Building on a successful career as a BBC programme maker (three national awards, two in the field of sustainability) and political researcher, Susan helped to launch the consultancy, Alexander Ballard and Associates following a high-profile climate change web project for Oxford University.

Susan's interest in social responses to climate change has grown from a long term practice advising senior scientists how to communicate to the public and a now interrupted training in psychotherapy. Susan is in a unique position to marry the scientific information she gains through her work at the Natural Environment Research Council, The British Antarctic Survey and The Institute of Animal Health, among others, to systemic processes for behavioural change based on a solid grounding in psychology, learning theory and mass communication.

Alongside her consultancy work she is pursuing doctoral action research which draws on psychological theories about identity, collective will, destructive addictive behaviours and creativity to develop more effective responses to climate change.