Dr Niamh Murtagh

Biography

Niamh is currently Research Fellow on the EPSRC-funded REDUCE programme which is exploring energy management behaviour in the home and workplace in relation to innovative monitoring technology. Prior to her role on REDUCE, Niamh was Research Fellow on RESOLVE, the ESRC-funded investigation into sustainable lifestyles. Her PhD, on the topic of voluntary career change, was completed at the University of Surrey. In parallel, she worked as a Career Coach. Niamh's first degree was in Computer Science, from University College Dublin, National University of Ireland. She worked in software in a variety of industries in Ireland and the UK, including electricity and telecommunications, and has achieved Chartered Engineer and Chartered Information Technology Practitioner status. Alongside her roles as IT Strategy Manager and Systems Architect, she completed an MSc in Software Engineering at the University of Brighton.

Research Interests

A common research interest through all of Niamh’s work is that of change, with a particular interest in identity. She has found evidence for threatened identities as motivators of change in careers, and for threatened identities related to resistance to change in the area of transport. Her on-going research is exploring identities, self-determined motivation and other factors influencing change to more environmentally responsible behaviour. A second theme of interest (perhaps inevitable due to her background in software engineering) is technology and behaviour. In addition, her PhD research focused in part on decision-making in real-world contexts.

Research Collaborations

Research collaborations include the Centre for Environmental Sustainability (CES) and the Centre for Communications Systems Research (CCSR) at Surrey; Queen’s University Belfast; Catholic University of Portugal.

Publications

Murtagh, N, Gatersleben, B. & Uzzell, D. (in press) Identity Threat and Resistance to Change: Evidence and Implications from Transport-Related Behaviour. In R. Jaspal & G. Breakwell (Eds) Identity Process Theory: Identity, Social Action and Social Change. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press

Coyle, A. & Murtagh, N. (in press) Exploring the Use of Identity Process Theory in Qualitative Identity Research. In R.Jaspal & G. Breakwell (Eds) Identity Process Theory: Identity, Social Action and Social Change. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press

Murtagh, N., Gatersleben, B. & Uzzell, D. (2012) Self-identity threat and resistance to change: Evidence on regular travel behaviour. Journal of Environmental Psychology. 32(4):318-326. doi:10.1016/j.jenvp.2012.05.008.

Murtagh, N., Gatersleben, B. & Uzzell, D. (2012) Multiple identities and travel mode choice for regular journeys. Transportation Research Part F. 15(5):514-524. doi:10.1016/j.trf.2012.05.002

Gatersleben, B., Murtagh, N. & Abrahamse, W. (2012) Values, identity and pro-environmental behaviour. Contemporary Social Science. Online May 2012. doi:10.1080/21582041.2012.682086

Murtagh, N., Lopes, P.N. & Lyons, E. (2011) Decision making in voluntary career change: An other-than-rational perspective. Career Development Quarterly. 59(3):249-263

Murtagh, N., Lopes, P.N. & Lyons, E. (2007) What makes a career barrier a barrier? Industrial and Commercial Training. 39(6): 332-339  

Other Publications

The Psychologist (2012) When it comes to how I travel, who am I? Feature in Gatersleben, B. The Psychology of Sustainable Transport, 25(9)

BBC News Surrey (2010) Flight disruption 'like hearing you are ill', academics claim.
[http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-surrey-12099563 Accessed on 31/12/2010]

THE (2011) Campus round-up: It makes you sick. [http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/story.asp?sectioncode=26&storycode=414731&c=1 Accessed on 6/1/2011]

Research featured in Woodside, C. (2011) It isn’t easy being green. Nature Climate Change 1(1):13–15 doi:10.1038/nclimate1076
http://www.nature.com/nclimate/journal/v1/n1/full/nclimate1076.html

Affiliations

Chartered Psychologist

Chartered Engineer

Chartered Information Systems Practitioner

Member of the British Psychological Society: Social Psychology Section, Special Interest Group in Coaching, Occupational Division

Member of the British Computer Society

Presentations and Posters

Recent Presentations

Murtagh, N., Domecka, M, Al-Azzawi, R., Gatersleben, B. & Uzzell, D. (2012) Individual behaviour, policies and culture: Multiple approaches to sustainability at work. Going Green Working Group Annual Conference, London. November 8th

Murtagh, N., Gatersleben, B. & Uzzell, D. (2012) ‘When it comes to how I travel, who am I?’ Identity, Behaviour and Resistance to Change in Regular Travel. The 5th International Conference on Traffic and Transport Psychology, Groningen. 29-31st August

Murtagh, N., Gatersleben, B. & Uzzell, D. (2012) Identity, Behaviour and Resistance to Change in Regular Travel. The 5th International Conference on Traffic and Transport Psychology. Groningen. 29-31st August

Murtagh, N., Gatersleben, B. & Uzzell, D. (2012) Smart buildings and sustainable behaviour: Psychological factors in engagement with smart energy technology. International Association for People-Environment Studies IAPT2012, Glasgow. 25-29th June

Murtagh, N. (2012) Will technology help or hinder green behaviour? Seminar. School of Psychology, University of Surrey. 27th March

Murtagh, N., Gatersleben, B. & Uzzell, D. (2011) Identity Threat and Resistance to Change: I am the Type of Person who will only travel by Car. RESOLVE Final Conference, London. 15th June

Murtagh, N., Gatersleben, B. & Uzzell, D. (2010) Identity Threat and Resistance to Change:  Evidence in Transport-related Behaviour. The British Psychological Society Social Psychology Conference, Winchester. 7-9th September. Paper as part of symposium on Identity Process Theory.