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Nico Edwards

Nico, a doctoral researcher in the School of Global Studies, was one of two postgraduate researchers to win the 2024 Adam Weiler PGR Impact Award, which recognises researchers who demonstrate the potential to make a lasting, positive impact with their studies. Her work examining what is driving the move to environmental sustainability in the military industry is original and innovative – find out more:

My research interrogates the rise of military climate action. I look to capture what stories are told to justify - and which interests are driving - the supposed ‘military green transition,’ along with what is at stake for non-military forms of climate action, particularly for climate justice struggles. Combining policy analysis, interviews, reflective diary writing and participant observation from global arms fairs and grassroots organising, I study the drivers and implications of, as well as resistance to, the militarisation of climate change. I take a flexible approach to what constitutes scholarly research – drawing together my roles as researcher, organiser and hobby-writer.

I aim for my work to generate knowledge that is of use to peace, climate and justice movements, to boost collective action against militarism and support peace and climate justice. I also want to build bridges across movements as well as between scholars, artists, practitioners and organisers, and raise public awareness around the links between war, militarisation, climate breakdown and social injustice. 

Apart from the incredible community that Sussex has blessed me with, my favourite thing about the University is the campus. Campus meets you with seas of brick reds, browns and oranges, the greeneries of the lawns and trees, the blues of what to my London-dazed gaze seems to be a never-ending sky. Rolling hills dotted with sheep stretching as far as the eye can see from the Library Research Hive, the oddities and curiosities of the intentionally disproportionate architecture, things out-of-place that keep you awake.

Outside of work, I love sailing and storytelling. Reading, writing, dancing, cooking, eating, eating more, running and footballing. But perhaps most of all, meeting people, being with people and talking, talking, talking.

This PhD is teaching me to take one day at a time. But I’m a sucker for dreaming and always tend to live in past, present and future all at once – so I hope that the near future will bring more of the same. More fun research, more organising, more incredible encounters with other thinkers and actors. More web-weaving, as a researcher, organiser and person of this world.