GALLANT - Glasgow as a Living Lab Accelerating Novel Transformation
Delivering a Climate Resilient City through City-University Partnership
The GALLANT Project
GALLANT will use Glasgow as a living lab to trial new sustainable solutions throughout the city. GALLANT takes a whole-systems approach. While addressing the city’s key environmental challenges, the programme will consider the co-benefits and trade-offs for public health, wellbeing, and the economy. GALLANT aims to deliver the social priorities of the UN Sustainable Development Goals while remaining within the planetary boundaries of a 1.5°C world using doughnut economics as a framework.
The five solutions of GALLANT's work in Glasgow are to:
- Address flood risk.
- Halt biodiversity loss.
- Regenerate derelict and polluted land.
- Promote active travel and inclusive mobility.
- Implement sustainable energy.
- Contact us by email
- Follow GALLANT on Instagram
- Follow GALLANT on "X"
- Visit us at the University of Glasgow Mazumdar-Shaw Advanced Research Centre (ARC)
- GALLANT is supported by the Natural Environment Research Council as part of the Changing the Environment Programme (NERC grant reference number NE/W005042/1)
The GALLANT Story
The University of Glasgow, in partnership with Glasgow City Council, are working on a £10.5 million research programme: GALLANT - Glasgow as a Living Lab Accelerating Novel Transformation. Funded by UKRI NERC as part of their Changing the Environment investment, University researchers are helping the city move towards climate resilience whilst tackling health, social and economic inequalities.
GALLANT started on 31st January 2022 under the leadership of Centre for Sustainable Solutions Director, Professor Jaime L. Toney, and in collaboration with 29 key programme partners from a variety of public bodies, community groups and businesses. The University of Glasgow team will build on existing inter-disciplinary academic collaborations, and develop new ones, as well as new ways of working to suit these urgent challenges, with over 50 researchers from across our Schools, Colleges, and Institutes, and ten exciting PhD projects.
Professor Toney says:
"Together we aim not only to bring nature back into the city system, but make meaningful, lasting change that embeds sustainability across major policy decisions and empowers communities as stewards of their local places. GALLANT will work with local partners and communities to transform the city into a thriving place for people and nature. GALLANT will help Glasgow achieve its goal to be carbon neutral by 2030 and accelerate its path to climate resilience."
The aim of this research partnership is to boost Glasgow's transition to climate resilience through:
- Designing, implementing and testing a translatable whole-system approach to urban environmental and wellbeing challenges to deliver the social priorities of the UN Sustainable Development Goals, while remaining within the ecological ceiling defined by the planetary boundaries of a 1.5C world; and
- Working with our partners and local communities to co-produce and deliver five interdependent, mutually reinforcing environmental solutions for climate resilience that build capacity for ongoing innovation in the Glasgow living lab.
The five solutions are:
- To address flood risk related to tidal changes, sea level rise, and increased water from extreme weather events. GALLANT aims to transform land use along the River Clyde by identifying sites for urban corridor parks for flood water storage, while also improving areas along the Clyde for wildlife and people.
- To halt biodiversity loss by restoring and connecting currently isolated habitat patches. GALLANT will improve biodiversity by restoring and connecting habitats across Glasgow. Citizens will play a key role in helping researchers to map important bird and mammal species that lead to new management practices in greenspaces to increase connectivity between habitats.
- To trial new ways of regenerating derelict and polluted land through technology that mineralises greenhouse gases and traps organic pollutants into building materials for the future, as well as returning these sites for community use and ecologically functional places.
- To enhance the connectivity that is important not only for nature, but for active travel and inclusive mobility. GALLANT will work with communities to increase active travel including cycling, wheeling and walking to reduce car journeys, improve air quality and reduce carbon dioxide emissions.
- To tackle sustainable energy as a key challenge to achieving net zero carbon. GALLANT will develop sustainable low carbon energy solutions at the community scale that empower local people as active energy citizens to co-create clean energy demand.
