geography with plymouth university newsletter spring 2013

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GEOGRAPHY
WITH
PLYMOUTH
UNIVERSITY
NEWSLETTER
SPRING 2013
Welcome to the Spring edition of the
Geography newsletter from Plymouth
University. In this issue we get some
perspectives on the Geography careers week
and report success in the Plymouth University
FLUX competition, get an overview of our
Morocco field trip from some of our final
year students, and get a brief look into how
our staff and students engage with local
groups such as the Dartmoor Mountain
Resue service.
We hope you enjoy this edition.
Dr Ralph Fyfe
Associate Professor
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Exploring Bronze Age roundhouses and Neolithic
enclosures amongst the tors on Bodmin Moor
Collection of vegetation survey data on Dartmoor for
coursework reports
Learning in the local environment
The autumn term has been a busy one for
fieldtrips within the region. In early October
second year students on the Landscape
Ecology and Biogeography module were out on
Dartmoor collecting field data to develop their
understanding of spatial relationships between
species and their environment, particularly using
moorland plants. Later in the same month, some
of the same students were out on Bodmin for
the Quaternary Environments and Archaeology
module, visiting key sites that they later used as
part of their coursework, including the fabled site
of Dozmary Pool. Legend has it that Dozmary
Pool was the home of the Lady of the Lake, from
whom King Arthur received Excalibur, and where
Excalibur was later returned on the death of the
King!
No such legends for the Catchment Science
and Management students, who were otherwise
content to roam the agricultural fields of the
South Hams, one of the Areas of Outstanding
Natural Beauty close to Plymouth. Students
worked within small catchments to deepen their
understanding of management issues around
land use, water quality and sediment erosion.
They even took out a portable rainfall simulator,
in spite of the terrible autumn weather we had
in 2012! The rainfall simulator allows them to
control the intensity and volume of rainfall on
particular types of soil and land cover, and so
understand the ways in which these factors
interact to increase or decrease soil erosion and
sediment delivery in the field.
Taking detailed measurements of soil characteristics in
the South Hams. Rather than take the soil to the lab,
these students took the lab to the soil!
Careful measurement of abiotic factors that can be
used to explain plant distribution on Dartmoor
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Meanwhile, second year Geography of Tourism
and Recreation students visited Torquay to study
the changing fortunes of a traditional seaside
resort and the effectiveness of revitalisation
projects implemented since the 1980s. Despite
rather unseasonal (or perhaps typical) seaside
weather, the students learnt about the historic
evolution of the resort, the challenges of rapidly
changing tourism demand, and the success
of various attempts to revitalise the resort’s
infrastructure and appeal. In the afternoon, the
students recorded their own observations of
different parts of Torquay in small groups as the
basis of a seminar presentation and discussion.
Students recreate the queue of passengers waiting for
taxis outside Torquay station shown in the lower photo
from 1959 - though due to the rain the recreation took
place under cover on the platform!
Geography Careers Week, October 2012
2012 saw the introduction of a ‘Geography Careers Week’ at Plymouth University. The objective of our
events was to raise awareness of careers opportunities, including those in social enterprise. Students
worked within problem-solving exercises, enhancing team working skills, dealing with complexity and
uncertainty, and generally broadened and increased employability skills. A key approach that we took
was to encourage our students to learn from the experience of recent graduates. The speakers were
brutally honest in saying that it would be tough finding a job but they highlighted strategies for becoming
more employable.
The Geography Hot Seat Competition provided students with the opportunity to experience real
interview situations. The interviewers were senior staff in PU Human Resources and past graduates.
One of the interviewers commented after the competition that “I have not met a group like you – you
shone through at the interviews and I was amazed at the considerable experience you had gained so early in
your careers.”
On the final day, teams of students battled it out in
a ‘Dragons Den’-style competition in which they
had to develop a sustainable business concept
and pitch the idea to industry professionals. The
judges included Henry Warren (formerly Chief
Finance Officer at Babcock), Eleanor Butland
(Solicitor from Foot Anstey), Keith Woodgate
(Tiscali) and Tim Orchard (OneTel). The
judges praised them for their passion for their
products, their excellent presentations and the
way that they worked well as a team and coped
well with the exercise. Henry Warren told the
competitors that they should all be very proud of
their achievements.
Geography students discuss their business plan during
the Hot Seat competition at the inaugural Geography
Careers Week, October 2012.
