Rate My Professor Ryan Woolrych

Ryan Woolrych is a Professor in Ageing and Urban Studies in the School of Energy, Geoscience, Infrastructure and Society at Heriot-Watt University, where he serves as Director of the Institute for Place, Environment and Society. He joined Heriot-Watt University in 2014 as an Associate Professor in Health and Well-being, previously directing the Urban Institute. Prior to this appointment, he worked at the Gerontology Research Centre in Vancouver, Canada, investigating social justice, housing, and ageing-in-place. Woolrych's research examines the intersections between ageing and place, addressing inequities in ageing outcomes for vulnerable and marginalised groups. His work spans scales from street to city, focusing on place-based supports for active and healthy ageing. Employing participatory methodologies, including co-research with older adults, community mapping, deliberative dialogue, and visual methods, he fosters understandings of ageing in the right place. Much of his research is transnational, involving collaborations with academics, practitioners, policymakers, and community groups across developed and developing countries. He is principal investigator on a £1.2 million AHRC project exploring asset-based approaches to enhance health and wellbeing for Roma populations in mid- to later life.

Woolrych leads UKRI-funded projects on age-friendly cities and communities in the UK, Brazil, and India, alongside initiatives assessing extreme weather and climate change impacts on healthy ageing. His contributions align with UN Sustainable Development Goals such as good health and well-being, sustainable cities and communities, and climate action. Key publications include 'Healthy ageing and home: The perspectives of very old people in five European countries' (Sixsmith et al., 2014, Social Science & Medicine), 'Place-making with older persons: Establishing sense-of-place through participatory community mapping workshops' (Fang et al., 2016, Social Science & Medicine), 'The power(s) of observation: Theoretical perspectives on surveillance technologies and older people' (Mortenson et al., 2015, Ageing & Society), 'Ageing well in the right place: Partnership working with older people' (Sixsmith et al., 2017, Working with Older People), and 'Constructing and negotiating social participation in old age: experiences of older adults living in urban environments in the United Kingdom' (Woolrych et al., 2021, Ageing & Society). He has delivered invited talks on healthy ageing, place-based climate practice, and community-engaged research, and holds two editorial roles.