Alumni

Postgraduate Earth Fellow: Climate and sustainability in the curriculum

Juliet Booker is a student in the Master’s in Landscape Architecture (MLA) programme at the University of Edinburgh. She holds a BA in journalism and a certificate in landscape design. Juliet previously worked at Concordia University in Montreal, supporting indigenizing and decolonizing initiatives. She is particularly interested in the role storytelling plays in sustainability and, alongside working as an Earth Fellow, she is a co-convener of Edinburgh School Architecture and Landscape Architecture Climate Action.

Juliet is one of the Earth Fellows for Sustainability and Curriculum. Working with the Department of Social Responsibility and Sustainability, her project is focused in two parts: helping to organise a conference for the Teaching Climate and Sustainability Community of Practice and curriculum mapping sustainability and material use in the Edinburgh College of Arts.

Postgraduate Earth Fellow: Cultural and Environmental adaptations to new seasons

Freya is a Film Studies MSc student at the University of Edinburgh, with an undergraduate degree in English Literature from the University of Oxford.

As part of the Cultural and Environmental adaptations to new seasons project, Freya is helping to produce a literature review on seasons and sustainability, as well as establishing a network of people interested in this area of climate change knowledge.

Out of work, Freya follows a vegan lifestyle for environmental and ethical reasons and is a member of Surfers Against Sewage.

Postgraduate Earth Fellow: Urban agriculture in Edinburgh

Rachel is a PhD student in the School of Social and Political Science, researching community-based food growing projects and the political economic dynamics shaping efforts to create agroecological food systems.

In her role as an Earth Fellow, Rachel will look at the connection between gentrification and urban food growing in Edinburgh, seeking to understand the ways in which food and housing justice play out and are addressed by different people in the city.

Postgraduate Earth Fellow: Woodland restoration research strategy development

Alys is a PhD researcher at the University of Edinburgh working in collaboration with the Scottish Land Commission.

Her research focuses on how investments in Scotland’s natural capital are impacting local communities and asks how these processes can align with visions of justice.

This research complements her work as an Earth Fellow, which involves understanding what knowledge needs woodland restoration practitioners have and co-developing a research strategy to address these needs.

Postgraduate Earth Fellow: Coastal carbon baselining

Maria is currently an Environmental Protection and Management MSc student at the University of Edinburgh. As an Earth Fellow she is supporting the Coastal Carbon Baselining project. She has previously undertaken a Biochemistry BSc and worked within several research groups under this discipline before deciding to bring this expertise to the extensive task that is the characterisation of climate change effects and carbon mitigation.

Postgraduate Earth Fellow: Digital Media Officer Sustainable Forests and Landscapes

Esther is a Mastercard Foundation Scholar at the University of Edinburgh, pursuing a MSc in Environment and Development with a focus on climate justice and exploring the power of cross-sectoral collaboration and knowledge exchange in addressing the climate crisis.

In her professional work, Esther serves as a cross-sectoral conservation practitioner, developing and delivering innovative, impact programs and projects that foster collaborations between conservationists and local communities towards driving sustainable conservation efforts with a Global South focus. Esther also has extensive experience working across climate and conservation focused organisations crafting communications materials and strategies tailored to convey compelling conservation stories to diverse audiences.

In her role as an Earth Fellow: Digital Media Officer Sustainable Forests and Landscapes, Esther will help to develop and implement the digital communication strategy of the Centre for Sustainable Forests and Landscapes, aimed at growing their reach and delivering sustainable collective impact.

Postgraduate Earth Fellow: Carbon impact of software

Mary is a Mastercard Foundation Scholar at the University of Edinburgh’s Futures Institute, where she is pursuing an MSc in Data, Inequality and Society, with a focus on artificial intelligence, ethical data practices and sustainable futures. Prior to joining the University, Mary practiced law at a leading law firm, providing legal advisory and regulatory support to multinational corporations, government agencies, and international NGOs. With a comprehensive background in data analysis, environmental law, policy, and project management, coupled with a strong commitment to sustainability, she brings a wealth of knowledge and practical experience to the Edinburgh Earth Initiative. As an Earth Fellow, researching the carbon impact of software, she seeks to contribute to the University’s goal of achieving net-zero emissions.

