Staff Newsletter 18 April 2024
- Annabel Jackson (Deactivated)
Important Information
NEW University EDI training modules
Anika Haque (EDC Chair) would like to highlight the university's collective and ongoing efforts toward fostering a more inclusive and equitable environment, and how everyone has a role to play in changing the experience of minoritised communities here, for the better.
To help each of us to better understand the experiences of minoritised communities, the university has worked on a new online equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) training (two modules under the set), in collaboration with AdvanceHE.
The new eLearning package explores themes of oppression, the impact of harassment and discrimination on individuals, the important role we play being an 'upstander', and as a member of staff in this community:
Please complete the modules (login required) at your earliest convenience, which supersedes the former EDI module and is now an essential component for all staff members.
As EDC Admin support, I have completed both modules and found them to be extremely interactive and informative, particularly the descriptions of the four types of discrimination and where to seek support at the University.
Enjoy!
BSc Environmental Geography Year 2 student looking for research experience this summer!
Isaac Abbott is a year 2 student who is interested in some research experience this summer. Please take a moment to read his message below. Staff are welcome to email Isaac directly if, for example, you have a project on the go or have any suggestions for him - his email address is ia947@york.ac.uk. Thank you.
I am a second year Environmental Geographer looking to pursue a career in research, holding a vehemence for studying physical processes and the natural environment. Consequently, for summer 2024, and beyond, I am looking to pursue an internship or other relevant experience primarily in an ecological or hydrological area. My specific area of research centres around ecological and hydrological processes, numerical modelling, and their relevance to society to inform positive change. In first year, this began with a report assessing the effects of Pteridium aquilinum on the floral biodiversity of Dalby Forest, including management suggestions, scoring 90. Recently, I have researched how neural networks can be used to improve fluvial discharge models, scoring 88 for a proposal earlier this year.
Outside of academia, I would live and breathe my subject. At any given opportunity, I look into any environmental processes that interest me in more detail; I am currently reading “Otherlands” by Thomas Halliday, and always limit myself when passing bookshops as to not overload my shelves with similar material. Working as a Private Tutor in Maths, Science, and Geography for the last 7 years, I have a similar passion for communicating current science to the next generation. With all these pursuits, I am shortlisted for the York Award 2024. Needless to say my work ethic translates between my studies, work, and personal interests, and with the skills I have developed from my two part time jobs, I am looking to pursue something more aligned with my interests in research.
Earth Day Activity!
Learn more about PLANET PIZZA This new resource been designed to inspire & empower the next generation to make food choices that are good for people & the planet and is a fantastic Earth Day activity for primary school children aged 7 to 11.
Download the activity for free!
The activity was developed by a team led by Professor Sarah Bridle and in partnership with RethinkFood UK.
Departmental Events
DEG Seminar
Date / Time: Tuesday 23rd April at 12:05
Location: Hybrid - in person (ENV/005) and Zoom.
Speaker: Nick Megoran
Title: Job, career, or vocation in the changing modern workplace: what does it mean to be a geographer today?
Blurb
Nick Megoran is Professor of Political Geography at Newcastle University, and has worked on topics as diverse as border disputes in Central Asia, geopolitical theory, Danish national identity in Germany, the church and the ‘war on terror,’ human resource management, authoritarianism, and peace and nonviolence. His talk today focuses on what it means to be a geographer. He approaches this by exploring geography as a ‘vocation’. It is based on working-life visual timelines constructed by both physical and human geography lecturers and schoolteachers. They show a strong sense that geography is not simply a job or profession, but a calling or vocation. Although this experience is undermined by a culture of neoliberalism marked by metricization, audits, casualization, and the like, geographers find ways to resist this and reclaim a sense of vocation. This talk will be of interest to academic geographers, or to geography students considering their futures in the workplace.
Sustainability Seminar
Date / Time: Wednesday 24th April at 12:05
Location: Hybrid - in person (ENV/005) and Zoom.
Speaker: Dr Benjamin Thompson
Title: Private sector financing of marine and forest conservation
Bio
Benjamin Thompson is a Senior Lecturer in Geography at Monash University in Melbourne, Australia. His research investigates the governance and financing of biodiversity conservation and environmental management. Focus is on approaches such as payments for ecosystem services, impact investing, ecotourism, and applications of digital technology such as blockchain to the environmental context. He evaluates the economic viability, social equity, and environmental effectiveness of these approaches, and highlights implementation challenges related to politics and institutions. He is particularly interested in their implementation in coastal and marine ecosystems such as mangrove forests and fisheries in the Asia-Pacific region. From July 2024, he will start a three-year Fellowship awarded by the Australian Research Council (ARC) on the topic of ‘Sustainable Business Models for Marine Conservation’ – and will be on sabbatical at Bangor University until then.
