Professor Mills’ research focuses on the geographies of children and young people. Her research has been recognised by the Royal Geographical Society (Gill Memorial Award) and the American Association of Geographers (PGSG) for its contributions to human geography.
Professor Mills has recently examined digital geographies of childhood, popular culture and parenting through collaborative ESRC research on children and young people’s experiences of gaming/gambling. This research on paid reward systems in digital games and loot boxes (led via Newcastle University) has featured in international and national press, including BBC News Online, BBC Radio 4 and The Wall Street Journal. Prof. Mills is an invited member of the Department of Culture, Media & Sport’s ‘College of Experts’ (UK Government).
Professor Mills’ longstanding research interest and contributions focus on youth citizenship and volunteering (see all publications). Her ESRC and AHRC-funded research has examined several youth organisations and mapped how the moral geographies of education (i.e. character, citizenship and values-based education) shapes children and young people’s lives. She serves on the Academic Advisory Group of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Political Literacy and was called to give evidence on ‘National Citizen Service’ to the House of Lords Select Committee on Citizenship and Civic Engagement. Prof. Mills is an expert on British youth movements such as Scouting and Girlguiding, with interviews for BBC Radio 5 Live and The Economist.
Professor Mills’ research has primarily focused on children and young people’s spaces in the United Kingdom, however a recent international collaborative ESRC-GCRF project has examined volunteering by young refugees in Uganda (RYVU, with Northumbria University, Uganda Martyrs University & Mbarara University of Science & Technology). This research has produced several policy briefings, interactive games, exhibitions and other resources to highlight the connections between young refugee’s experiences of volunteering, skills, employability and inequalities.
.jpg)