Amy is the History Discipline Leader and Bachelor of Arts Program Coordinator at the University of the Sunshine Coast (UniSC). She specialises in heritage (particularly architectural), national and regional identity politics and branding, popular material culture, and the modern/contemporary histories of Scotland, Britain (and the British Empire), and Australia.
Amy’s primary research interests are focused on the promotion of regional and national identity/ies via architecture, themed environments, and cultural heritage. This saw Amy become a leader in the emerging discourse of ‘heritage diplomacy’. Related research outputs and ongoing investigations range across such topics as: the role of history/heritage in Scottish nationalism; the role of history/heritage in Australian diplomatic relations in South East Asia and the Pacific; and the communication of regional and national identities/brands through themed environments (restaurants, hotels, pubs, etc.) and roadside attractions. Amy is also interested in the notion of ‘authenticity’ in heritage and related spaces (theme parks, shopping malls, open-air museums, etc.).
Amy presently serves on the Board for Sunshine Coast Open House, the region’s largest public architecture and design festival. She was Deputy Editor for Australia ICOMOS’s journal Historic Environment (2019-2022), and an Editorial Board Member for the Society of Architectural Historians Australia and New Zealand (SAHANZ) between 2015-2021. She is regularly featured on Australian radio and television as an expert commentator on history and heritage.