The spring months have mostly been about engagement, but behind the scenes were as busy as ever interrogating data and looking for patterns.
- Prof Martin Solan presented at the Wessex Conservation Forum one day conference discussing ‘Biodiversity, Ecosystem Services and the Green Economy’ in the Wessex region.
- Prof David Paterson was a guest speaker at 2015 George Watson’s College Model UN Conference in Edinburgh.
- Dr Martin Skov was interviewed by the BBC’s Science Cafe speaking about the importance of salt mashes and mudflats as natural carbon stores and flood defences. 17mins and 10 secs into the programme.
Two CBESS PhD students, up-date us on their thoughts and research work in their blogs; Cai Ladd ‘we’re riding a big digital wave… I wonder where it will take us?’ and Lydia Bach ‘The temporal differences we have seen so far found are quite astonishing…‘
At the end of January, the University of St Andrews teamed up, once again, with St Leonard’s High School in St Andrews to deliver a field trip for their International Baccalaureate students. Read more here.
In February, CBESS delivered the second NERC funded Advanced Training Short Course; biodiversity and ecosystem assessment in the coastal margin (BESA). The course was a resounding success with very posisitve feedback Well organised, well run and appropriate speakers for the topics covered. The most useful and stimulating course I have been on through NERC. Read more here.
March was a month of science festivals; the University of St Andrews attended a Science Discovery Day with ‘Coastal connections: mudflats to rocky shores‘, Bangor University showcased ‘Love your salt marsh‘ at Bangor Science Festival and the Cambridge Coastal Research Unit ‘slashed and squelched‘ their way through Cambridge Science Festival.
Meetings to note:
- Stormy geomorphology. Dr Tom Spencer (of CBESS) is organising a one day international scientific meeting (11 May 2015). Read more here.
- Are ecosystem services academic? Prof Martin Solan (of CBESS), Dr Clive Trueman and Dr Laura Grange are hosting a two day meeting at University of Southampton (7-8 July 2015) Read more here.