Oxford's School of Geography and the Environment has appointed Dr David Moreno-Mateos as Associate Professor in Physical Geography who will take up post on 1st September 2023. Dr Moreno-Mateos will replace Rob Whittaker (Professor of Biogeography), who retires from the School later this year. The new appointment is in association with Oxford's St Edmund Hall where Dr Moreno-Mateos will hold the position of Tutorial Fellow in Physical Geography.

Alumna Natalie Chung (MPhil 2021), founder of V'air Hong Kong, voyaged alongside accomplished deep ocean activist Dr Sylvia Earle to advocate for policies to protect nature's most important carbon sink - the Ocean.

Dr Chloë Strevens is interviewed by student Raphaella Mascia on her journey from growing up on her family's farm in Ireland to becoming an ecologist and Course Director of Oxford University's Biodiversity, Conservation, and Management master's programme.

Polar Pod is a new podcast that explores the regions at the poles of our planet and how they matter to all of us. Created by researchers from the School of Geography and the Environment, the podcast is a product of the Oxford University Polar Forum, and draws together expert voices to answer big questions that polar research is grappling with today.

Oxford University researchers have recorded the wettest March since rainfall records began at the Radcliffe Meteorological Station in January 1827. Attributing March's wet weather to a 'sudden stratospheric warming occurance', observers reported that 133.9mm of rain fell during the month and that 27 of 31 days received rainfall.

Dr Lisa Wedding has been awarded the Cuthbert Peek Award for pioneering marine remote sensing research in the 2023 Royal Geographical Society (with IBG) honours.

The 6th Interdisciplinary Desert Conference was held in SoGE from 16-17 March 2023. The conference brought together academics and non-academics who research, work and live across the world's desert and semi-desert regions for two days of vibrant talks, presentations, panels and networking opportunities. Conference organiser, Ariell Ahearn, reviews the interdisciplinary event which allowed social and physical scientists to exchange views, develop lasting collaborations and make a positive global impact.

Congratulations to Dr Ian Klinke (Associate Professor in Human Geography) who has been awarded a one-year Mid-Career Fellowship by The British Academy. The title project is 'Beyond Atlanticism and Ostpolitik: Germany and NATO from Kosovo to Ukraine'.

MSc student, Raphaella Mascia, examines the unique challenges faced by students in Environment and Conservation, and the issues related to mental health, eco-stress, anxiety and grief.