Dr Donna Poade

Senior Lecturer in Experience Design (Tourism)

Donna is Senior Lecturer in Experience Design (Tourism) at Cornwall Business School and joined in August 2020. Donna is a tourism academic and received her doctoral degree in 2017 from the University of Exeter which focused on the function and impact of innovation alongside key issues associated with the management and operation of dark tourism visitor sites and attractions. Her doctoral work highlighted that researching ‘sensitive issues’ and ‘emotion work’ can present numerous opportunities and challenges for the researcher and wider team. She worked at the University of Exeter Business School since 2009 as a lecturer in management and has also held a previous lecturing post at the University of Plymouth. 

Donna has an industry background in travel and tourism and research consultancy in both public and private sectors with a specific focus on tourism industry-related projects and is an advocate of ethical business practices. She is also active outside of academia working on a number of well-being and mental health initiatives within local communities. The importance of well-being in the academy is a key area of Donna’s most recent work. Her most recent project explores the emotional components within the research process across multi-disciplinary research areas highlighted in her recent event in conjunction with Manchester Metropolitan University entitled ‘Encountering Emotions in Academia’. Donna is also a keen methodologist and has taught research methods and methodology for a number of years with a particular interest in innovative research methods when working with ‘sensitive issues’. She is also the co-founder of ‘The Academic Woman’ – a platform dedicated to the personal and professional development of women in academia which has run a series of inspirational talks and events within higher education institutions and external events. 

External Links

• The Academic Woman

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