Dr Rebecca Lovell

Becca is a Senior Lecturer in Biodiversity, Health and Policy at the European Centre for Environment and Human Health, WHO Collaborating Centre on Natural Environments and Health, in the Department of Public Health and Sports Sciences (PHSS).

Becca is deputy Director of Research and Impact (DoRI) for PHSS, and co-leads the University of Exeter's Biodiversity and People Network. 

Becca’s work focuses on evaluating interventions, synthesising evidence, and translating research on the links between natural environments and health into policy and practice. She is particularly interested in generating evidence to inform the design, implementation and scaling of interventions across different contexts, including approaches to mitigating and adapting to environmental change.

Her current research explores “what works, where and for whom” in nature-based solutions; evaluates the complex systems involved in delivering health and environmental infrastructure and interventions; and contributes to a number of studies, including Randomised Controlled Trials (RCTs), examining the effectiveness and implementation of green social prescribing. She also investigates how a better understanding of the social and health values of natural environments can inform decision-making. 

Becca has worked with and for international, national and local government departments and agencies, NGOs and community groups, and has secured research and consultancy funding from a wide range of sources.

Becca has served as a member of a number of strategic boards and scientific advisory committees including Cornwall and Isle of Scilly Local Nature Partnership (Health Champion), and has co-authored policy, strategy and review documents for bodies including WHO, Defra, Natural England, Public Health England, and The Chief Medical Officer. 

Current major projects include:

RENEW

RESONATE

GROUNDSWELL

Net+ Centre

National Evaluation of the Green Social Prescribing Test and Learn Pilots

Greengage RCT of green social prescribing

Qualifications:

PhD Public Health

FHEA and PCAP

MA (hons) Sociology

Teaching:

Becca co-leads the Environment and Health MSc degree and the 'Nature and Health CPD course.