Teaching
I have been teaching in the new MSc of Energy Policy and Finance in the modules Energy and Climate Justice as well as Energy and Climate Change Policy. I have previously convened the SD honours modules Nature of Political Ecology and Extractive Environments and contributed to several undergraduate Geography and SD modules at the University of St 糖心logo. I have supervised students on topics including transition challanges, the energy trilemma, land governance and resource extraction. I have also acted as external examiner for dissertation projects in Environment and Development Studies at the Norwegian University of Life Sciences, where I tought introduction courses during my PhD project (2015-2020).
Research areas
I am a Geographer with a background in environmental and development studies (PhD, Norwegian University of Life Sciences) and Social Sciences (MSc, Lund University). I am researching land and resource conflicts associated with decarbonisation and national net zero ambitions particularly in infrastructurally remote regions. In this work, I seek to foster cross-sectoral engagement and collaboration with community groups to build transition pathways in place. I have recently co-led the Inclusive and Sustainable Futures for Scotland project, funded by the Scottish Council for Global Affairs, bringing together Scottish scholars studying alternative, more transformative sustainability strategies. Previously, I have conducted research with communities on the Scottish Islands to explore ongoing restrictions and possible solutions to the central energy grid in delivering social and environmental benefits to the region. This project Beyond a grid constrained world has been supported by the Scottish Research Alliance for Energy, Homes and Livelihoods. I have also co-led the interdisciplinary research project Community priorities in the creation of sustainable futures: an exploration of community-led decision making in peatland restoration projects in rural Scotland which sought to understand the potentials and challenges for communities to make decisions reflecting own socio-economic but also ecological interests in the case of peatland restoration and carbon offsetting.
I have a track record of working with rural communities researching how they challenge expert-led environmental management uncovering often hidden pollical interests. My book critically analyses the environmental impact assessment as a tool to legitimise controversial energy infrastructure and proposes the Energy Data Justice Framework to more systematically assess energy projects.
PhD supervision
- Ewan Jenkins
Selected publications
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Open access
Helmcke, C., Hooker, S., Roney-Dougal, C., Skrzypek, E., Reid, L., Wishart, L. J., Russell, S., High, M., Lawson, I., Cole, L., Hope, J., Sfrappini, E., Christie, E., Paul, F., Mallows, C., Auxtova, K., Twist, B. & Gregnanin, G., Mar 2026, 5 p. Online : Scottish Government.
Research output: Other contribution
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Open access
Helmcke, C., Christie, E., Twist, B., Mallows, C., Roney-Dougal, C., Sfrappini, E., Skrzypek, E., Paul, F., Gregnanin, G., Joubert, G., Lawson, I., Hope, J., Auxtova, K., Reid, L., Wishart, L. J., Cole, L. E. S., High, M., Conlan, P. J., Hooker, S. & Russell, S., 27 Mar 2026, Online: University of St 糖心logo. 11 p.
Research output: Book/Report 鈥� Commissioned report
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Open access
Helmcke, C., Cole, L. E. S. & MacMillan, J., 17 Apr 2026
Research output: Non-textual form 鈥� Digital or Visual Products
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Helmcke, C. & Calvillo-Munoz, C., 4 Aug 2026, Island Energy vs Energy Islands.
Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding 鈥� Conference contribution
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Open access
Helmcke, C., Hooker, S., Roney-Dougal, C., Skrzypek, E., Reid, L., Wishart, L. J., Russell, S., High, M., Lawson, I., Cole, L. E. S., Hope, J., Sfrappini, E., Christie, E., Paul, F., Auxtova , K., Gregnanin, G., Twist, B. & Mallows, C., Mar 2026, 8 p. Online : Scottish Government.
Research output: Other contribution
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Open access
Christie, E., Helmcke, C., Twist, B., Mallows, C., Roney-Dougal, C., Sfrappini, E., Skrzypek, E., Paul, F., Gregnanin, G., Joubert, G., Lawson, I., Hope, J., Auxtova, K., Reid, L., Wishart, L., Cole, L., High, M., Conlan, P., Hooker, S. & Russell, S., 13 Aug 2026, Online: Scottish Council on Global Affairs. (State of the world)
Research output: Book/Report 鈥� Commissioned report
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Helmcke, C., 16 Jun 2026, Misplaced transition politics: Reimagining the energy system at the frictions of net zero in the Scottish Isles.
Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding 鈥� Conference contribution
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Open access
Helmcke, C., 4 Jun 2025, UK Parliament. 3 p.
Research output: Book/Report 鈥� Other report
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Helmcke, C., High, M., Sapochetti, L. & Sudmant, A., 16 Jul 2025, (Submitted)
Research output: Other contribution
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Helmcke, C., High, M. M., Skrzypek, E. & Sudmant, A., 22 Oct 2025, Scottish Government.
Research output: Other contribution