Postgraduate Earth Fellow: Post-Carbon Africa Conference Project

George is a PhD candidate at the Global Academy of Agriculture and Food Systems at the University of Edinburgh and the Jameel Observatory for Food Security and Early Action. His research focuses on how local communities and organisations in the Horn of Africa’s drylands adapt to climate change-related shocks such as conflicts, droughts, and floods. He also explores how formal systems and policies can better support these adaptive mechanisms.  

As an Earth Fellow, George works on the Post-Carbon Africa Conference Project with the Centre of African Studies. He handles the project’s administrative tasks and develops a detailed thematic document outlining key areas for a post-carbon Africa’s future. He previously worked as a Climate Change Finance Intern with the Climate Policy Initiative. He holds a degree in Agricultural Science from the University of Nairobi, Kenya, and a Master’s in Climate Change Science and Policy from the University of Bristol

Postgraduate Earth Fellow: Challenging assumptions on yield and biodiversity

Beth is a student on the Planetary Health MSc at Edinburgh Futures Institute.

In her role as an Earth Fellow, Beth will be working on a project looking at different implications of polyculture uptake. This will include helping to produce a systematic map of published research on polyculture and a literature review on the socio-economic impacts of polyculture uptake in farming systems.

Beth is keen to explore how sustainable food systems fit into the context of wider planetary health and hopes to explore this further during her time as an Earth Fellow this year.

Postgraduate Earth Fellow: Advancing a socio-technical approach to aquifer systems

Masood is a researcher and scholar currently pursuing a PhD at the School of Geosciences, University of Edinburgh. His doctoral research, titled “Climate-induced scarcity or governance failure? Denaturalizing drought in Balochistan”, delves into the intricate interplay of socio-political and environmental factors that heighten vulnerability in disaster-prone regions.

With a Master’s degree in Computer Engineering from Pakistan, Masood brings a unique interdisciplinary perspective to his work. He has extensive experience as a consultant on GIS-based projects, collaborating with organizations like the Government of Balochistan and UNDP to address critical regional challenges.

As part of his role with the Edinburgh Earth Initiative (EEI), Masood is advancing a socio-technical approach to aquifer systems. His work focuses on developing innovative social scientific methods to reframe aquifer modeling and management as deeply interconnected social and technical practices, fostering sustainable solutions for water resource management.

Masood’s passion for understanding and addressing complex environmental issues drives his mission to make meaningful contributions to climate change adaptation.

Postgraduate Earth Fellow: Learning for a Sustainable Future at COP

Jenny is a George Moore Scholar at the University of Edinburgh where she is pursuing an LLM in Global Environment and Climate Change Law. She graduated from Law LL.B in Trinity College Dublin.

Jenny is the outgoing UNFCCC Climate Youth Delegate for Ireland where she was part of Ireland’s National Climate Delegation and the Youth Climate Negotiators Fundamental Cohort for COP28. Prior to COP28 she surveyed Irish youth and wrote these findings into Ireland’s negotiating priorities. She represented Irish youth at COP27 in Egypt with NGO Concern Worldwide as their inaugural Youth Climate Ambassador – advocating for climate justice and amplifying the voices of those directly impacted by climate change.

As an Earth Fellow, she hopes to continue to contribute to demystifying the UNFCCC international climate process through working on two MOOCs: ‘Learning for a Sustainable Future’ and ‘Learning for a Sustainable Future: Live at COP29’.

Postgraduate Earth Fellow: Circular Economy research community

Mai Li is an MSc student at the Edinburgh Futures Institute, pursuing Circular Economy.

As an Earth Fellow, she will support the Circular Economy Research Community Project. In her role, Mai Li will research and map the University’s circular economy efforts and develop workshops to identify creative solutions for enhancing the circular economy research network.

Previously, Mai Li studied Business Economics and worked in sustainable development in the nonprofit sector. Passionate about circular transitions and futures studies, she is excited to contribute to innovative design-focused solutions for the University.

Postgraduate Earth Fellow: Student voice in curriculum transformation

Rachel is a Master’s student in Developmental Science at the University of Edinburgh.

