Dr Sonja Rewhorn

I am a senior lecturer in Geography and Environmental Studies.  I joined the Open University in 2020.  I am the School of Social Sciences and Global Studies’ Artificial Intelligence lead and the Employability lead.  A key and enjoyable part of my role is the support and management of Associate Lecturers.  I was an Associate Lecture in Geography and Environmental Studies, here at the Open University, between 2021 and 2025.  I am passionate about combining research and real-world applications, both in policy and teaching. 

My PhD from the University of Chester, A Critical Review of Rural Proofing in England stemmed from my time before I joined academia when I was a civil servant and prior to this a local government officer working within rural and regional policy and strategy across England.  During my time in the government sector, I contributed to and led several geographical and environmental projects, including overseeing a £450K programme for the Rural Communities across northwest England.  I have developed policy toolkits to support healthcare providers rural proof policies and programmes as well as identifying the economic potential for the Cheshire and Warrington Local Enterprise Partnership and evaluating Leader+ programmes.

Building on my real-word local and regional policy development experience, I have been a visiting lecturer at Aberystwyth University, Surrey University, University of Gloucestershire and the University of Chester. Whilst I completed by PhD, I was an Academic Skills Adviser at the University of Chester; a role which became the catalyst for my research interest and passion to support students with academic skills development.

I gained my undergraduate BSc. Geography degree with a scholarship from Aberystwyth University which was followed by an ESF (European Social Fund) funded Rural, Regional and Resources Planning MSc. from the University of Aberdeen.  During my PhD at the University of Chester, I gained my postgraduate certificate in learning and teaching in Higher Education. More recently, I gained a level five certificate in coaching.

My research interests are broad but are embedded by my previous experience in policy development and making a difference to communities, whether rural communities or our student communities.  I am committed to supporting our students develop a deep understanding of geography and environmental studies within global challenges in a way which develops their skills for their student journey and the skills needed beyond their time at the Open University.

Professional Affiliations

Chartered Geographer

Fellow of Royal Geographical Society with the Institute of British Geographers,

Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (UK)

Research Interests

Research in rural geographies and justice and access to services.  This includes, in 2021, co-authoring Does Wi-Fi/Data connectivity disadvantage OU students? an Open University Scholarship project.

Research in coastal communities in UK and Japan

Pedagogic research in student learning, digital technologies, including artificial intelligence, student experience and skills development.  This includes in 2024 co-authoring ChatGPT and the distance learner: working with AI to write assignments as the site of teaching and learning, an Open University Scholarship project.

 PhD supervision

I supervise postgraduate research, and I welcome enquiries from prospective PhD students

Teaching interests

I am chair of our level two undergraduate module Environment and Society (DD213).  Previously I was on the presentation module teams for Environment: sharing a dynamic planet (DST206) and Researching Everyday Geographies (D325), our dissertation module as part of our BA in Geography.  I was a member of the module production for Researching Everyday Geographies (D325).

As an Associate Lecturer I tutored on our level two module, Changing Geographies of the United Kingdom and our level one module, Introducing the Social Sciences.  I enjoy working with students and have a passion to help ensure students have the foundations for study through development of their academic skills.  I developed and annually deliver seminars for the level two Geography and Environmental Studies students on becoming an academic citizen which focus on skills for academic integrity.

Impact and Engagement

I am proud to be a member of the editorial board for the Journal of Geography in Higher Education.  I am the Treasurer for the GeogEd research group (https://geogedrg.org/the-committee/) at the Royal Geographical Society-with the Institute of British Geographers (RGS-IBG).  I have been an Ordinary Committee member for the Rural Geography Research Group at the RGS-IBG.

I was the Open University lead for Digi: Đổi (https://digidoi.phuxuan.edu.vn/en/ ), a British Council-funded project in partnership with Liverpool John Moores University and Phu Xuan University to build a digital transformation ecosystem in Vietnamese higher education.

In 2017, I participated in Newton funded project, Learning Without Borders with partners from the UK and Thailand.  The partnership promoted international research and innovation between the UK and Thailand academics to share practice on the use of affordable mobile technologies learning in marginalised remote non-formal settings.  During my time in Thailan and I co-authored Pamai Guardians an educational resource for local sustainable farming.

Where possible, I engage with the wider rural affairs policy community and in 2021 and 2022 I facilitated Rural Natters, a series of seminars with partners from across academia, government and the voluntary sector which included  Coastal Communities: Webinar 1 of Cirican and The Open University’s Rural Natters Webinar Series – Cirican and Digital Futures webinar – Cirican.