Through our living lab approach we will learn how to create solutions that are place-based and meaningful to local people. Our global network of partners enables us to exchange our learning and solutions with both academics and policy leaders across the world. This is an exciting opportunity for Glasgow to lead and carry on the legacy from COP26.
The "Changing the Environment" Programme
Changing the Environment
GALLANT is one of four projects across the UK funded by a National Environmental Research Council (NERC) initiative called "Changing the Environment". This initiative aims to stimulate and build a critical mass and research community that transcends traditional disciplinary boundaries, applying a whole systems approach to solve complex environmental challenges.
The strength of research and innovation capability in the UK should put our communities in a leading position not just to articulate environmental problems, but to devise and propose whole system solutions. These solutions rely on a diverse range of expertise across academic disciplines including but not limited to physical and biological sciences, social sciences, medical sciences, engineering, law, business and economics. This requires a step change in the way that academic communities work.
As well as working on our own objectives, GALLANT will also collaborate with the three other funded institutions in the Changing the Environment initiative to collectively communicate our findings and create joint policy briefs.
The other "Changing the Enviornment" Projects
As well as GALLANT, NERC also funds:
- The Centre for Landscape Regeneration (University of Cambridge) who aim to provide knowledge and tools to regenerate the British countryside using cost-effective Nature-based Solutions that provide broad societal benefits including biodiversity recovery as well as climate mitigation and adaptation.
- AGILE (University of Oxford) which is building capacity within the University of Oxford to rapidly bring together interdisciplinary research, and identify evidence-based solutions to major social and environmental challenges.
- RENEW (University of Exeter and the National Trust) which aims to work with the public, landowners, land managers and businesses to improve biodiversity across the UK, to develop solutions to the renewal of biodiversity. The project also aims to widen the diversity of people engaged with nature in the UK, taking a ‘People in Nature’ approach.
Explore GALLANT's Work
Click here to find out more about each of GALLANT's research streams and packages.
Innovation Fund Projects
Click here to find out more about each of the projects running as part of GALLANT's Innovation Fund.
What is GALLANT?
Hear from GALLANT staff, stakeholders and Glasgow City Council partners who explain what the project is and why it is important.
The GALLANT Gathering
Each year the GALLANT team come together to share their work.
The GALLANT Team
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GALLANT Leadership Team
| Name | Role | School / Subject / Unit |
|---|---|---|
|
Prof Jaime L Toney (GALLANT Principal Investigator) College of Science and Engineering |
Professor in Environmental and Climate Science Director Co-Chair |
School of Geographical and Earth Sciences Centre for Sustainable Solutions University of Glasgow Sustainability Working Group |
|
Prof Petra Meier (GALLANT Co-PI) School of Health & Wellbeing |
Professor of Public Health Associate Director |
MRC/CSO Social & Public Health Sciences Unit Centre for Sustainable Solutions |
|
Prof Marian Scott (GALLANT Co-PI) College of Science and Engineering |
Professor of Environmental Statistics |
School of Mathematics and Statistics |
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GALLANT Management Team
| Name | Role | School / Subject / Unit |
|---|---|---|
|
Sarah Currier College of Science and Engineering |
Programme Manager |
GALLANT Programme |
|
Cameron Mackay College of Science and Engineering |
Programme Communications Coordinator |
GALLANT Programme |
|
Saba Saeed College of Science and Engineering |
Programme Monitoring and Evaluation Coordinator |
GALLANT Programme |
