 18 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile34 Downloads (Pure) -
Can Scotland deliver on circular economy, social upgrading, and internationalisation? Insights from a knowledge exchange initiative
Marques-McEwan, M., Bititci, U. S., MacBryde, J., Paterson, A., Arshed , N., Jackson, W. & Oyelakin, J., Nov 2024, Heriot-Watt University. 24 p.Research output: Book/Report › Commissioned report
Open AccessFile100 Downloads (Pure) -
Exploring Theoretical Perspectives on the Relationship Between the Reporting of Circular Economy Initiatives and Financial Performance in the German Context
Marques-McEwan, M. & Türnau, J., 7 Sept 2024, Advances in Production Management Systems. Production Management Systems for Volatile, Uncertain, Complex, and Ambiguous Environments. APMS 2024. Thürer, M., Riedel, R., von Cieminski, G. & Romero, D. (eds.). Springer, p. 142-156 15 p. (IFIP Advances in Information and Communication Technology; vol. 728).Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution
2 Link opens in a new tab Citations (Scopus) -
Completing the puzzle: how can circular business systems emerge from chaotic pieces?
Marques-McEwan, M., Xu, B. & Bititci, U. S., 1 Jul 2023. 10 p.Research output: Contribution to conference › Paper › peer-review
Prizes
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Best Developmental Paper Award
Marques-McEwan, M. (Recipient), 2021
Prize: Prize (including medals and awards)
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Heriot-Watt PRIME Sustainable Futures
Marques-McEwan, M. (Recipient) & Xu, B. (Recipient), 2024
Prize: Prize (including medals and awards)
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Evaluation of the Clean Growth Innovation Community (CGIC) Programme
Marques-McEwan, M. (Consultant) & Fonseca, A. P. (Consultant)
2025Activity: Consultancy
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Circular Economy in Scotland: Drivers and Challenges
Marques-McEwan, M. (Speaker)
14 Nov 2024Activity: Talk or presentation › Invited talk
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External Examiner MSc Circular Economy
Marques-McEwan, M. (Examiner)
2024 → 2026Activity: Examination and Supervision › External Examiner
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Circular Economy – Challenges that you will help solve in the workplace
Marques-McEwan, M. (Speaker) & Fonseca, A. P. (Speaker)
6 Nov 2024Activity: Talk or presentation › Invited talk
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A Circular Scotland in Europe
Marques-McEwan, M. (Organiser), Paterson, A. (Organiser), MacBryde, J. (Organiser), Bititci, U. S. (Organiser), Arshed, N. (Organiser), Jackson, W. (Organiser), Robson, I. (Invited speaker), Maguire, S. (Invited speaker), Bosga, J. (Invited speaker), Eschavarri-Bravo, V. (Invited speaker), Kalverkamp, M. (Invited speaker), Gazzola, P. (Invited speaker), Lewis, M. (Invited speaker), Potting, J. (Invited speaker), Lesniewska, F. (Invited speaker), Mathias, N. (Invited speaker), McCulloch, C. (Invited speaker), Morgan, M. (Invited speaker), Groves, M. (Invited speaker), Sheerin, P. (Invited speaker), Velenturf, A. (Invited speaker), Walpole, G. (Invited speaker), Wilson, L. (Invited speaker), Woods, C. (Invited speaker), Wallace, M. (Invited speaker) & Oyelakin, J. (Member of programme committee)
2023 → 2024Activity: Participating in or organising an event › Participation in workshop, seminar, course