Sam Hampton is an interdisciplinary social scientist working on climate change. He leads teaching in environmental geography at Keble College, and contributes to the Energy Systems MSc in the Department of Engineering Science and the Environmental Change and Management MSc at the Environmental Change Institute.
Sam’s research explores the intersections of sustainability, policy, and behaviour change. His work examines how public policy can enable and accelerate sustainable business practices, with a particular focus on small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). He is interested in how governments and intermediary organisations design and deliver support for businesses in the transition to a low-carbon economy, and how these interventions influence organisational practices and decision-making.
A key strand of Sam’s research investigates carbon capability—the knowledge, motivation, and agency required for individuals and organisations to act effectively on climate change. He is Co-Investigator of the Oxford Centre for Research on Climate Leadership, which explores how leading by example can make climate action more visible and aspirational, helping to shift social and cultural norms toward sustainability.
Through his teaching and research, Sam promotes an applied, interdisciplinary approach that connects policy, practice, and social change.