Category: Environment

Our PhD community impressed yesterday during the Earth and Environment PhD min-conference. This was a wonderful opportunity for the students to get feedback and questions about their work, while strengthening the research culture within the department.

The programme was as follows:

Environmental PhD Mini Conference Schedule

27^th November 2024, 2-4pm

Each student to give a 7-minute presentation followed by 5 minutes for questions and feedback.

2:00 Welcome and introduction

2:10 Beginnings for environmental storytelling

Alison Reid, PhD candidate at Newcastle University

2:25 How can land provide multiple benefits for current and future generations? The case of Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council.

Rach Butler, Carbon Reduction Coordinator at Stockton on Tees Borough Council, PhD candidate at Teesside University

2:40 Using Rainfall Isotopes to Decode Climate Variability: Implications for Stalagmite Studies in Western Africa

Fatai Ilesanmi, PhD candidate at Teesside University

2:55 Impact of prescribed burning on moorland carbon dynamics, microbial diversity and function

Dilmi Mapatunage, PhD candidate at Teesside University

3:10 Land-based solutions for climate change mitigation and adaptation: The case study of the Tees River catchment

Okechukwu Ignatius Eze, PhD candidate at Teesside University

3:25 Above and below-ground carbon stocks and biotic changes during rewilding

Austine Otabor, PhD candidate at Teesside University

The group heard from Dr Ernesto Saiz Val, with a talk entitled ‘N-biogeochemistry and new low-cost analytical methods for in-situ environmental monitoring’.

Ernesto’s work focuses on low cost, reliable and portable devices for soil field work, devices to measure pH, ammonia, potassium and nitrate were shown and a great explanation of the future potential of this work.

If you want to know more – see Dr Saiz Val’s research page – https://research.tees.ac.uk/en/persons/ernesto-saiz-val/publications/

On 8^th February 2024 we had a fascinating internal seminar talk by Dr Oluseye Oludoye on Pro-Environmental Behaviour Towards Sustainable Food Systems.

Oluseye introduced us to his research including pesticide, cocoa flavours, and plastic chemistry. The talk introduced the team to how people consider use of pesticide, but more importantly the impact of usage on the environment, including soil health. The talk encouraged the group to think about economics, biodiversity and climate change, a really thought provoking and insightful lunchtime session.

Continue reading “Seminer update – Dr Oluseye Oludoye” →

On 24 January 2024, the Earth & Environment Research Group welcomed external speaker, Dr Lauren Rawlins, who recently completed her PhD at the Department of Environment & Geography at the University of York. Lauren presented her PhD research investigating the impacts of climate change on the glaciers of Greenland. Through remote sensing of the Humboldt Glacier in northwest Greenland, Lauren observed significant seasonal surface melting extending 80 kilometres inland from the coast. The formation of pooled water and drainage networks on the glacier’s surface lowers the surface ‘albedo’ (meaning its ability to reflect incoming solar radiation) and contributes to more melting. The surface meltwater can also infiltrate down to the base of the glacier where it can speed up the ice sheet’s advance toward the comparatively warmer coast, leading to further melting. Lauren’s talk also took us down to SW Greenland where she performed uncrewed aerial vehicle (UAV) surveys and some remarkable 3-D mapping of the smaller, Russell glacier, to study the distribution and interactions of surface meltwater with ‘cryoconite’ (dark patches containing algae, black carbon, and other dark coloured particulates that reduce surface albedo).

Lauren’s talk was riveting and, her research, scientifically rigorous. Understanding the sensitivity of the Greenland ice sheet to external factors is critical for predicting future change.

At the end of Lauren’s talk, our own Dr Adrian Dye asked her if she could offer any advice to our PhD and prospective PhD students. Amongst several words of wisdom, Lauren emphasised the importance of having a good rapport with your supervisor, ensuring that the University is a good fit, and, once the PhD project is underway, avoid biting off more than you can chew to avoid burnout.

Lauren’s recent publication can be found here https://tc.copernicus.org/articles/17/4729/2023/tc-17-4729-2023-discussion.html. For members of the research group who missed Lauren’s talk, you can find the recording on the Teams site.

On 8 December 2023, our Earth & Environment Research Group joined up with Teesside University’s student-led Environmental Research Society, to host a virtual talk by Durham University’s Professor James Baldini. Professor Baldini’s talk entitled ‘Meltwater, meteors, and volcanoes: the elusive cause of the Younger Dryas Event’ tackled the still hotly debated cause of the Younger Dryas Event (YDE).

Following the Last Glacial Maximum, the Northern Hemisphere was steadily warming until an abrupt return to near glacial conditions around 12,870 years ago. This abrupt cold event is a subject of intense debate with three hotly contested theories: glacial meltwater flooding into the North Atlantic, a meteor impact, and a high-magnitude volcanic eruption.

During the talk, Professor Baldini skilfully navigated through the pros and cons of each potential trigger, providing a balanced perspective, and debunking some common misconceptions about the Younger Dryas Event. Whether you’re a seasoned enthusiast in Earth and environmental sciences or simply curious about our planet’s intriguing history, this talk offers a captivating exploration into not only this, but the many similar events that occurred over the past 80,000 years of Earth’s climate.

The recording of Professor Baldini’s talk is available on our research group Teams site but anyone can catch a similar talk by Professor Baldini on the Northeast Geological Society’s YouTube Channel here https://youtu.be/Gqj0M8DpfoE?si=0IwZKqq7ZJlsdxZA. Don’t miss the chance to unravel the mysteries of the past and gain a deeper understanding of the forces that have shaped our planet.

The Centre for Biodiscovery was pleased to welcome Professor Hilary Lappin-Scott OBE to the National Horizons Centre. Prof. Lappin-Scott gave a talk detailing her journey from early career researcher to professor (and beyond!). As Hilary is from Middlesbrough her story resonated with many of the team. We were inspired to hear of how she became the first female professor at Exeter University and how she has used her subject knowledge and position to help highlight issues of inclusivity within the sciences. Hilary then met specifically with our microbiology based researcher to offer advice to them. We hope to welcome Hilary back to the NHC soon.

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