|
Elaine Murray College of Science and Engineering |
Programme Administrator |
GALLANT Programme |
|
Nicola Smock Research & Innovation Services |
Centre for Sustainable Solutions Coordinator |
Centre for Sustainable Solutions |
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Systems Science Team
| Name / College | Role | School / Subject / Unit |
|---|---|---|
|
Prof John Crawford (Team Co-Lead) College of Social Sciences |
Professor in Strategy and Technology Management |
Adam Smith Business School |
|
Prof Petra Meier (Team Co-Lead) School of Health & Wellbeing |
Professor of Public Health Associate Director |
MRC/CSO Social & Public Health Sciences Unit Centre for Sustainable Solutions |
|
Jo Winterbottom School of Health & Wellbeing |
Senior Research Fellow |
MRC/CSO Social & Public Health Sciences Unit |
|
Prof Denis Fischbacher-Smith College of Social Sciences |
Research Chair in Risk and Resilience Visiting Professor of Risk Management |
Adam Smith Business School School of Interdisciplinary Studies |
|
Prof Graeme Roy College of Social Sciences |
Dean of External Engagement Professor in Economics |
College Senior Management Adam Smith Business School |
|
Dr Annika Hjelmskog School of Health & Wellbeing |
Glasgow's City Portrait Research Associate Research Associate in Systems Thinking and Modelling |
MRC/CSO Social & Public Health Sciences Unit |
|
Dr Mary Menton School of Health & Wellbeing |
Research Affiliate |
MRC/CSO Social & Public Health Sciences Unit |
|
Dr Cris Hasan College of Social Sciences |
Research Associate in Complex Systems Modelling & Visualisation |
Adam Smith Business School |
|
Amy Stevenson College of Medical, Veterinary & Life Sciences |
Postgraduate Researcher |
School of Health & Wellbeing |
|
Jonathan Lee College of Social Sciences |
Postgraduate Researcher |
Adam Smith Business School |
|
Dr Elizabeth Inyang College of Medical, Veterinary & Life Sciences |
Post-Doctoral Research Assistant |
School of Health & Wellbeing |
|
Sarah Lester College of Medical, Veterinary & Life Sciences |
Research Assistant |
School of Health & Wellbeing |
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Community Collaboration Team
| Name / College | Role | School / Subject / Unit |
|---|---|---|
|
Prof Ria Dunkley (Team Lead) College of Social Sciences |
Professor of Environmental Pedagogy Core Member |
School of Education Centre for Research and Development in Adult and Lifelong Learning (CRADALL) |
|
Prof Minty Donald College of Arts & Humanities |
Professor of Contemporary Performance Practice |
School of Culture & Creative Arts |
|
Dr Nai Rui Chng School of Health & Wellbeing College of Social Sciences |
Research Associate Post Doctoral Research Associate Research Associate in Innovative Methods for Co-Evaluating Collaborative Community Practices (GALLANT) |
MRC/CSO Social & Public Health Sciences Unit School of Health & Wellbeing Social Sciences School of Education |
|
Dr Rhys Williams College of Arts & Humanities |
Lecturer in Energy & Environmental Humanities Associate Director |
School of Critical Studies Centre for Sustainable Solutions |
|
Dr Sarah Gambell College of Social Sciences |
Research Associate in Applied Creative Practices in Communities | School of Education |
|
Dr Florence Halstead College of Social Sciences |
Research Associate in Innovative Methods for Co-Producing Collaborative Community Practices | School of Education |
|
Sarah-Jane Hamilton College of Social Sciences College of Science and Engineering |
Postgraduate Researcher
Research Assistant - DEI Project, Glasgow Science Centre |
School of Education
James Watt School of Engineering |
|
Jill Muirie Glasgow Centre for Population Health |
Public Health Programme Manager Chair of GALLANT Community Collaboration Steering Group |
School of Health & Wellbeing |
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Data and Data Analytics Team
| Name / College | Role | School / Subject / Unit |
|---|---|---|
|
Prof Claire Miller (Team Lead) College of Science and Engineering |
Professor of Statistics |
School of Mathematics and Statistics |
|
Prof Ana Basiri College of Science and Engineering |
