David Skene

David’s academic background was initially in an undergraduate Economics Honours degree at Strathclyde Business School.  David later set out on an altogether different path for a successful career in the tourism industry, before taking a sabbatical and travelling to remote and rural locations.

This led to a desire to return to education and explore rural sustainability and David made the move to the Isle of Lewis from Peterhead and undertook the Sustainable Rural Development MSc Programme.  The excellent online educational experience delivered by the team at Lews Castle UHI set him on a new trajectory and David learns from inspiring colleagues every day, enjoying exploring new and exciting ideas with our excellent students.

During this time, David was the winner of a ballot to be the new tenant of a croft.  David now lives on a community-owned eastate, where he keeps a small flock of sheep and a Polycrub, producing a range of fruit and veg and have free range ‘happy’ hens producing eggs for sale in the village. 

David’s particular areas of interest include politics, economics, agriculture, and sustainability, especially new economic approaches, for example ‘post growth’, community wealth building, and the links to other areas such as land reform, Citizens Income, and deliberative democracy through citizens assemblies.  As a lecturer part-time at Lews Castle College, David enjoys nothing more than sharing these passions with students in an engaging and collaborative approach to teaching.  

When David isn’t working, he acts as a retained firefighter in the community and a walking tour guide in the summer.  He is also a board member of a community shop/petrol station/museum/café/hostel and a member of the local community council.