Dr Oliver Bates

Research Fellow

Research Overview

Motivated by growing environmental impact and social injustice my research focuses on how computing and data science can be utilised to promote environmental sustainability and social justice. My research involves close collaboration with end-users, industry and policy makers, leveraging user resesarch, data science and digital technology. My current work focuses on:

1) collaborative and low-carbon freight deliveries in urban environments

2) developing digital platforms that promote both social justice and sustainability for gig-economy food and parcel delivery workers

3) designing decision support tools that leverage big, heterogeneous data in smart cities and campuses that promote reductions in energy consumption and pollution.

Issues of precarity and interdisciplinarity for Early Career Researchers in Justice-oriented technology spaces
12/07/2021 → 22/10/2021
Research

“What if you were controlled by all these apps?” - challenging indifference toward essential gig economy courier work.
01/05/2021 → 30/11/2022
Research

Switch-Gig - Exploring digital opportunities to switch the gig-economy to fair and just work
01/09/2019 → 31/07/2020
Research

‘I want it, and I want it now’ – demonstrating the transport and environmental impacts of last-mile parcel delivery.
01/04/2019 → 09/09/2021
Other

Digital Worker Inquiry
Participation in workshop, seminar, course

Lancaster University Research Staff Association (External organisation)
Membership of committee

Lancaster University Research Staff Association (External organisation)
Membership of committee

"Demand around the clock: time use and data demand of mobile devices in everyday life" CHI 2017 presentation
Oral presentation

  • DSI - Environment
  • Energy Lancaster
  • Network and Systems
  • Pentland Centre
  • Security Lancaster
  • Security Lancaster (Behavioural Science)
  • Security Lancaster (Societal Threats)
  • Security Lancaster (Systems Security)