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Plymouth FLUX 2012 competition
Two teams from Geography entered the annual Plymouth University FLUX
competition in November 2012. FLUX is a fast-paced business event which takes
competing teams through the process of setting up a business and of business
planning. Competition was stiff, in particular as teams from Plymouth University
have won the National FLUX competition twice in the last five years (a team of
Geographers winning in 2008!). Team Kinetics (Jessie Longstaff, Fiona Lapworth,
Lisa Aldred, Elizabeth Forrow, Matthew Davis and Gina Kallis) performed excellently,
really stood out with their presentations with Lisa Aldred winning the FLUX
‘Individual Presenter’ award.
Team Phoenix (Tim Norman, Will Stanley, James Wood, Will Whittell, Melanie
Micallef-Eynaud and Rebecca Youde) were truly ‘awesome’, and against very tough
opposition came a very close second overall (losing by just one point). The external
business experts praised their professionalism, creativity and knowledge. Members
of Team Phoenix describe their experiences below.
James Wood, from Team Phoenix, in mid-pitch with Mel
Micallef-Eynaud looking on.
Lisa Aldred winner of
the FLUX ‘Individual
Presenter’ award.
Top Geography FLUX team ‘Phoenix’ came a close
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Tim Norman
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Using a state-of-the-art Kestrel 400 weather meter to
record factors important in the movement of sand in the
desert environment.
Morocco field trip 2012
Students enjoy a welcome break from measuring dunes
by climbing aboard the traditional ‘ships’ of the desert.
to make teaching on such environments less
abstract through real-world experience.
The last of four field classes run for final year
students in 2012, Morocco offered a welcome
bit of sunshine in a outstandingly wet UK year.
29 students from the Geography and Physical
Geography and Geology programmes and 3
staff travelled a transect of physical and cultural
environments across the country, from the
chaotic hive of activity that is Marrakech in midsouthwestern Morocco, across the High Atlas
Mountains, into the rugged Dades Valley and to
the dune fields of the Sahara Desert close to the
Algerian border.
As well as module work, the wider cultural
experiences of the trip also helped to broaden
horizons. World renowned Moroccan food,
haggling with stall owners in open-air markets
or “souks”, 4x4 drives along desert trails, camel
rides through the dunes and desert sunrises
and sunset are just some highlights of the trip.
Socialising and sharing a beer or two with
fellow students, staff and locals also provided
the opportunity to champion new bonds across
different backgrounds, ages and nationalities.
Academic work was dominantly hands-on
with student-led group projects in geohazard
surveying and research into the dynamics of erg
environments (sandy deserts or “sand seas”) in
the form of field data collection. Much of arid
environment geography is fairly alien to British
students due to the temperate climate of our
country. This fieldwork offered the opportunity
This quote from the late professor of geography
Carl Sauer reflects well on the trip: “...avoid
whatever increases routine and fatigue and
decreases alertness”. The Morocco field class
provided for many students a unique physical,
cultural and teaching environment to refresh,
further and ignite both academic and nonacademic perspectives.
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‘Real’ Research - the Plymouth
Food for the Public Sector project
University students, whether undergraduate or
postgraduate, are fully aware that when it comes
to ‘standing out’ in the eyes of potential employers,
what counts is evidence of enthusiasm and drive
to engage with relevant research and professional
work. The summer months of 2012 offered an
excellent opportunity to engage students in a real
project with LOCAL appeal and significance.
Originally the inspiration of Peter Redstone of
the Barefoot Thinking Company, the task was
to determine the proportion of food and drink
purchases in 2010-11 and 2011-12 which could
be defined as ‘LOCAL’ for key public sector
organisations in Plymouth (including schools,
colleges and Universities, hospitals and social
service providers). The project was a follow-up
of a previous study developed under the South
West Food & Drink’s ‘Developing Sustainable
Food Chains’ Initiative (DSFC) and conducted
in a joint project by The Soil Association and the
Barefoot Partnership Ltd. The prime focus is to
encourage the procurement of locally produced
food in the public sector.
The study was conducted by a committed team
of Postgraduate and Undergraduate Students
at Plymouth University under the supervision
of Ian Whitehead (Associate Professor in Rural
Property Management). Students on the MSc
Sustainable Environmental Management together
with Geography undergraduates Claire Giles,
Ariane Robinson, Jessica McKenna and Jessica
Tearle were involved over the 8 week study.
As a result of the LOCAL food projects,
including the work of our Geography students,
the proportion of total food and drink purchases
has increased from 10% to 12% by value. The
establishment of contacts with local suppliers
is something that has great potential for
development of this proportion in the future,
especially if costs of transport continue to
challenge.
Find yourself... with Plymouth
University!
