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Speakers:

Dr Paul Eizenhoefer, School of Geographical & Earth Sciences

‘How does Life respond to Landscape Evolution?’ 

My past and present research is centred on deciphering the drivers of natural landscape evolution from plate tectonic to mountain range scales over geological time. I adopt a holistic, transdisciplinary approach within modern Earth Science that integrates state-of-the-art analytical and computational techniques across the fields of structural geology, geo-/thermochronology and geomorphology. In doing so, I developed a detailed understanding of tectonics and landscape evolution in active mountain ranges over the past decade.

Species evolution operates at similar scales as tectonics. Mountain ranges, in particular, are known hotspots of biodiversity. In the near future, I envision to test the hypothesis that terrestrial and marine biodiversity are primarily controlled by the physiographic evolution of landscapes at regional and continental scales. However, this requires knowledge beyond my expertise. Hence, I’m seeking collaborations, for example, with evolutionary biologists, climatologists, computational scientists, or biostatisticians to address the loss of biodiversity due to ongoing climate change. Eventually, we would target larger funding calls such as NERC Pushing the Frontiers. 

 

Dr Fred Rendell-Bhatti, School of Physics & Astronomy

‘Towards next-generation barocaloric materials for sustainable heating & cooling’

My research is focused on developing and understanding energy materials for sustainable heating and cooling technologies. Specifically, I am investigating a promising class of materials known as barocalorics, solid materials that undergo temperature changes with applied pressure, work that primarily consists of experimental materials physics and chemistry. I am eager to connect with colleagues and peers working in engineering, social sciences, and heat-pump industries with the aim of developing routes for the future adoption of barocaloric heating or cooling devices. I have applied for a Leverhulme Fellowship and currently applying for an EPSRC Postdoctoral Fellowship, both related to this goal.

 

Prof. Harriet Thomson, School of Social & Political Sciences

‘Closing Energy Divides for Just Energy Transitions'

My research takes a pluralistic, inclusive, and holistic approach, with a focus on: energy poverty alleviation; integrating social and climate policies; and ensuring just energy transitions that centre historically marginalised communities. In conjunction with collaborators in Mexico, I recently concluded a 3-year Newton Fund project that matched low carbon technologies to household energy needs in rural communities, taking a bottom-up participatory approach, and I am now seeking collaborations to apply this approach in other contexts. I am also looking to collaborate with behavioural scientists on understanding and shifting cognitive biases among policymakers.

 

First published: 23 May 2024

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