Insights

Active Research Projects

With a wide range of research interests, Claire uses her polymath capacity to bring qualitative and quantitative methodologies together to gain insight to relevant and impactful issues across the events and wider business sector.

Event Decision-Making

On-event decision making is the core of Claire’s PhD research. Working with The Power of Events and Silverstone Circuits, Claire is developing a model for effective decision making in a crisis.

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The Value of the Outdoor Events Sector

Commissioned by the Purple Guide (Events Industry Forum), this significant study aims to robustly value the UK outdoor events sector and supply chain. The results will be shared across the sector and with Government to lobby for more engagement and support. This is delivered in partnership with The Power of Events.

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Learning & Teaching Innovation Project – Operation Nexus+

In collaboration with colleagues in Criminal Justice, Claire is developing an innovative simulation experience to develop skills in decision making, planning and crisis response. Having delivered the pilot in 2025, the plans are underway for the 2026 simulation which will expand to include tourism, hospitality and marketing students.

EDI Longitudinal Study

Running over 3 years, Claire and her colleague, Ivna Reic, are evaluating attitudes to equality, diversity and inclusion to identify the impacts of specific cultural inclusion initiatives within the curriculum.

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Agile Practice IRL

As part of the 80% Awesome approach, Claire continues to explore the application of Agile practices in real life to parenting, goal setting, relationships, and personal development.

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Market Research

Commissioned by MUTI Live, this market research seeks to evaluate the market for skills development and training in the cultural and events sectors in the UK. The research will also test the market interest in the new AI-driven simulation.

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Publications

Coming soon…

Decision-Making in Events: a brand new text, fully authored by Claire and based on her PhD thesis. Coming in 2027.

In her work with The Power of Events, Claire has also published two further pieces of research – one on US Client Behaviours (with Excel London) and one exploring event management education (with the Association for Event Management Education).

Latest

Over the last quarter, Claire has mainly been working on her PhD research and collaborating with The Power of Events, Silverstone Circuits, and other partners. For more information on Claire’s research activity, please have a look at her ORCID profile.

A summary of Claire’s research is available via the Centre for Events and Festivals Resources, together with a podcast discussing the issues, challenges and opportunities within on-event decision making.

Previous publications

Speaking & Presenting

Next up…

Claire is currently working on her PhD data collection and analysis as well as developing two training experiences based on her research – one live, one virtual. This is leading to a Live Event Control Simulation project working with Silverstone and colleagues in Criminal Justice whose students will then investigate the event, leading to learning and insights through a valuable and deep “as real” experience.

Latest activity

Starting with the Event Tech Forum in May and talking about the robots taking over, Claire has been busy with the conference season this year. Presentations have strongly focused on her PhD findings with application in live simulation learning, AI-driven simulation and cross-curricular collaboration.

November saw a fantastic double header panel session on “When S*** Goes Wrong” at Event Buyers Live which is leading to a forthcoming white paper on on-event resilience and preparations to manage issues and crises.

Claire spoke at the inaugural Event Management Conference in Orlando on the topic of her PhD research to date with initial findings and implications for decision making in events management. (18 June 2024)

She was a panelist with The Power of Events at The Meetings Show at ExCeL London, discussing the value of data to inform decisions and growth. (20 June 2024)

Claire also presented her research at the Association of Event Management Education Forum at Sheffield Hallam University as well as facilitating discussions in her role as Chair of the Research Special Interest Group. (3 July 2024)

Previous engagements

  • UON Research Conference 2025
  • iLEAD at Kings College London 2025
  • UON Learning & Teaching Conference 2025
  • The Meetings Show 2024 & 2025
  • Event Tech Forum 2025
  • Association of Event Management Education Forum 2015, 2016, 2022, 2023, 2024 & 2025
  • Event Management Journal Conference 2024 (Orlando)
  • Event Buyers Live 2022 & 2024
  • AEME/CHME/ATHE – Future of events, tourism & hospitality conference 2023
  • Advance HE – EDI Conference 2024
  • Event Technology Live 2023
  • Event Production Show & International Confex 2023 & 2024
  • Military Wives Choirs Foundation Conference 2016
  • Thrive Bath Conference (Chair) 2016
  • Thrive Third Sector 2017 & 2018
  • Agile on the Beach 2017 & 2018
  • Local Government Event Teams Symposium 2017
  • Spring Forward 2019
  • Global Scrum Alliance Gathering – Vienna – October 2019
  • Leisure Studies Association Conference 2021
  • UON Learning & Teaching Conference 2023