Leanne Townsend

Leanne currently works within the dot.rural Hub at the University of Aberdeen, Scotland, exploring how digital technologies can transform rural communities and economies. The work of dot.rural is funded under the RCUK Digital Economy programme. She leads the social research on various RCUK-funded projects. Her current interests include the rural creative economy; marginalised groups; crafting communities; rural cultural performance; social media for communities of practice; divided communities and digital culture.

Leanne has published on the role of broadband for rural communities and enterprises; she sits on the editorial board at Local Economy, and on the board of directors at Scottish Sculpture Workshop. She has successfully led a number of knowledge exchange activities and brought together new collaborative networks. Leanne works collaboratively with communities to co-produce relevant research which seeks to action positive change and to innovate academic understandings.