Lee Jowett MSc, MA, PGCE
Climate Change and Sustainability Fellow
Summary
I am a Climate Change and Sustainability Research Fellow in the Sheffield Institute of Education Research and Knowledge Exchange. My interests focus on climate and sustainability education within all educational settings from early years through to higher education and into lifelong learning. I work in a local and national context, often with external partners to create and deliver climate education programmes, including curriculum materials, facilitating quality assurance and researching the impact of climate and sustainable learning.
About
Following my first degree in Zoology, I worked as a secondary science teacher in Sheffield for ten years. Having completed the Science Additional Specialist Programme (SASP) I particularly focussed on physics up to KS5. Before starting at Sheffield Hallam, I led a climate education team in a local authority for nine years working directly with over 100 schools.
As a Climate Change and Sustainability Fellow I am particularly interested in how climate change education is currently delivered in the English education system and how we can use the Department for Education’s sustainability and climate education strategy to drive meaningful change.
I have worked with teachers and the wider school community, local authorities, government, and other education organisations including NGOs. I have a strength in partnership working with others developing professional development as well as practical whole school projects that engages climate literacy.
I lead on climate change and sustainability within the Institute of Education (SIoE) at Sheffield Hallam University both within the university and outward facing programmes. I lead the sustainable schools’ network – a forum for practitioners and researchers to share research and enquiry to support capacity building.
I have previously worked with a wide range of national and international organisations including: the ASE, NAEE, Earthwatch, WWF, Ashden, Eco-Schools, Salix and Learning through Landscapes.
Teaching
College of Social Sciences and Arts
Research
• What makes good climate education?
• Professional development in climate education for all
Publications
Reports
Jowett, L., Halliday, J., Bullough, A., Perry, E., & Booth, J. (2024). Investigating teachers’ use of information about cutting edge research. STEM learning. https://research.shu.ac.uk/sustainability/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2025/01/Teachers-use-of-cutting-edge-climate-change-research.docx
Other publications
Jowett, L., & Hauton, J. (2023). Case study: Tackling the climate emergency agenda in a SEND school.
Other activities
- I am a Chartered Science Teacher (CSCiTeach) with the Association for Science Education (ASE).
- I am Deputy Director for the National Association for Environmental Education (NAEE) - voluntary role.
- I am a Chair of a Multi-Academy Trust and also Chair of Governors in a junior school both in Leicester City.