Publications
Melissa’s written works span a extensive breadth of subjects, formats, and audiences. Published in over 60 international academic, industry, and consumer titles — with additional coverage in 450+ more — her writing navigates complex, forward-thinking topics with clarity and depth. She is known for challenging received wisdom, crafting incisive arguments, far reaching foresight, and rigour in research.
From authoring chapters in scholarly books like The Routledge Companion to Smart Design Thinking in Architecture and Urbanism to contributions to popular non-fiction, including Hachette's forthcoming The Meaning of Life of which fellow contributors include seminal thinkers from the worlds of science, politics, and the arts, to authoring influential whitepapers for multinational corporations and non-government agencies, Melissa’s non-fiction works tackle complex subjects at the nexus of science, sustainability, innovation, and design.
In addition to non-fiction, Melissa also writes science fiction in formats including micro, flash, short, and novella for print, digital, audio, and short film. Her inaugural fiction works attained accolades including finalist positions in two New Scientist writing competitions and an honourable mention in the Millenium Writing Awards. Subjects she explores include the future of climate [Cli-fi], society, and environment, as well as mythology, anthropology, and folklore, which have been published in both experimental and independent media, including projects and startups of which she has been a cofounder.
Melissa has further contributed as an expert-advisor to short and feature length film, television, and radio scripts, including shorts on sustainable innovation, nature-inspired design, the life and works of Leonardo da Vinci, the future of work and society, and most recently, a pilot for a television series that explores the future of sustainable luxury, and a documentary on the future of cities.
Her accolades include contributions to award-winning publications, multimedia productions, and pioneering speculative fiction projects. Collaborating with globally recognised organisations, publishers, and media outlets, as well as pioneering new talents from around the world, her work reaches diverse audiences—from academics and industry leaders to the public at large. Whether exploring climate resilience, nature-inspired innovation, business ethics, or more, Dr. Sterry’s writing reflects her deep sense of curiosity, commitment to creativity, and unparalleled perspective. Select examples below.
Articles & Essays
‘The Meaning of Life: Letters from Extraordinary People and their Answer to Life’s Biggest Question’ [contributor]. Robinson. In print Apr 2025
‘From Flames to Foundations: Biomimicry’s role in designing fire-resilient cities’ [article]. Published Oct 28 2024
‘Career in Motion’ in Don’t Get a Job… Make a Job, Second Edition [essay]. Published Sept 1st 2023
‘Lenses on Living with Wildfire: exploring the polarities of an elemental problem’ [essay]. Published Mar 5th 2022
'The Art of Adaption' for Graduate Voice [article]. Published Apr 24th 2020
'Postcards from Tomorrow' book [contributor]. Published Mar 1st 2020
'Highlights & Projections' in Koncept Projeler magazine [article]. Published 1st May 2019
'Sensemaking: Systems: North Star', Futures Centre [article]. Published 15th May 2017
'Sensemaking: Evolution', Futures Centre [article]. Published 11th May 2017
'Drawing Inspiration from nature' in The Future is Beautiful book [contributor]. Published 11th May 2016
'Of Imaginariums and Innovation' in Libertine magazine [article]. Published 12th Nov 2015
'Elemental Cities and Exotic Architectures' in 'The World in 2030' special edition, SGI Quarterly [article]. Published 1st Oct 2015
'Seen Unseen: The Biological and Social Networks of Cities', Part 2, HumanSpace.com [article]. Published 26th Feb 2015
'Seen Unseen: The Biological and Social Networks of Cities', Part 1, Human Spaces.com [article]. Published 20th Feb 2015
'Future Perfect', The Chartered Institute of Housing. cih.org [article]. Published 8th Nov 2013
'Case Study Cities', City City magazine, Issue 2, and Sustain' magazine [article]. Published 1st Jul 2013
"How will domestic technology change our homes in the next decade?", Wired [article]. Published 3rd Jan 2013
'We have the Technology', 'The Future: Designed Around You', The Guardian [article]. Published 27th Oct 2012
'The Future We Choose', in the Think Act Vote book [contributor]. Published 25th Jul 2012
'Fishing For The New Architectural School' in Sustain' magazine [article]. Published 16th Mar 2012
'Building a Bionic City: Science Fiction or Future Science Fact?' #STU12. Published 16th Feb 2012
'Creating Resilient Cities inStep with the Season', This Big City [article]. Published 31st Oct 2011
'Bionic New World' in Sustain' magazine (cover story). Published 1st Sep 2011
'Building a Bionic City' in Mensa magazine (cover story). Published 28th Jul 2011
'Building the Bionic City: The Ultimate Smart City', URBNFUTR [article]. Published 5th Jul 2011
'Building the Bionic City' in Sustainable Business magazine, 'Sustainable Cities' special edition [article]. Published 11th Feb 2011