In November five geography students (Jack
Davison, Lorraine Isgar, Ross Forty, Katy Hall and
Ashanti Payne) helped the Dartmoor Search and
Rescue Team Plymouth (DSRTP) in a Search and
Rescue exercise on Sheepstor, Dartmoor. The
scenario involved the students pretending to get
lost on the moor and sustaining injuries as they
tried to find their way off the moor in the dark.
Ashanti was located by a search dog, while Ross,
Lorraine and Katy were found by a search team
who administered first aid. The photo shows
Lorraine receiving treatment for a suspected ‘broken’ leg.
The collaboration was part of a new partnership between Plymouth University and DSRTP. This will
provide opportunities for students to experience Dartmoor in all conditions and undertake training with
the mountain rescue team.
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Okehampton
A group of our students visited Okehampton
in February to learn more about the town. A
series of presentation by the mayor, local
councillors and chair of the North Dartmoor
Search and Rescue team outlined the history
and background of the local area. The difficult
years of factory closures experienced in the area
- local manifestations of a nationwide recession
- set the context for the regeneration process
in place aiming to provide a fruitful economic
future for this market town.
The group had a very full day. A guided tour of
the town brought to life the issues raised during
the talks earlier that morning.
Geography students with (l to r) Cllr Dr Michael Ireland,
chair of NDSART Andrew Aiano, mayor Cllr the Rev Mike
Davies, deputy mayor Cllr Paul Vachon and Cllr Christine
Marsh.
In the afternoon members of the North
Dartmoor Search and Rescue Team explained
some of the difficulties involved with the search
and rescue process, and the remaining time
was spent around the town as the students
pulled their thoughts together and gathered
information for a photographic essay and a
group presentation.
A slide from one of the presentations submitted as part of
a photographic essay.
Movember 2012
For those who haven’t come across it, Movember is an annual event involving the growing of moustaches
during the month of November to raise awareness of prostate cancer and other male cancer and
associated charities. By encouraging men (which the charity refers to as “Mo Bros”) to get involved,
Movember aims to increase early cancer detection, diagnosis and effective treatments.
Geography stage two students (Mo
Bros and Mo Sistas) raised nearly
£400, whilst geography staff also
joined in!
The Geography stage two Movember
team plus a couple of hirsute staff!
L to R: Matt O’Donnell, Matt Wise, Ross
Robinson, staff Will Blake and Richard
Yarwood, Ashanti Payne and Matt Y.
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Graduate Profile:
Simon Faulkner
Where were you born and brought up?
I was born in Hong Kong (Dad was in the Army) but
raised in Wiltshire (Devizes – home of 6X beer) and
went to school in Bath.
What were the highlights of your Geography
degree?
I loved the fieldtrips (what geographer doesn’t?)
especially the trip to the Pacific North West between
my second and third year, which was one of the best
things I’ve ever done - big shout out to Jon Shaw,
Richard Yarwood and Andrew Williams who made
that trip.
I think the whole of third year too – it’s when I really
found my stride in the subject and was studying the
things I loved – my dissertation was great fun too, I’m
not sure how many people say that!
I think the staff played an important part in how
much I enjoyed my degree, and indeed I’m still in
contact with them now. Their range of different
modules and also the fact that they were around to
help should you need it really made a difference.
What have you done since you graduated?
Since graduating I worked for a year and a half at
Centre Parcs back home. It was great fun (I effectively
flopped about in the water a lot) but really developed
my skills in running sessions and working with kids
and adults alike.
Throughout this year I got involved in the Geography
Ambassador Scheme at the Royal Geographical
Society delivering sessions to secondary school
students which was great fun, and really complimented
a lot of the skills I gained from my degree and work.
What job are you in now?
I currently work for the Royal Geographical Society
(with IBG) running the Geography Ambassador
Scheme. This basically involves running a volunteering
scheme of geography undergraduates, postgraduates
and graduates who promote the subject to students
in secondary schools. The idea is to dispel the
stereotypes that still surround geography and promote
its diversity, relevance and employability via a range
of fun, interactive sessions both in and out of the
classroom. Basically spreading the geography love!
Simon talking about the RGS Ambassador Scheme to
Geography students at Plymouth in 2011. Simon is visiting
again in Spring 2013
How has your geography degree helped you in
your career so far?
I loved the different methods of learning and feel
that they played a really important part in my
development and transition into the world of work.
The analytical aspect of the subject and how it
taught me to never take anything at face value –
and ask the right questions, rather than knowing the
right answers – has really helped with not only work,
but life.
