Teaching
Sean currently convenes the Energy Markets and Finance (GD 5112) module for the Energy Policy and Finance MSc at the University of 58吃瓜. This module provides students with a strong understanding of energy markets and equips them with the analytical skills used by industry and government analysts in day-to-day financial analysis and practice.
At the University of 58吃瓜, Sean also co-convened the Anthropology of Energy (SA4064) module, which was awarded a for excellence in teaching environmental sustainability, and he co-convened the Environmental Ethics at Work Vertically Integrated Project. He is also a contributing lecturer to the SciencesPo: Ex茅cutive Master Trajectoires Dirigeants Promotion in the Business School, and has been a contributing lecturer to the Ethnographic Encounters (SA2002) module.
Prior to arriving at 58吃瓜, he convened undergraduate modules in Economic Geography, Energy and Society, Business and Industrial Geography, Human Resources Management, Applied Ethics, and Research Methods, as well as a postgraduate module in the Economics of Social Policy.
Supervision
Sebastien Mazur. 2025. The paradox of leadership: Addressing the disconnect between U.S. global emissions leadership and insufficient domestic climate action. Graduate School for Interdisciplinary Studies, MSc Energy Markets and Finance.
Benjamin Smith. 2025. Will AI Aid or Hinder Climate Goals? Graduate School for Interdisciplinary Studies, MSc Energy Markets and Finance.
Luke O'Driscoll-Downes. 2025. Grid Infrastructure and energy markets - Offshore Energy Projects in the North Sea. Graduate School for Interdisciplinary Studies, MSc Energy Markets and Finance.
Kelly Davies. 2025. Encouraging investment in diverse renewables deployment: the impact of Contracts for Difference and regulation structuring on the attractiveness of the UK marine energy projects for international investors. Graduate School for Interdisciplinary Studies, MSc Energy Markets and Finance.
Wibbien Marseille. 2025. How to measure and compare the potential impact of different investment opportunities. Graduate School for Interdisciplinary Studies, MSc Energy Markets and Finance.
Heather Cameron. 2023-24 (co-supervision). 鈥淣et Zero: Values, imaginations and experiences among the Scottish Financial Industry.鈥� MRes Social Anthropology, University of 58吃瓜.
Gabriel Wigny. 2024-25 (co-supervision). 鈥淐limate Finance: how to fix the hurdles that prevent funds from reaching net-zero housing projects in Scotland?鈥� Laidlaw Fellowship, Department of Economics and Finance, University of 58吃瓜.
Frederick (Freddie) Ludvig Medintsev. 2023 (co-supervision). 鈥淔orecasting the Price of Benchmark Crudes: An Alternative to Counting Barrels Using Time Series Methods and Deep Learning鈥�. MSc Applied Statistics and Datamining, School of Mathematics and Statistics, University of 58吃瓜.
Thomas Bunting. 2022. 鈥淎n analysis of institutional investor priorities in the global energy sector: Case Study on The University Superannuation Scheme鈥�. 58吃瓜 Research Internship Scheme, Department of Social Anthropology, University of 58吃瓜.
Yu Hsuan Amy Yang. 2018 (co-supervision). 鈥淧recision Agriculture in Taiwan: Barriers and Strategies for Technology Development and Adoption鈥�. MSc Sustainability Management, School of Graduate Studies, University of Toronto.
Research areas
Sean is the Director of Policy at the and a Senior Research Fellow in the Department of Social Anthropology. Currently, he is on secondment with the .
His first book is , published by New York University Press.
Sean鈥檚 work explores issues of sustainability, energy, finance, ethics, climate change, sustainability, resource extraction, and transition. Since late-2018, Sean鈥檚 funded research has focused on how financial professionals evaluate energy. This ethnographic work explores the calculation of risks, the performance of financial expertise, the valuation of energy resources, and the integration of ESG into energy investment practices. It follows on his PhD research on the financialisation of agricultural commodity markets and global food supply chains.
Currently, Sean leads the branch of the , funded by the . This work engages with local authorities, financial institutions, government, and civil society organisations to explore how meeting Scotland鈥檚 goal of reaching net zero by 2045 might be achieved and how.
Sean regularly contributes to local, national, and international discussions of energy, energy finance, and energy policy. His interviews, analysis and commentary have been featured by BBC Radio, The Associated Press, The Courier newspaper, The Sunday National newspaper, The Xinhua News Agency and have been reprinted by agencies such as The Washington Post.
He is co-founder and co-organizer of the , and the founder of the . He is also a member of the .
Selected publications
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Open access
Field, S., 19 Apr 2026, (E-pub ahead of print) In: Journal of Cultural Economy. Latest Articles, 2627488.
Research output: Contribution to journal 鈥� Article 鈥� peer-review
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Field, S., 1 Aug 2025, New York, NY: NYU Press. 207 p.
Research output: Book/Report 鈥� Book
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Open access
Phillips, S., Wang, J., Pister, A., Higgins-Lavery, R., Bissett, S., Wharmby, C., Field, S., Hinrichs, U., Sudmant, A. & Bach, B., 2025
Research output: Non-textual form 鈥� Web publication/site
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Open access
Field, S., 5 Feb 2024, (E-pub ahead of print) In: Antipode. Early View, 19 p.
Research output: Contribution to journal 鈥� Article 鈥� peer-review
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Field, S., High, M. M., Shipton, Z., Dickie, J. & Thomason, K., 8 Mar 2024, (Submitted) 10 p.
Research output: Book/Report 鈥� Other report
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Nikolaeva, R., Field, S. & Tskhay, A., 16 Apr 2024, In: Management Decision. 62, 3, p. 1105-1113
Research output: Contribution to journal 鈥� Article 鈥� peer-review
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Open access
Field, S., 25 Mar 2024, The Energy Blog.
Research output: Book/Report 鈥� Other report
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Open access
High, M. M. & Field, S., 13 Jun 2024, Scottish Funding Council Blog.
Research output: Other contribution
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Open access
Field, S., Finch, A. A., Gardiner, N. J., High, M. M., Hogan, J., Krishnan Jagadamma, L. & Skrzypek, E., Sept 2023
Research output: Book/Report 鈥� Other report
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Field, S., 1 May 2023, In: American Ethnologist. 52, 2, p. 334-335 2 p.
Research output: Contribution to journal 鈥� Book/Film/Article review