Professor of Geospatial Data Science |
School of Geographical and Earth Sciences |
|
Prof Marian Scott College of Science and Engineering |
Professor of Environmental Statistics |
School of Mathematics and Statistics |
|
Prof Nick Bailey College of Social Sciences |
Professor Associate Director |
Urban Studies School of Health & Wellbeing Urban Big Data Centre |
|
Dr Luigi Cao Pinna College of Science and Engineering |
Research Associate in Urban Environmental Data Analytics |
School of Mathematics and Statistics |
|
Barbara Alvarez Solanilla College of Social Sciences |
Senior Research Engineering Manager |
Urban Big Data Centre |
|
Andy Clarke College of Social Sciences |
Data Scientist (Digital Storytelling Engineer) |
Urban Big Data Centre |
|
Sanjay Raut Information Services |
Research Infrastructure Engineer |
IT Services |
|
Heather Sinclair College of Social Sciences |
Information Services Officer |
Urban Big Data Centre |
|
Ermia Hassanpour College of Social Sciences |
Research Software Engineer |
Urban Big Data Centre |
|
Jack Baird College of Science and Engineering |
Postgraduate Researcher |
School of Mathematics and Statistics |
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Flood Adaptation & Riverscapes Team
| Name / College | Role | School / Subject / Unit |
|---|---|---|
|
Prof Larissa Naylor (Team Co-Lead) College of Science and Engineering |
Professor of Geomorphology and Environmental Geography |
School of Geographical and Earth Sciences |
|
Dr Martin Hurst (Team Co-Lead) College of Science and Engineering |
Lecturer in Physical Geography |
School of Geographical and Earth Sciences |
|
Dr Giedre Jokubauskaite College of Social Sciences |
Lecturer in International Law |
School of Law |
|
Dr John Shi College of Social Sciences |
Senior Lecturer in Hydrology |
School of Interdisciplinary Studies |
|
Dr Richard Williams College of Science and Engineering |
Senior Lecturer in Fluvial Geomorphology and Geospatial Science |
School of Geographical and Earth Sciences |
|
Dr Octria Adi Prosojo College of Science and Engineering |
Research Associate in Modelling the Potential for Nature-Based Solutions to Mitigate Flood Risk |
School of Geographical and Earth Sciences |
|
Dr Kathryn Fradera College of Social Sciences |
Research Associate in Climate Adaptive Governance and Spatial Regulation |
School of Law |
|
Simla Green College of Science and Engineering |
Postgraduate Researcher |
School of Geographical and Earth Sciences |
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Restoring Biodiversity Team
| Name | Role | School / Subject / Unit |
|---|---|---|
|
Dr Dominic McCafferty (Team Co-Lead) College of Medical, Veterinary & Life Sciences |
Senior Lecturer Associate |
School of Biodiversity, One Health & Veterinary Medicine School of Life Sciences |
|
Dr Davide Dominoni (Team Co-Lead) College of Medical, Veterinary & Life Sciences |
Lecturer in Urban Ecology |
School of Biodiversity, One Health & Veterinary Medicine |
|
Prof Ria Dunkley College of Social Sciences |
Professor of Environmental Pedagogy Core Member |
School of Education Centre for Research and Development in Adult and Lifelong Learning (CRADALL) |
|
Dr Anna Bracken College of Medical, Veterinary & Life Sciences |
Research Associate in Spatial Ecology |
School of Biodiversity, One Health & Veterinary Medicine |
|
Dr Alejandra Vovides College of Science and Engineering |
Research Associate in Urban Wetland Ecology |
School of Geographical and Earth Sciences |
|
Emma Plant College of Science and Engineering |
Postgraduate Researcher |
School of Geographical and Earth Sciences |
|
Jessica Young College of Science and Engineering |
Postgraduate Researcher |
School of Biodiversity, One Health & Veterinary Medicine |
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Regenerating Derelict Land Team
| Name / College | Role | School / Subject / Unit |
|---|---|---|
|
Prof Caroline Gauchotte-Lindsay (Team Co-Lead) College of Science and Engineering |
Professor of Environmental Engineering and Chemistry |
James Watt School of Engineering |
|
Prof Cise Unluer (Team Co-Lead) Faculty of Science & Engineering (University of Manchester) |
