Mark Ferguson’s undergraduate degree was in Environmental Sciences, and postgraduate degree was in Sustainability. This interdisciplinary training focussed on the balance between improving human development while reducing our impacts on the natural environment. Since graduating, Mark’s research has centred on measuring access to green infrastructure and assessing the equitable distribution of environmental benefits.

Mark’s PhD project is titled: Using birth cohorts to understand the impact of urban green space on child health and wellbeing

To do this Mark will produce environmental data to assess contact with nature. He will link this longitudinally to health outcomes amongst children growing up in two UK birth cohorts;

ALSPAC (Bristol) and Born in Bradford. In doing so, he will contribute to the knowledge of mechanisms by which the natural environment may produce improved health outcomes. Focussing upon childhood, he will improve the understanding of if we accrue health benefits during this period, and whether this influences health and wellbeing throughout the life course.

Mark’s particular interests are Environmental Determinants of Health, GIS, Environmental Equity, Measuring and conceptualising contact with Nature.

Funding:

GW4 Biomedical Doctoral Training Partnership – Medical Research Council

External responsibilities:

Research Assistant – Dorset Greenspace Accessibility Mapping Project. A collaborative project between the European Centre of Environment and Human Health and Dorset Public Health.

 Publications:

Ferguson, M, Roberts, HE, McEachan, RC, Dallimer, M. (2018) Contrasting Distributions of Urban Green Infrastructure across Social and Ethno-racial Groups. Landscape and Urban Planning, 175. pp. 136-148. ISSN 0169-2046 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.landurbplan.2018.03.020