About

I am a researcher and Associate Lecturer specialising in World Heritage and Tourism. As someone with a multidisciplinary background, I have taught for both the Business School and the College of Health and Humanities, both times bringing my knowledge of heritage tourism and identity to both MA and BA modules.

However, I am primarily a qualitative researcher specialising in placemaking and cultural sustainability. I particularly enjoy research which helps us negotiate the past so we can better shape the future.

Research interests

I am interested in how UNESCO World Heritage Site designation influences resident community placemaking, and how we can build strong heritage narratives that reflect both local and international experiences. I am also interested in how cultural sustainability can play a significant part in environmental sustainability, by producing narratives that share understanding about the impact of sustainable practice over time. My doctoral thesis, The Power of place making: Exploring the role of sense of place in sustainable world heritage tourism development at the Derwent Valley Mills World Heritage Site began my exploration of these themes, and is something I will explore at other UK world heritage sites in the future

Currently, I am working with Professor Polina Baranova on the 'Business4Nature' project, in collaboration with the Derbyshire Wildlife Trust. This project aims to understand the challenges that businesses face when implementing nature-based solutions. Focussing on the East Midlands region, a toolkit for business engagement with Nature-based solutions will be developed and supported by real-life case studies.

Later this year, I will begin work with Dr Evangelina Marinakou on a British Academy Funded project looking at the experience of Spa and Wellness hospitality professionals and their experiences of working with service users with dementia.

Recent publications

• Michopoulou, E., Azara, I. & Roe, C. (2025) Written Evidence: Protecting Built Heritage, Committees - UK Parliament, published in the Report​ for UK Parliament (https://committees.parliament.uk/work/8742/protecting-built-heritage/publications/written-evidence/?page=5)
• Michopoulou, E., McIlvenna, K., Roe, C., Antchak, V. (2022) Written Evidence: Reimagining where we live: cultural placemaking and the levelling up agenda, Committees – UK Parliament, published in the Report for UK Parliament (parliament.uk/writtenevidence/106357/html/)

Professional interests

I am passionate about intangible heritage, particularly global heritage, and how passing down heritage crafts and skills shape places and communities. I am particularly interested in how the interplay between intangible and tangible heritage generate placemaking, what that means for those communities who live and work in those areas, and how this can be harnessed to provide sustainable cultural tourism practices.

I am also interested in how cultural sustainability can contribute to financial and environmental sustainability at cultural heritage sites and in the business sector more widely.

Qualifications

• Doctorate (PhD) in World Heritage Place Making - School of Arts, Humanities and Education with Tourism, University of Derby, UK
• MA in Public History and Heritage - School of Arts, Humanities and Education, University of Derby, UK.
• Graduate of the Graduate Teacher Training Programme - Nottingham Trent University, UK
• BA Theatre Arts (Acting) - School of Theatre, Manchester Metropolitan University, UK

Recent conferences

• Roe, C., Michopoulou, E., McIlvenna, K. (2024) ‘The impact of digitally curated heritage spaces on visitor behaviour and experience – a place making perspective.’ 4^th Tourism, Hospitality and Events International Conference (THEINC), “Technology Enabled Competitiveness and Experiences in Tourism, Hospitality and Events” in Amsterdam, June 2024
• Roe, C., Michopoulou, E., McIlvenna, K. (2023) ‘From Protection to Place Making: World Heritage, Urban Planning and Sustainable Tourism in the Derwent Valley Mills World Heritage Site’, Festival of Humanities, University of Derby, UK.
• Roe, C., Michopoulou, E., McIlvenna, K. (2022)‘Place making for all: layered stories for multiple perspectives in place making strategies,’ Leisure Studies Association (LSA) Annual Conference: In Pursuit of Leisure: Inequality, Storytelling and the Meanings of Place, Falmouth, UK
• Roe, C., Michopoulou, E., McIlvenna, K. (2022) ‘Co-creating tourism and world heritage destination resilience: A stakeholder approach’, 3^rd Tourism, Hospitality and Events International Conference (THEINC), Limassol, Cyprus
• Graves, D., Lloyd, S., Redfern, L.J., Roe, C. (2022) “Telling New Climate Stories Consortium” panel discussion, Manchester Histories Festival 2022

Experience in industry

• Education Facilitator at the National Justice Museum, Nottingham.

Teaching responsibilities

I have previously taught on the following modules:

For the College of Health and Humanities (formerly the College of Arts, Humanities and Education)

• Current Debates in Global History (postgraduate).
• Derby and the World (undergraduate).

For Derby Business School (formerly the School of Business, Law and Social Sciences)

• Practical Applications in e-Tourism (undergraduate)
• Challenging Tourism Consumption - (postgraduate)