Natalie is a Climate and Sustainability in the Curriculum Officer within the Estates Directorate.

Can you tell us a little about your role?

I've been at Queen’s for eight years, but I joined the Sustainability Team in October 2024 to take up a brand new post as Climate and Sustainability in the Curriculum Officer. The role was created to support Queen’s transition to Net Zero, with a focus on what that means for education.

My background is in educational change, so this is a fascinating role - full of variety, creativity, and purpose. I lead on Education for Sustainable Development across the university, working with colleagues to make sustainability a meaningful part of teaching, learning, and student experience. 

I work across different areas, from curriculum design to staff development, civic engagement and student partnerships, because the challenges we face now, and those coming, do not sit neatly in one place. We cannot keep doing things the way we always have. This role is about making space to think differently and then acting on it. 

You can really feel things changing.

What does a typical day look like for you?

No two days are the same, and that is one of the things I enjoy most about the role. I might be developing training to support staff with the knowledge and confidence to make change in their own areas, creating curriculum guidance, or building connections through communities of practice. 

Right now, a big part of my work is focused on Living Labs. I am working with colleagues in Natural Built Environment, Biological Sciences, and Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering to create hands-on opportunities for students to explore how Queen’s, as an organisation, is adapting to the climate crisis. There is nothing quite like seeing things in practice.

Through Living Labs, we are linking learning to real-world change - through site visits, data analysis, project development, and experimental interventions. Some of my days are creative and fast-paced. Others are about quietly building the conditions that help good ideas take root. Most days involve a lot of collaboration, purposeful conversations and coffee!

What do you find most rewarding about your role?

I love it when people begin to see sustainability as something they can influence, not just a tick-box exercise or something they are expected to know about. Whether it is a staff member spotting where they can make a change in their teaching, or a student realising their research can connect to real decisions on campus, those moments really matter. 

Sustainability can sometimes feel too big to tackle, but once people take that first step, it starts to open up. They begin to see the possibilities, not just within their subject, but in how they could work with others. It is even more powerful when that energy is shared across disciplines. When, say, a business student partners with someone in health or engineering, you see new thinking emerge.  

This role allows me to work across disciplines and with people at all levels, which means I get to see ideas grow from early conversations into something concrete. A lot of the work happens quietly, nudging things into place, connecting the right people, but when it clicks, it’s fantastic. 

There is something powerful about helping people see their work differently and knowing that those small changes are part of something much bigger. 

Can you share a memorable experience or milestone moment during your time at Queen’s?

One of the most memorable moments was leading the university-wide curriculum mapping on sustainability. We reviewed more than 2,900 modules, and it was fascinating to see how much meaningful, values-driven teaching was already happening across Queen’s, often quietly, and without being recognised as part of the sustainability story. (I would love to do quite a few of those modules!) 

That work became the foundation for our first Education for Sustainable Development Framework, which was approved in 2025. It gives us a clear structure for embedding sustainability across teaching, staff development, student engagement, and academic systems. It has become our blueprint for where we go next. 

About Natalie

Outside of work, what hobbies or activities do you enjoy?

I love being outdoors, especially on my e-bike. My commute runs along the river, and there is something about the rhythm of it, the changing seasons, the quiet, the way people say hello; it’s a lovely way to start and end the day. And it is hard not to smile when you pass ducklings on the towpath. 

I like borrowing instead of buying. Books from the library, tools from the Belfast Tool Library, more thoughtful choices about how I live. Not perfectly, but with intention. I also love a good audiobook, slow breakfasts, and the kind of stationery drawer that makes you feel like you have got your life together. It’s the little things that make a difference! 

What advice or insight would you share with someone new to Queen’s? 

Start small. You do not have to fix everything at once or know exactly where to begin. Find something you care about, ask questions, and look for the people who are thinking along the same lines. You will find them. 

Queen’s is a big place, and it can feel complex at times, but it is also full of people who want to do meaningful work. Some of the best things I have been part of started with a conversation. Usually one that began with, "I wonder if we could..." 

And if something does not make sense, say so. Chances are, you are not the only one thinking it. There is real scope to rethink how we do things, especially when it comes to making our work more environmentally sustainable. A well-timed question can sometimes open up a completely different way forward.