Cecilia Mañosa Nyblon
Learning for Sustainability Scotland Development Manager
- Learning for Sustainability Scotland
- Scotland's UN University - recognised Regional Centre of Expertise in Education for Sustainable Development, University of Edinburgh
Contact details
- Email: cecilia.manosa@ed.ac.uk
Address
- Street
-
Moray House School of Education and Sport
1.17, Charteris Land, St John Street, - City
- Edinburgh
- Post code
- EH8 8AQ
Availability
I work part-time Tuesday - Wednesday - Thursday: 9:00 - 17:00
Background
I am an experienced professional in education and public engagement with an academic background in education (PGCE, QTS) and anthropology/archaeology (MA, BA). Deeply committed to Learning for Sustainability, I bring extensive cross-sectoral and a proven track record of education across all levels, advocacy, and delivering impact.
Since April 2025 and in my role as Learning for Sustainability Scotland Development Manager, I work closely with our core team, supported by our elected Steering Group, and our membership of 1,134 members to advance sustainability issues and outcomes in Scotland and beyond through our global family of 200 Regional Centres of Expertise. We work in partnership with educators, learners, communities and policy- makers to weave and embed sustainability across every aspect of learning.
Over the past 25 years, I have worked in international interdisciplinary teams across diverse sectors; including higher education, museums, research institutions, and educational organisations such as the University of Exeter (UK), Smithsonian Institution National Museum of the American Indian (USA), Kentucky Archaeological Survey (USA), and Smithsonian Tropical Research Institution (Panama).
A recent highlight was founding and directing (2020–2025) the international award-winning University of Exeter Green Futures: We Are the Possible programme. Developed in collaboration with partners including the Met Office, British Council, British Embassy in the UAE, UK and global organisations, the programme brings together scientists, health professionals, educators, and artists to bridge the gap between science and society to inspire positive change. Through co-creating new narratives for translation through the arts (such as performances, music, public art, visualisations) and a Schools Across the Ocean programme for children aged 9-13, presented at UN COP Climate Change Conferences and public events since 2021, the programme connects hearts and minds to drive positive action for a flourishing world for people and planet. The programme has already reached millions of people worldwide. In 2024, I was awarded Global Call Winner – Science Engagement (in the category climate change and adaptation) for We Are the Possible (COP28) by the Falling Walls Foundation (Germany). That same year, our team was awarded the 2024 – Sustainable Futures – Knowledge Exchange Award – University of Exeter (UK).
My recent work in education also included leading the development and supporting the delivery of key strategic education and skills courses and training opportunities for the Continuing Professional Development (CPD) | Faculty of Health and Life Sciences | University of Exeter. Developed together with academics with interests in combining healthcare expertise with research-led education, these courses generate external education engagement and income and are aimed at the healthcare sector, national and international organisations as well as the third sector. In 2019, my work was recognised with an Ambitions Award by the University of Exeter for contributions to developing innovative, impactful, and inspirational lifelong learning courses and training for healthcare professionals.
Connection, collaboration, and boundary-spanning across disciplines, cultures, and generations sit at the heart of my practice and underpin my work with Learning for Sustainability Scotland
Qualifications
- Postgraduate Certificate in Education, Primary Humanities, University of Exeter, UK, 2009
- Qualified Teacher Status (QTS), UK, 2009
- Master of Arts in Anthropology (with Distinction), University of Kentucky, USA, 2000
- BA (Hon) in Anthropological Sciences (specialised in Archaeology), Universidad de la Republica, Uruguay, 1996
- Diploma in Teaching English as a Foreign Language, Anglo Institute, Uruguay, 1993
Responsibilities & affiliations
- Founding member of Planetary Health Alliance European Hub since 2022
Undergraduate teaching
Contributed teaching to the following programmes since 2021 at the University of Exeter
- Bachelor of Medicine/Bachelor of Surgery – Special Study Unit – Planetary Health
- UoE Grand Challenges – developed and co-led Youth Panel with international and local youth advocates for Tomorrow’s World Enquiry (2021-2023)
Postgraduate teaching
Contributed teaching to the following modules since 2021 at the University of Exeter
- Master of Public Health – HPDM120 – Leadership Strategy and Change – Session delivered: Leadership and Crossing Boundaries in a Climate Crisis: Arts, Science and Planetary Health
- MSc in Healthcare Leadership and Management – HPDM080 – Leadership in Healthcare – Session Delivered: We Are the Possible - Leadership and Crossing Boundaries in a Climate Crisis session
- Academy of Nursing – NUR2005 – Public, Population, and Planetary Health – Session Delivered: Storytelling –A Catalyst for Climate Action and Solutions
Project activity
Founder and Director ( 2000 - April 2025) University of Exeter We Are The Possible · GreenFutures international award winning programme.
Past project grants
British Council COP29 – Co-lead with Dr Sally Flint (University of Exeter), Anita Wood (University of Exeter), 2024, £43,004.
