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Title: Dr. Job Title: Genomics Forum Policy Research Fellow Tel: 0131 651 4743 Fax: Email: christine.knight@ed.ac.uk Building: St John's Land, Moray House Room Number: 3.08
Christine began work at the Genomics Forum in June 2008. Her background is in literary studies, more recently moving into cultural and food studies. She holds a Bachelor of Arts (Hons) and PhD in English, both from the University of Adelaide, South Australia.
Christine has a longstanding interest in interdisciplinarity and engagement with audiences outside the humanities and social sciences, including policymakers, scientists and the general public. For her PhD she received joint support from, and was based at, the Human Nutrition Division of the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO). Before joining the Genomics Forum Christine worked in government and parliamentary research in South Australia.
Current work
As Policy Research Fellow Christine continues to pursue research and publications building on her PhD, which examined the low-carbohydrate diet trend of the late 1990s/early 2000s via an analysis of popular low-carbohydrate diet books and interviews with dieters. Christine's primary interest is in nostalgia and primitivism in contemporary food and nutrition discourses, and how these relate to genetic and evolutionary explanations for health and disease, especially obesity.
Christine also coordinates engagement with policy audiences on behalf of the Genomics Forum, and supports policy engagement activities across the Genomics Network. She currently manages a workstream on the regulation of embryo research and assisted reproductive technology. This has so far included a major Retrospective on the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act (March 2009) and a workshop at the Genomics Network Conference (October 2009), both designed to bring together social scientists, policymakers and a wide range of other stakeholders. Christine also manages the Democs Synthetic Biology project, which aims to engage the public in debates about the emerging scientific discipline of synthetic biology.
Christine's other activities include responding to consultations and policy enquiries on behalf of the Genomics Forum and Genomics Network; developing and maintaining policy resources on the Genomics Network intranet, and preparing monthly policy e-bulletins for Network researchers; and providing support to the Postgraduate Forum on Genetics and Society.
Christine can respond to enquiries from Network staff seeking support to engage with policy audiences, and from anyone external to the Genomics Network with an interest in the policy implications of our work.
Academic papers
(with Claire Lightowler) ‘Reflections of “knowledge exchange professionals” in the social sciences: emerging opportunities and challenges for university-based knowledge brokers.’ Evidence & Policy. Under review.
‘Natural food in low-carbohydrate diets.’ Journal of Environmental Communication. Forthcoming.
‘Nostalgia and authenticity in low-carbohydrate dieting.’ In Proceedings of the Oxford Symposium on Food and Cookery 2005. Ed. Richard Hosking. Totnes, Devon: Prospect Books, 2006.
‘“The food nature intended you to eat”: low-carbohydrate diets and primitivist philosophy.’ In The Atkins Diet and Philosophy. Ed. Lisa Heldke, Kerri Mommer, and Cynthia Pineo. Chicago: Open Court, 2005.
‘Ada’s piano-playing in Jane Campion’s The Piano: genteel accomplishment or Romantic self-expression?’ Australian Feminist Studies vol. 21 no. 49 (March 2006).
Consultation responses
Genomics Forum response to the Human Genetics Commission consultation on Direct-to-consumer genetic testing services. December 2009 (with Steve Sturdy).
Genomics Forum response to the Nuffield Council on Bioethics consultation on Medical profiling and online medicine. July 2009 (with Simone Rödder and Steve Sturdy).
Genomics Forum response to the BBSRC consultation on Future directions in research relating to food security. July 2009 (with Isabel Fletcher, Emma Frow and David Ingram).
Genomics Forum response to the Scottish Government consultation on Science in Support of Marine, Environment, Rural Affairs and Related Policies. March 2009.
Genomics Network response to the Department for Innovation, Universities & Skills (DIUS) consultation on A vision for science and society. October 2008 (ed.).
Edited briefings
Ken MacLeod. Engaging the public with genomics through literary networks and fan communities. May 2010.
Pippa Goldschmidt. Using creative writing to promote discussion about genomics. October 2009.
John Gillott, Natasha Hammond-Browning and Malcolm Smith. New research on the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 2008. October 2009.
Recent presentations
‘Nostalgia, authenticity and tradition in low-carbohydrate diet discourse.’ British Sociological Association Food Study Group. London, July 2010.
‘Explaining obesity and diabetes in popular diet books: Indigenous nutrition research and the low-carbohydrate diet movement.’ Science and the Public. Imperial College, London, July 2010.
‘“The food nature intended you to eat”: nutritional primitivism and low-carbohydrate dieting.’ Association for the Study of Food and Society. Indiana University, Bloomington, June 2010.
‘“Most people are simply not designed to eat pasta”: evolutionary explanations for obesity in the low-carbohydrate diet movement.’ British Sociological Association. Glasgow Caledonian University, April 2010.
‘The professionalisation of knowledge exchange in the social sciences in the UK: emerging opportunities and challenges.’ Knowledge, Policy and Action working group. Public Policy Network, University of Edinburgh, February 2010.
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