Professor of Engineering Net Zero |
Department of Mechanical, Aerospace & Civil Engineering |
|
Dr Adrian Bass College of Science and Engineering |
Senior Lecturer |
School of Geographical and Earth Sciences |
|
Dr John MacDonald College of Science and Engineering |
Lecturer in Earth Sciences |
School of Geographical and Earth Sciences |
|
Dr Carla Comadran Casas College of Science and Engineering |
Research Associate in Carbon Sequestration |
James Watt School of Engineering |
|
Dr Elmira Khaksar Najafi College of Science and Engineering |
Research Associate in Engineering Infrastructure and Environment |
James Watt School of Engineering |
|
Heloisa Dickinson College of Science and Engineering |
Postgraduate Researcher |
James Watt School of Engineering |
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Promoting Active Travel Team
| Name / College | Role | School / Subject / Unit |
|---|---|---|
|
Prof Cindy Gray (Team Co-Lead) School of Health & Wellbeing |
Interdisciplinary Professor of Health and Behaviour |
School of Health & Wellbeing Social Sciences |
|
Prof Jason Gill (Team Co-Lead) College of Medical, Veterinary & Life Sciences |
Professor of Cardiometabolic Health Associate Associate |
School of Cardiovascular & Metabolic Health School of Health & Wellbeing School of Life Sciences |
|
Prof Alex McConnachie School of Health & Wellbeing |
Professor of Clinical Trial Biostatistics Associate |
Robertson Centre for Biostatistics School of Medicine, Dentistry & Nursing |
|
Dr David McArthur College of Social Sciences |
Senior Lecturer Associate Director – Training and Capacity Building |
Urban Studies Urban Big Data Centre |
|
Prof Emma McIntosh School of Health & Wellbeing |
Professor of Health Economics Associate |
Health Economics & Health Technology Assessment School of Medicine, Dentistry & Nursing |
|
Prof Nick Bailey College of Social Sciences |
Professor Associate Director |
Urban Studies School of Health & Wellbeing Urban Big Data Centre |
|
Dr Emma Lawlor College of Medical, Veterinary & Life Sciences |
Research Fellow |
School of Cardiovascular & Metabolic Health |
|
Fernanda Gabler Trisotti College of Medical, Veterinary & Life Sciences |
Active Travel Study Manager |
School of Cardiovascular & Metabolic Health |
|
Liz Coyle College of Medical, Veterinary & Life Sciences |
Administrator |
College of Medical, Veterinary & Life Sciences |
|
Heather Fraser College of Medical, Veterinary & Life Sciences |
Health Economist |
Health Economics & Health Technology Assessment |
|
Kassandra Moosbrugger College of Social Sciences |
Postgraduate Researcher |
School of Social & Political Sciences |
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Community Energy Team
| Name / College | Role | School / Subject / Unit |
|---|---|---|
|
Prof Gioia Falcone (Team Lead) College of Science and Engineering |
Rankine Chair of Energy Engineering Associate Director |
James Watt School of Engineering Centre for Sustainable Solutions |
|
Dr Siming You College of Science and Engineering |
Senior Lecturer (Systems Power & Energy) |
James Watt School of Engineering |
|
Dr Graeme Hunt College of Science and Engineering |
Research Associate in Sustainable Energy Solutions |
James Watt School of Engineering |
|
Nicola Tait College of Science and Engineering |
Postgraduate Researcher |
James Watt School of Engineering |
|
Anton Soderqvist College of Science and Engineering |
Postgraduate Researcher |
James Watt School of Engineering |
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GALLANT Key Partners
- Glasgow City Council
- C40 Cities
- Korn Ferry
- The Alan Turing Institute
- Bike for Good
- NERC British Geological Survey
- Cycling Scotland
- Environment Agency - Thames RFCC (Flood & Coastal Comm)
- ERS (Environmental Reclamation Services) Remediation
- Glasgow Natural History Society
- Hunterian Museum and Art Gallery
- NatureScot (Scottish Natural Heritage)
- Ramboll UK
- Scottish Environment Protection Agency
- SLR Consulting Limited (UK)
- Star Refrigeration Ltd
- Sustrans
- Zero Waste Scotland
- Seven Lochs Wetland Park
- Clyde Mission
- Glasgow Life