Harriet M.D. Potakey is a Research Fellow with the Department of Environment, Governance and Sustainable Development; School for Development Studies, University of Cape Coast. She has previously worked with NGOs, in her capacity as Programme Officer, in promoting beneficiary community participation in project formulation and ensuring involvement of women, youth and vulnerable groups in community level activities and decision-making processes.   

 She has also been involved in the identification of socio-economic indicators, preparation of data collection instruments and data collection as well as carrying out Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) under various projects. She has also undertaken stakeholder engagements with project beneficiaries, relevant stakeholders and community opinion leaders. She has written, evaluated and reviewed various project and research reports.

 Her research interests are in the areas of Environmental management, Governance and Sustainable Development, Environmental Behaviour – Environmental Citizenship, Environmentalism, Political Ecology, Environmental Sustainability, Climate change, Wetlands, Poverty and Livelihoods, Water and Sanitation, Socio-economic impacts of Oil and Gas Exploration, young people, women and vulnerable groups.