'The Bionic City - A Natural Blueprint for Future Cities', This Big City [article]. Published 13th Dec 2010
'Tomorrow's World: Elemental Energy' in Sustained magazine [article]. Published 1st Mar 2009
'Tomorrow's World: A Journey into Our Sustainable Future' in Sustained [article]. Published 1st Jan 2009
'Culture Clash: Famous for being famous' in Mensa magazine (cover story). Published 1st Nov 2008
'One Extreme to Another: Understanding Visual Manifestations of Celebrity Culture and the Popular Media' in Medium Magazine [essay]. Published 1st Oct 2008
'The Age of Social Enterprise: Together We Stand, Divided We Fall' in Sustained magazine [article]. Published 31st Jul 2008
'The Green Goddess Shopping Check List' in Qube (the member's magazine of Quintessentially) [article]. Published 9th Jan 2008
'Embracing Eco & Ethical Fashions' in Style is So You magazine [article]. Published 1st Nov 2007
'Easy Come, Easy Go: The Beginning of The End of Manufactured Celebrity' in Medium Magazine [essay]. Published 1st Oct 2007
'Changing Face of Fashion: The Case For a More Ethical Approach' in Mensa magazine (cover story). Published 1st Feb 2007
'Live and Let Die: The reality of 007's lifestyle' in Mensa magazine (cover story). Published 1st Sep 2005
'Renaissance Women' in The Season, Volume 1, Issue 1 [article]. Published July 2003
Papers, Reports & Chapters
‘Panarchistic Architecture: a paradigm in wildfire resilience’ in Routledge Companion to Smart Design Thinking in Architecture and Urbanism for a Sustainable Living Planet’ [chapter]. In print Nov 2024
‘2070: The Future of Travel Report’ [contributor]. Published 24th Mar 2023
‘Future 2043’ report [contributor], Springwise. Published 10th Jan 2023
'Design for Wildfire: Architecture as Catalyst for Virtuous not Vicious Wildfire Activity' in Routledge Companion to Ecological Design Thinking [chapter]. Published 30th Aug 2022
'Innovation Against All Odds: Open Foresight Series QI/QII'. Published 27th May 2021
'Insight Report 2030: Invisible Ocean Pollutants from our Roads' futures insight report [co-author]. Published 6th Apr 2021
'Tech to the Future: From the Millennium to 2020 and Beyond' report [lead contributor]. Published 17th Dec 2019
'Panarchic Codex' Tri-Part speculative WUI Building Codes. Published Sept 2018
'Panarchistic Architecture: Building Wildland Urban-Interface Resilience to Wildfire through Design Thinking, Practice and Building Codes modelled on Ecological Systems Theory' [PhD thesis] Published Sept 2018
'Mind the Gap: Philosophical and Psychological Dichotomies' in Journal of BioUrbanism, p.165 - 185 [essay]. Published 15th Nov 2017
'The Ecologically Smart City', in Festival of the Future City book, p. 114 - 121 [essay]. Published 1st Jun 2016
'The Dawn of the Citizen Scientist', in Inventing the Future white paper, p. 16 - 17 [essay]. Published 1st July 2014
'Biomimetics: Learning from Life' in Global Science Innovation Handbook, p.121- 139, [chapter]. McGraw-Hill. Published 31st Jan 2014 [Honourable Mention in The Prose Awards 2015]
Science Fiction
‘Highline to the Hills’ [her inaugural climate fiction story, part of her ‘Storms Anthology’] - Honourable Mention in the 47th Millennium Writing Awards, 2019
Future in Flash™ series - which she co-created with illustrator Josh Puppe to deliver scientifically-plausible climate fictions through mixed art mediums for social and other media, 2019
‘The Egg’ Finalist in the New Scientist / Sci-Fi London Film Concept Competition, 2016
Finalist in the New Scientist / Arc Sci-Fi Film Science Competition, 2014
Film and Radio
Contributing writer - "Tech to the Future" short film, 2019
Contributing writer - 'Leonardo's City' in 'The Five Faces of Leonardo', BBC Radio 4, 2019
Contributing writer - “Beautiful Thinking” short film, 2016
Curation
Bionic City, 'Biomimetics, Biotechnology & Biology for the Built Environment', over 67K followers, Listed in 'Tech & Science' in the Flipboard app, was one of just 75 titles selected from over 5M to feature in Flipboard's Best of #MagsWeLove [2013, 2014, 2015]. One of the Top 40 Most Read magazines on the platform [2013, 2014], 2013 - present
Bio-, 'Exploring the Wonders of the Natural World', over 60K followers and featured in Flipboard.com's 'Tech & Science' highlights, 2013 - present
Future-tense, 'Exploring the Now, Near and Far Future', over 53Kfollowers, 2013 - present
Dojo, 'Martial Arts meets Eastern Philosophy', over 51K followers, 2014 - present
Style with Substance, 'Science and Technology meet the Arts', over 51Kfollowers, 2014 - present
Editorial
Contributing Editor, Travel, Arts, and Culture, Unity magazine, 2015 - 2025
Contributing Editor, Sustainable Futures, Earth 2 Hub, 2011 - 2013
Editorial Board, Sustainable Built Environment, Sustain' magazine, 2011 - 2013
Contributing Editor, Sustainable Futures, Sustained magazine, 2008 - 2009
Contributing Editor, Fashion, Hot magazine, 2005
Co-Editor, R Magazine (Private Member’s Club magazine), 2003 - 2004
Editor, The Definitive Event Guide (Events industry), 2003
Editor, London Launch magazine (Events industry), 2003
