Current position: Erik is currently employed as a Lecturer in Community Development and is also involved in Ulster University's 'Taking Boys Seriously' research project - which aims to better understand and address:

• The low attainment of young males from disadvantaged backgrounds; and
• Thier low levels of participation in Higher Education

HE qualifications: Erik Cownie studied community development as an undergraduate at Ulster University. In 2012 he completed his PhD at Ulster which entailed a sociological study of social and educational disadvantage in Belfast.

HE career: Erik began his career at the University as a part-time Lecturer before becoming a full-time Lecturer in 2016. Prior to this, he was a research consultant at the School of Education, Queen’s University Belfast. During his time at QUB, Erik worked on several research projects including:

• Community engagement around after-school provision and early literacy projects in the Dublin Area;
• A post-primary education programme around contentious issues for the Western Education and Library Board (WELB);
• Investigating Links in Attainment and Deprivation (ILiAD) - a three year-long study into community factors which impact educational attainment in seven deprived wards Northern Ireland.

Areas of research: Erik has two main areas of research:Educational disadvantage in areas of socio-economic deprivation; and Adult and community-based learning.

HEA status: In recognition of his teaching and research practice, Erik has attained Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy (HEA).