November was a significant month for the SCAF network, bringing together research ideas, community engagement, and innovative (and strategic!) thinking across multiple domains.  

The Resilient Coastal Communities and Seas Network (Coast-R) launch at the University of Hull set the stage for collaborative opportunities. Attended by Emilie and Laura Haag, on behalf of SCAF, the launch confirmed that many of the network’s planned activities align with SCAF interests. Prof Larissa Naylor, who is a SCAF member, is one of the network leads and will be in a position to keep members updated on opportunities to join events and how to contribute. 

In November, SCAF held a webinar on food insecurity in infancy, drawing 69 participants to examine this critical social challenge. Dr. Ada Garcia, co-lead of the Food Security, Environment and Community theme (Theme 4) chaired the session, which featured presentations from Dr Emma Hunter of Robert Gordon University, and Emma Smith and Dominique Harvey from Glasgow City Health and Social Care Partnership. Their discussions revealed the complex financial pressures on families with young children and reviewed emerging evidence on food insecurity experiences during financial crises. The recording of the session is available on Slack. 

Later in the month, SCAF travelled to the University of Stirling to discuss emerging opportunities and activities. The Food Lenses Exhibition provided an interactive visual context to the breadth of SCAF’s research capacity, while our hybrid aquaculture seminar challenged the audience to consider opportunities for Blue Foods. Dr Matthew Sprague explored why seafood matters, discussing the role of farmed salmon in supplying omega-3 (and detailed insight into how omega-3 levels vary across species and even within fish). Dr Stephanie Horn presented her research on combining public and planetary health assessments of aquaculture systems in Bangladesh, with interesting insight on overlapping health and environment metrics (go Tilapia!). Dr Alexandra Pounds expanded the conversation with her talk on achieving zero emissions by increasing seafood consumption diversity. Attendees were able to engage in a dynamic discussion about aquaculture's future, and the relevance of the research methods for the wider SCAF network. We are particularly grateful to Prof Rachel Norman, Prof Dave Little and Prof Amaya Albalat for animating the session. 

Discussions at the governance and steering board meetings focused on developing targeted support for researchers, including strategies around preparations for large grant proposals. Outcomes included translating pilot results into research bids, and specific support for mid-career professionals. SCAF is committed to responsiveness and collaboration; our recent member poll (shared on Slack and in the newsletter) seeks insights into research-industry connections; we aim to formalise our data collection process on this topic in the coming month, potentially culminating into a group writing opportunity at one of our recently announced writing retreats. All members, regardless of career stage or place of work, are eligible to apply. 

Coastal resilience, food security, sustainable agriculture, and collaborative research emerged as interconnected themes throughout this month’s activities. Each event and discussion represented more than an isolated moment: they were opportunities to deepen understanding (and sometimes discover a topic) and inspire new research. The Alliance continues to show that impactful research happens through connection: bridging disciplines, communities, and perspectives to address complex global challenges.  

First published: 4 December 2024

<< Blog