Other Events
Tree Researchers Assemble!
Date / Time: Tuesday 30 April, 9:15 to 12:00
Location: YH/001b
Do you work on or with trees in any form or discipline? This event is designed for researchers across ALL faculties, so join us for a half-day workshop where you will engage in interactive exercises and discussions to map out tree-related research.
Book your place or register for future meetings.
Rachel Drinkhill, YESI Senior PA & Initiatives Co-ordinator
York City Nature Challenge
York is officially participating in the global biodiversity initiative called the City Nature Challenge from 26-29th April 2024 for the first time!
Information about how to easily participate can be found on the York City Nature Challenge website. One can make biodiversity observations on their own time, or join the many events being hosted by various community groups and NGOs across greater York. We'd love to invite you to the launch event on 12:30 - 13:20 on Friday 26th April: https://forms.gle/raefC9f5ubaVfrxp6 . You can also have a quick read about the spark behind this project!
Carto-Cymru - The Wales Map Symposium 2024
Date / Time: Friday 17th May, 10:00 - 16:30
Location: Zoom
The National Library of Wales in Aberystwyth are hosting an event that may be of interest to staff.
Carto-Cymru – The Wales Map Symposium 2024 is Wales’s largest map symposium, and this year’s theme is Maps and their Makers - looking at the role of cartographers and surveyors in creating maps, and how an examination of the work of mapmakers through the centuries can help us better understand the maps they created.
Held in association with the British Cartographic Society, speakers include Dr. Seppe Cassettari (President of the BCS), Dr, Alex Kent (Vice-President of the International Cartographic Association) and Huw Thomas (Map Curator at The National Library of Wales). For the first time ever, they are delighted to offer a student price of £5.00, which will need to be purchased with a valid University email address. The Library reserves the right to cancel any ticket not purchased on this tier with a valid University email address.
The symposium takes place on May 17th, between 10am and 4.30pm. You can purchase tickets here!
York Pint of Science Event
Date / Time: Wednesday 15th May, 19:00 - 21:00
Location: FortyFive Vinyl Cafe
You're invited to attend 'Lay it All on the Table', one of the York Pint of Science events 2024!
On 15th May from 7:00 - 9:00pm at FortyFive Vinyl Cafe, join an evening of talks from reserchers and PhD students. They will be talking about food security, climate change, and infant nutrition; thinking about a healthier and more sustainable future.
Tickets can be found on the Pint of Science website.
MTD Award Nominees for May 2024!
Congratulations to all of the nominees for the May 2024 round of MTD Awards!
Victoria Batty (Individual)
Matt Pickering (Individual)
Angela Purdham (Individual)
Katariina Nara-Zanotti (Individual)
Annabel Jackson, Chloe Mitchell (Team)
Dave Hay (Individual)
Beth Roberts (Individual)
Jenny Pollard (Individual)
Samarthia Thankappan (Individual)
Ciaran Ogilvie (Individual)
Rachel Vonderdell, Beth Roberts (Reception Team)
Jun Li (Individual)
Anika Haque (Individual)
Lindsay Stringer (Individual)
Sally Beckenham (Individual)
Debs Sharpe (Individual)
Rebecca Sutton (Individual)
Good News and Media Engagement
Our alumnus Will Palmer will be talking about his award winning photo of Thor the walrus in Scarborough on local radio after winning a top award!
Congratulations to Enoch Adranyi and supervisors Lindsay Stringer and Henrice Altink. Enoch's second paper from his PhD thesis has been published in PLOS One. The full reference is: Adranyi E, Stringer LC, Altink H 2024. Joined-up governance for more complementary interactions between expanding artisanal small-scale gold mining and agriculture: Insights from Ghana PLOS One: Joined-up governance for more complementary interactions between expanding artisanal small-scale gold mining and agriculture: Insights from Ghana
Sarah Bridle was interviewed for the Future Tense programme on the Australia Broadcating Corporation's radio programme - Future Tense - about climate labelling on food and the environmental impact of how you cook your food.
Research Opportunities and Updates
Hybrid event: AI - Environment and social good?
Date / Time: Friday 26th April,14:30-17:00
Location: The Guildhall and online
Join this hybrid panel discussion featuring two University of York researchers, which will discuss the potential of AI as a tool for working towards a better world. Featuring University of York researchers Steve Cinderby and David Beer. In-person attendees will also be able to attend a post-event networking session and AI exhibition.
Register now
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