SEED

Want to know more about the research taking place within the walls of SoGE? The brand new SEED series will bring it to you!

SEED stands for Speedy Expertise and Discussion. The format is simple: a series of short, TED-style talks aimed at bringing together researchers and students from across the School of Geography and the Environment (SoGE).

On Thursday 15 January 2015, over 120 members of SoGE gathered in the Halford Mackinder Lecture Theatre to listen to a series of exciting speedy talks. The leaders of the School's three research institutes and five research clusters provided overviews of their units' structure and objectives, and each was followed by a 'research highlights' talk given by a nominated researcher.

We were fascinated to see that Lasers in the Jungle can be used to map the Amazon basin in three dimensions. The Bunker and the Camp highlighted the ways in which the usage and meaning of a building shift over time, and our perceptions of drought were challenged in Mapping Drought Knowledges in the UK. We were plunged into the southern African interior several millennia ago during Deserts, Mega-Lakes and Ancient Humans, and learned that modelling Dust Emission Mechanisms in the Sahara is effectively Emission: Impossible. We were confronted with the conflicting impacts of Transport Biofuels and came to appreciate that Sustainable Finance does indeed boost business performance. Finally, we were taken on a brilliant journey exploring the links between Water Security and Global Change.

Photos from the event are available on the School's Flickr channel.

A playlist of all the talks is now available on our YouTube channel, or you can watch each video by clicking on the links below:

OverviewResearch highlight
Watch overview of Biodiversity, Ecosystems and Conservation research cluster on YouTubeBiodiversity, Ecosystems and Conservation research cluster
Prof Yadvinder Malhi		Watch 'Lasers in the jungle' on YouTubeLasers in the jungle
Dr Alexander Shenkin
Watch overview of Climate Systems and Policy research cluster on YouTubeClimate Systems and Policy research cluster
Dr Sebastian Engelstaedter		Watch 'Dust emission mechanisms in the Sahara' on YouTubeDust emission mechanisms in the Sahara
Dr Ian Ashpole
Watch overview of Landscape Dynamics research cluster on YouTubeLandscape Dynamics research cluster
Dr Richard Bailey		Watch 'Deserts, mega-lakes and ancient humans' on YouTubeDeserts, mega-lakes and ancient humans
Dr Sallie Burrough
Watch overview of Technological Natures research cluster on YouTubeTechnological Natures: Materialities, Mobilities, Politics research cluster
Dr Fiona McConnell		Watch 'The bunker and the camp' on YouTubeThe bunker and the camp
Dr Ian Klinke
Watch overview of Transformations research cluster on YouTubeTransformations: Economy, Society and Place research cluster
Dr Tim Schwanen		Watch 'Mapping drought knowledges in the UK' on YouTubeMapping drought knowledges in the UK
Dr Catharina Landström
Watch overview of Environmental Change Institute on YouTubeEnvironmental Change Institute
Prof Myles Allen		Watch 'Water security and global change' on YouTubeWater security and global change
Dr Simon Dadson
Watch overview of Smith School of Enterprise and the Environment on YouTubeSmith School of Enterprise and the Environment
Dr Alex Money		Watch 'Sustainable finance' on YouTubeSustainable finance
Dr Michael Viehs
Watch overview of Transport Studies Unit on YouTubeTransport Studies Unit
Dr Jennie Middleton		Watch 'Transport biofuels' on YouTubeTransport biofuels
Dr James Palmer

The SEED event was rounded off with a buzzing crowd chatting over drinks and food. Our intention is to start bridging our disciplines and to spark collaborations, so the high turnout was a great boost for this fun and engaging series. The next SEED event is already in the works, so get ready for more excitement to come!

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