I think presentation skills (which I use A LOT in my
current role) was something that I really valued from
my geography degree, as well as the ability to collect,
manipulate and present data in a variety of different
ways.
Would you recommend others to study
geography for a degree? Why?
Of course! It’s the best degree to study. No other
degree will give you the same breadth of relevant
skills, experience, knowledge and passion that a
geography degree will.You’ll get fantastic opportunities
and be able to specialise into what really interests
you, whether you are a physical geographer, human
geographer or someone who enjoys both. Geography
is also (and I think this is not said enough) a social
subject – you work in teams, you make friends for life
and you have a great relationship with your lecturers
– which all counts for so much, especially when
moving on from university.
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Graduate Profile:
Rebecca Coombe
Where were you born and brought up?
I was born in Oxford but moved to Lymington in
Hampshire when I was 2 and have been there ever
since.
What exactly did you study for your degree
I studied Geography BSc and achieved a 2:1 at the
end of my 3 years. Throughout the 3 years I got to
learn about glaciers, the coast, environmental change,
ecological conservation and biological conservation,
alongside GIS and other modules such as employment
and enterprise.
What were the highlights of your degree?
I really enjoyed the company of the people both
students and lecturers. Everyone has something in
common; most people enjoyed being outside and
being active, which is what I liked doing too. Some of
my best highlights were on the fieldtrips! You learn
a lot on the fieldtrips, you use equipment out in the
field to help with your projects and then present your
findings later in the week or write a report when you
return.
In my first year we went to Bath for a few days at
the beginning of the term. It was during this trip
that I got to know a lot of the other students and
is where I met my close friends at university, I even
found my boyfriend. In our second year we went to
Ireland, which was also a lot of fun, even on the 20
odd hour coach/ferry journey there and back. In my
final year I went on the Iceland field trip, which was
fantastic. The landscape there was amazing and we
got to go on a glacier and go swimming in an iceberg
lake.We managed to get 21 of us in the water, which
was a record, not sure if the other years after us
have beaten that yet! We even tasted a delicacy of
theirs...rotten shark...which I wouldn’t recommend to
anyone. On the last night we also got a glimpse of
the Aurora (Northern Lights).
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What have you done since you graduated?
After I graduated I decided to stay at Plymouth
University. I went on to study a MSc in Sustainable
Environmental Management.
It was a great
experience for me, I gained more skills and
valuable work experience during my masters. My
undergraduate dissertation was on coastal erosion
but my postgraduate dissertation was on dating peat
and carbon accumulation on Dartmoor. These topics
are so different and if I didn’t do a Masters I may
never have found my interest in carbon.
dissertation advisors about what I would do once I
left university. I said I was worried that I wouldn’t
find much work, especially because I was interested
in carbon in peat, but he told me that the knowledge
is still transferable to other sectors. He was right!
Yes the work I’m doing is a bit too desk/office
based for me at the moment but it is related to the
environment, reducing carbon emissions and working
towards a more sustainable future and I wouldn’t
have got here without the knowledge and skills I
gained during my time at university.
What job are you in now?
I’m now the Solent Low Carbon Economy Development
Assistant based at Eastleigh Borough Council but
I actually work for the Solent Local Enterprise
Partnership (Solent LEP) and the Partnership for
Urban South Hampshire (PUSH). It’s an internship,
which allows me to develop my skills through my
employment. I’m involved with bringing together
partnerships between local businesses, local councils
and the universities in the area such as Portsmouth
and Southampton. Together we aim to improve
the Solent area by creating a Low Carbon, Green
Economy. This can be through business growth, the
creation of new/safeguarding jobs, developing a skills
base and having measureable carbon reductions.
Would you recommend others to study
geography for a degree?
Yes! Definitely! Geography is so diverse, people
assume because you do geography you can name
every country in the world or you just do a lot of
colouring in of maps. Studying Geography opens up
your career options, you can focus on either human
or physical geography, or both. You can study coastal
zone management, sea level change, third world
countries, tourism and recreation, rural geography,
Quaternary environments and archaeology,
environmental change, arid environments, rivers,
conservation and geohazards. Not only that but you
gain so many skills in networking, report writing,
presentations, statistics, poster presentations and
working not only by yourself but in teams too. I have
no regrets studying geography.
How has your geography degree proved useful in
your career?
My geography degree helped me with the
understanding of renewable energy and climate
change. This is quite an important aspect of my job
because we want to reduce carbon emission and
renewable energy has a key part to play. I found that
simple things we take for granted have been useful
such as report and essay writing and presentations.
Even working methodically and efficiently when
I did lab work at university makes me work more
effectively in the office.
