Whitney Fleming is a researcher with expertise in environmental psychology, human-nature interactions, and well-being. Her work explores how biodiversity, social factors, and accessibility shape experiences in natural environments. She employs interdisciplinary methods, including quantitative large-scale survey techniques, experimental studies, and qualitative analysis to assess engagement with nature. 

Research Interests

• Human-Nature Interactions and Well-Being 

• Access to Nature

• Sense of Place

• Environmental Perceptions and Governance 

• Environmental Stewardship and Behavior

• Science Understanding and Misconceptions 

Module Contributor for: 

• Module ONS-1001: Environmental data & analysis
• Module DXX-2009: Conservation Practice
• Module DXX-3701: Dissertation
• Module DXX-3801: Human Aspects of Conservation
• Module ENS-4205: Management planning
• Module ENS-4318: Social Issues in Forest Mgt.

PhD Students

• Joe Roy ESRC- WGSS (Welsh Graduate School for Social Scinces) PhD student in studying human wellbeing and biodiversity in soundscapes. 

Current 

• Leverhulme Trust - The effects of biodiversity on human wellbeing in soundscapes
• UKRI – Mobilizing Community Assets to reduce Health Inequalities Programme (Deaf Health) 

Past

• Zuckerman STEM Leadership Program  – Zuckerman Postdoctoral Scholar Fellowship 

Available Project

Deadline for applications: 5 pm, 30^th April 2025

 The School of Environmental and Natural Sciences at Bangor University and the Friends of Treborth Botanic Garden are pleased to announce 2 bursaries (of £2,000 each) to support self-funding applicants to complete a Masters by Research (MScRes) degree on topics of relevance to the mission of Treborth Botanic Garden. The bursaries will partly offset the fees payable to Bangor University for the completion of the degree and are generously made available by the Friends of Treborth Botanic Garden.

If you’d like to apply, please follow these steps:

1. Contact the me by email at [email protected] to discuss your interest in the project and your academic background.
2. Prepare your application consisting of:
   1. Current academic CV;
   2. Personal statement (500 words or less) outlining your background, motivation for pursuing a postgraduate research qualification, and your specific interest in the project you are applying for);
   3. The names and contact details of 2 academic references.
3. Email your formal application to me by 5 pm on 30^th April 2025.

Following the closing deadline supervisors will select their top applicant and may or may not wish to interview you in the process. The winners of the two bursaries (chosen between the top applicants of the three projects) will be selected by an independent panel. Applicants and supervisors will be informed of the outcome by the end of May 2025.

Project Description

Title: Nature's Symphony: exploring the wellbeing benefits of directed listening

Lead supervisor: Whitney Fleming ([email protected], School of Environmental and Natural Sciences) 

Co-supervisor(s): Tyler Hallman (School of Environmental and Natural Sciences)

Rationale and Research Questions 

Studies exploring benefits derived from nature are dominated by the effects of visual stimuli, yet engagement with the natural world involves multiple senses. This project will explore how aspects of soundscapes and directed listening influence wellbeing in nature. Specifically, we will ask:  

(1) How does the composition of soundscapes containing both natural and anthropogenic components affect wellbeing?  

2) Does directed attention toward specific elements of soundscapes influence wellbeing?  

Methodological Approach 

The student will conduct experimental trials where participants are taken on a structured walk through Treborth Botanical Garden and instructed to focus on soundscapes (Figure 1). Using an experimental design modified from Fleming et al., 2024, each participant will be directed at the beginning of the walk to pay attention to either 1) natural sounds, 2) anthropogenic sounds, or 3) sounds in general (Figure 2). The student will assess the wellbeing outcomes of the walk for each participant using qualitative interviews. How participants describe their experience will be coded using thematic analysis and compared for each experimental group. During the walk, recordings will be taken to characterize the real auditory environment using acoustic indices that capture and differentiate between anthropogenic and natural sounds (e.g., Kasten et al., 2012; Boelman et al. 2007). To assess the relationship between perceived soundscapes and real environmental conditions, qualitative responses will be compared between treatment groups and between participants experiencing similar real-world soundscapes based on recorded audio. As part of a larger study, wellbeing outcomes will also be assessed through close-ended survey questions and physiological measurements that the student can use to inform their findings. Findings from this study could inform urban green space design that enhances sensory experiences and supports nature-based mental health interventions.

If you have queries about the application process, you can contact:

Dr Alex Georgiev (College Director of Postgraduate Research Studies of the College of Science and Engineering) at [email protected]