Sustainability under the spotlight at symposium

“This year’s symposium will see us examine the advances in research, methodologies, collaboration and impact that have been made

Work carried out at the James Hutton Institute and the University of Dundee aiming to tackle environmental challenges will be explored at a conference next week.

The Centre for Environmental Change and Human Resilience (CECHR) will hold its annual symposium at the West Park Conference Centre, Dundee, on Wednesday, 24th February. CECHR is a partnership between the James Hutton Institute and the University of Dundee, providing a hub for interdisciplinary research addressing how societies can increase resilience to environmental change and promote sustainable futures.

Researchers from both institutions, as well as collaborators, will host a series of talks and discussions showcasing work - particularly relating to advances in research, design, environmental science and transformative science.

After a series of keynote speeches, staff from the James Hutton Institute and the University of Dundee’s academic schools and support services will host five-minute speed talks highlighting the work they have undertaken, the ideas underpinning it and their results.

Event organiser Professor Ioan Fazey, Chair of Social Dimensions of Environmental Change at the University of Dundee, said: “This year’s symposium will see us examine the advances in research, methodologies, collaboration and impact that have been made and features contributions from no less than seven of the University’s nine schools and researchers from the James Hutton Institute.

“This interdisciplinary approach is a key component of CECHR’s work as it shows how researchers, teachers and practitioners from seemingly disparate subjects can make a difference to the sustainability agenda.”

Food, water, energy and health futures are key themes where CECHR aims to deliver world-class research and postgraduate teaching. The symposium will explore current and completed work, examples of collaborations among CECHR members and novel approaches to working. In showcasing these ideas to a wide audience, it also aims to stimulate further discussion about the values and principles that together enable research to make a difference and to promote future collaborations.