Environmental Science and Sustainability

The University of Glasgow has received a gift from the Developing the Young Workforce team in Dumfries & Galloway (DYW DG) as a legacy to COP26 activity that took place locally.

In November 2021, the University welcomed over 300 people to the Crichton University Campus in Dumfries. COP26: Climate Action in South Scotland saw over 40 academic staff and invited guests speaking on the day, as well as interactive demonstrations and experiments for all ages, story weaving, an environmentally themed puppet show, and the planting of 200 trees on the Crichton grounds.

DYW Dumfries & Galloway supported this activity with Caroline Davidson, Programme Manager, connecting with the public and promoting services throughout the event. Developing the Young Workforce is the Scottish Government’s national strategy for strengthening links between businesses and education. With a focus on ensuring that children have access to relevant work experience and opportunities while at school, as well as taking an active partnership role with employers and education providers, the DYW team is working to make a difference to the lives of young people.

Following on from the event, DYW DG have been considering how best to support the University to continue its work of inspiring the next generation of graduates to tackle the biggest environmental challenges. The solution was to provide 3 state of the art, wireless CO2 data loggers which can be used for incubations and in-situ measurements. These data loggers will equip current and future students with the appropriate tools to investigate the amount of CO2 in the air and how it changes over time.

Dr Steven Gillespie, Programme Director for Environmental Science & Sustainability, said “These sensors fit well with the themes of COP26 and represent a legacy output from the activities held as part of our local COP26 event. This gift from Developing the Young Workforce Dumfries & Galloway will be used by students for learning and teaching activity, as well as research.”

Caroline said “DYW DG were extremely happy to contribute the sensors to the University of Glasgow and look forward to working with them again in the future. The relationship built from this project is another continuing legacy coming from the University’s COP 26 event and we are delighted that we were able to be a part of it. I hope that the students are able to use the sensors to further their studies now and in the future.”

Set within the historic Crichton estate, the University of Glasgow has had a sustained presence in Dumfries for over 20 years. The School of Interdisciplinary Studies delivers a range of degrees covering environmental science, sustainability, the health and social sector, tourism, and education. Speaking about the support from DYW, Professor Fabrice Renaud, Head of the School of Interdisciplinary Studies and Director of Dumfries Campus, said “We are proud of the environmental legacy that we are creating here in Dumfries. The University of Glasgow is invested in our community – from our day-to-day activities as an academic institution working to support our students; to public events like COP26: Climate Action in South Scotland – we are committed to sharing knowledge, encouraging debate, and making a difference in society.”

Professor Renaud continued, “We are delighted to have this connection with Developing the Young Workforce Dumfries & Galloway, and I would personally like to thank them for their support. This equipment will be put to immediate use as our Environmental Science & Sustainability students embark on a residential field trip to the Isle of Harris next week.”

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First published: 19 August 2022