Did you expect or plan to be doing what you are
doing now?
Not really, I was surprised that I got the interview
for this position because I didn’t think I had the right
knowledge for it but they were impressed with my
enthusiasm, my presentation and initiative. Which,
I guess are all skills I gained during my Geography
degree.
I remember having a discussion with one of my
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Geography in the news...
Royal connections
Cornish coastal landslips on the rise
On 30th November 2012 the Duke of
Edinburgh visited Plymouth University to open
the new Marine School building. At the same
event, Geography lecturer Richard Yarwood
(a recent recipient of the Queen’s Diamond
Jubilee medal), introduced the Duke to
students from the School of Geography, Earth
and Environmental Sciences who have achieved
their Gold Duke of Edinburgh award.
Cornwall County Council have recently
revealed that there have been over 35
‘significant’ landslips along the Cornish coast,
including some terrifying collapses threatening
properties and closing several sections on the
southwest coast path. Dr Matt Telfer from the
Geography department was sent up by the BBC
in a helicopter to survey and comment on the
scale and causes of the destruction, and point
out the next places that are likely to ‘go’. The
footage can be viewed at:
http://www.bbc .co.uk/news/uk-englandcornwall-21341342
On the same theme, there was a spectacular
landslip at Hell’s Mount near Portreath in
Cornwall captured on video back in October
2011, the result of which can be seen in the
photo below. For those who didn’t catch the
video footage first time around use the link
below - it is quite spectacular.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZVjr4mii3cE
Dartmoor treasures unearthed ...
Associate Professor (and Editor of this issue!) Ralph
Fyfe was seen on the BBC in mid-February as part
of a report on an amazing archaeological discovery
in the peat on Dartmoor (www.bbc.co.uk/news/ukengland-21445658). Work is ongoing, funded by English
Heritage: watch this space for more news!
Richard Yarwood introducing the Duke of Edinburgh to
SoGEES students, accompanied by the University ViceChancellor Wendy Purcell
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Geography research news:
SWSAL
South West Smart Applications Ltd (SWSAL) is
an award winning company which has grown out
of SoGEES-based research through the Centre
for Sustainable Transport, and is now located on
campus in the Institute for Sustainability Solutions
Research. SWSAL has received £2.98 million
over the last 18 months in funding from the Local
Sustainable Transport Fund, and has just appointed
a new staff member. Jonathan Smith started with
us in March 2013 and is heading up the customer
support programme for SWSAL, which now
provides the back office support for almost 1
million smartcards in the region. This now takes
the SWSAL staffing level up to 4 and is a real home
grown success.
Will Blake and Hugh Smith
have received £35K from the Japanese
Government for collaborative research with the
University of Tsukuba (Japan) to examine the
redistribution of radioactivity from the Fukushima
nuclear disaster from contaminated land via rivers
to the coastal zone.
Neil Roberts
has received £46K from the Natural Environment
Research Council to assess the role that climate
change played in the Plague of Justinian that killed
up to a quarter of the population of the Eastern
Mediterranean between AD540-750.
Ralph Fyfe and Tim Daley
have received £41K from Exmoor National Park
to undertake detailed study of changes over the last
1000 years on blanket bog communities targeted
for ecological conservation and restoration.
Tim Daley and Ralph Fyfe
have received £18K from the Natural Environment
Research Council (NERC) to assess the extent to
which rewetted peatlands recycle old carbon, or
maintain the ability to sequester additional carbon
from the atmosphere.
Ian Bailey
has won a prestigious Santander Scholarship
to support his research into community attitudes
to renewable energy.
Recent successful PhD
completions:
Heather Davies
Sustainable management of the historic
environment resource in upland peat on Exmoor.
Mehmet Seremet
Geographic Information Systems in Higher
Education: a study of provision, pedagogy and
employability in the UK and Turkey.
Andrew Seedhouse
A critical evaluation of community rail policy and
practice.
Alex Taylor
Evaluating the role of first-order stream wetlands
in catchment sediment budgets using Beryllium-7
as a tracer.
Susan Wren
Socio-economic
and
livelihood
impacts
of environmentally friendly bioenterprise
development for agro-pastoralists in Somburu
Heartlands, Kenya.
Recent books:
Edited by Naomi
Tyrrell and colleagues:
Transnational Migration
and Childhood
(Routledge Taylor Francis:
2012)
Matt Lobley, John Baker
and Ian Whitehead:
Keeping it in the family: International Perspectives on
Succession and Retirement
on Family Farms
(Ashgate: 2012)