Esther is a Reader (Associate Professor) in the School of Psychology and Neuroscience at the University of Glasgow, where she heads the Healthy Cognition Lab. She moved to Glasgow in 2015 from Utrecht University.
Esther is an expert in the psychological processes underlying desire for food and drink, and successful behaviour change in the domains of health and sustainability. Her work has been published in prestigious outlets such as the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, Health Psychology, and the International Journal of Obesity, and it is currently funded by the Economic and Social Research Council in the UK. Esther is passionate about combining fundamental laboratory work with field experiments, and about developing effective strategies to enhance people and planet health. Esther teaches on the Psychology of Climate Change.
Currently, Esther’s team focuses on two main issues: 1) How can hydration behaviours (for example, water drinking) be improved among the general public? 2) How can the transition to more sustainable plant-based diets be facilitated, especially by involving mainstream consumers and habitual meat eaters? Esther is a European Citizen, founding member of Parents for Future Scotland, and passionate about addressing the climate emergency and working for climate justice.
Esther K. Papies