British Embassy Gulf Strategy Fund COP28 We Are the Possible (University of Exeter) - Lead PI, 2024, £184,711.14
Knowledge E Foundation (sponsor), Lead PI, COP27 We Still Have a Chance ( University of Exeter), £12,000
British Council Creative Commissions COP27 We Still Have a Chance (University of Exeter), Co-lead with Prof Peter Stott (University of Exeter/Met Office), £20,000
Arts and Humanities Research Council Festival of Social Sciences, PI, £1,000
Invited speaker
INVITED SPEAKER TALKS (Selected since 2021)
- It's Under Your Feet workshop jointly organised with Hamishibai Cardboard Theatre as part of 10th Anniversary Art and Science Festival led by the Centre for the Promotion of Science, Belgrade, October 2025.
- 2025 Judge – Exeter Sustainability Awards
- UK 2024 COP29 COP UK Pavilion, Azerbaijan - In a Climate Crisis: Uniting education, science & culture through innovative creative approaches showcasing the We Are the Possible international award-winning programme in partnership with the British Council and Khazar University, November 2024
- Falling Walls Foundation Science Engagement Pitch, Germany- Breaking Down the Wall of Climate Communication Through Creativity, Nov 2024
- COPUK Pavilion Teach in, UK – We Are the Possible – A blueprint for Innovative Climate Communication and Engagement, October 2024
- Museum of Natural History, UK- New Narratives for a Healthy Planet, Bite-size talk, August 2024
- European Geosciences Union General Assembly Conference, Austria –We Are the Possible – New Narratives Connecting Science, Health, Education and the Arts, April 2024
- University of Belgrade, Serbia– Creative Workshop, Green Art Incubator, March 2024 University of Belgrade, Serbia - Climate Communication – Science, Art, Health, and Education to accelerate positive action and solutions, Climate Changes All – Climate Change Conference, March 2024
- 2023 ARTIS, Netherlands – Storytelling – A Catalyst for Climate Action and Solutions, Planetary Health Alliance European Hub Conference, July 2023
- TU Delft University, Netherlands – Keynote - Storytelling: A Catalyst for Climate Action and Solutions – Citizen Science Lunch Seminar - July 2023
- Academy of Urbanism, UK– Presentation to support the nomination of Exeter as a European City of the Year, Sept 2023
- Anthropy Conference, UK – Future Ancestors: How can art and culture connect us with an optimistic vision of the future? panel organised by Kim Polman, Founder Reboot the Future, Nov 2023
- Reboot the Future, UK –Invited podcast speaker for Reboot the Future Gumption and Golden Leadership Podcast, Nov 2023
- Exeter House, UAE – Speaker - We Are the Possible, Dec 2023
- University of Exeter, UK - ‘Powerful Words in a Climate Crisis’ – a unique interdisciplinary collaboration between health professionals, climate scientists and poets - The role of the arts in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic: Creativity Through Crisis? plenary presented at Ethical Responses to COVID-19 Care Challenges: A Global Perspective Conference, Sept 2023
- COP26 Climate Change Conference, UK – One Chance Left – joint presentation with Prof Ian Fussell, Prof Peter Stott, and Dr Sally Flint – Science Pavilion, Blue Zone, Nov 2021
- Exeter City Futures, UK - One Chance Left - joint presentation with Dr Sally Flint, Nov 2021
- University of Exeter, UK – Once Chance Left – Festival of Compassion, Nov 2021
Organiser
(Selected since 2021)
- Co-organiser and speaker - Educating for a Healthy Planet and People: Strengthening Partnerships on the Road to COP30 conference in partnership with Planetary Health Alliance, Planetary Health Alliance Brazil, University of Sao Paulo, and Learning for Sustainability Scotland, November 2025
- University of Exeter, UK – Co-organiser and speaker – official book launch of We Are the Ocean bilingual (English/Arabic) children’s poetry anthology for COP28, March 2024
- British Science Festival, UK – Organiser and Speaker - Imagining New Possibilities for a Liveable Future public engagement workshop delivered during festival, Sept 2023
- Etihad Museum, UAE – Co-organiser and Speaker We Are the Possible, Dec 2023
- Mohammed bin Rashid Library, UAE – Co-organiser and Speaker -We Are the Possible, Dec 2023
- Ministry of Education, UAE - Panel Convenor and Speaker – Schools Across the Ocean, Greening Education Pavilion –, COP28 Climate Change Conference Dubai. Panel moderated by Aida Salamanca, British Council Country Director UAE, Dec 2023.
- Ministry of Education, UAE – Panel convenor– COP28 official book launch of We Are the Ocean, Greening Education Hub, COP28 Climate Change Conference, Dubai by HE Ambassador Ed Hobart, HE Dr Amna Al Dahak Al Shamsi, Ministry of Education UAE and Isobel Abulhoul, CEO Emirates Literature Foundation, Dec 2023
Papers delivered
How storytelling, creativity, and collaboration can inspire climate action – The Conversation (2025)
New Narratives for a Healthy Planet - The Lancet Planetary Health (2023)