As an Earth Fellow, Rachel is working with the Curriculum Transformation Project and Strategic Change Unit to develop curriculum pathways and enrichment opportunities for students.

With a focus on sustainability, the enrichment opportunities are aimed at offering students more than just their disclipline-specific knowledge, such as Medical students having the opportunity to engage with topics related to social justice during the course of their degree.

Postgraduate Earth Fellow: University engagement with COP

Katherine is a PhD researcher within the School of GeoSciences at the University of Edinburgh researching compound drought and heatwave events and whether these can be reconstructed over the last millennium to understand future climate risks.

In her role as an Earth Fellow, Katherine will be ensuring that the University is able to engage effectively with both Biodiversity and Climate COP by identifying links between the University research areas and the priorities for both meetings.

Prior to starting her PhD, Katherine worked in a variety of roles across the Civil Service developing her interest in climate policy and governance.

Postgraduate Earth Fellow: Climate and sustainability in the curriculum

Katherine is a student on the Global Environment, Politics and Society MSc at Edinburgh. Prior to starting her masters, she spent 5 years working in policy and evaluation, first in the health and social care sector and then education. She is passionate about the opportunity that higher education provides to engage students in climate and sustainability.

Postgraduate Earth Fellow: Climate change, land management and river flows

Kaia Waxenberg is a PhD candidate at the Global Academy of Agriculture and Food Systems. Her research uses global modelling approaches to explore relationships between income inequality, climate change, and food demand. 

Kaia holds an MSc in Environmental Protection and Management from the University of Edinburgh and a BA in Natural Sciences from the University of Cambridge. Her previous work focused on building the technology and science behind Agrecalc, a leading farm carbon calculator.

As an Earth Fellow, Kaia is researching the effects of climate change and land use policy on river flows in England and Scotland.

Postgraduate Earth Fellow: Climate change, land management and river flows

Nick is a PhD candidate in the School of Engineering, part of a team looking at how land use policy has affected development and streamflow behaviour in the UK. As an Earth Fellow, Nick is collaborating with Kaia Waxenberg to research the effects of climate change and land use policy on river flows in England and Scotland.

Nick has a background in statistical consultancy, working for various industrial clients, mostly in the railway and electrical engineering sectors.

Advanced Earth Fellow: UNCOVER
October-December 2022

Chiara completed her PhD in Atmospheric and Environmental Sciences in 2022. Her PhD focuses on mapping forest degradation in the tropics as a result of selective logging. As an Advanced Earth Fellow, she led the UNCOVER project developing new evidence-based reviews linking climate change and health and building a community of researchers at the university at the intersection of climate and health.

Advanced Earth Fellow: Low Voltage Living
February-July 2023

Eloise is a PhD student in Chemical Engineering. As an Advanced Earth Fellow she worked with Dr Arno Verhoeven in the School of Design on the Low Voltage Living project, working in a team to deliver workshops with researchers to challenge predominant sociotechnical narratives regarding social behaviour, technical emancipation and the role of critical infrastructures in energy production, storage and distribution.

Postgraduate Earth Fellow: Climate and Sustainability in the Curriculum

October 2023 – April 2024

Iris is currently pursuing her MSc in Global Environment, Politics and Society. As an international student from China, she demonstrates a profound interest in advancing the green and sustainable transition of developing nations. Her aspiration lies in fostering North-South collaboration, facilitating the transfer of sustainable development expertise from more advanced countries to those in development. 

Advanced Earth Fellow: Sus+ Network Support Officer

September 2023-August 2024

Cormac is a PhD student in Social Anthropology at the University of Edinburgh, researching the intersections and tensions between Scottish Gaelic revitalisation efforts and nature conservation in the Western Isles. He previously worked in the arts and in the environmental sector with a focus on sustainable food systems. He worked as the Sus+ Network Support Officer, working with the network of social scientists for sustainability at Edinburgh.

Advanced Earth Fellow: Natural Capital

March – August 2024

Alys is a PhD researcher at the University of Edinburgh working in collaboration with the Scottish Land Commission. Her research focuses on how investments in Scotland’s natural capital are impacting local communities and asks how these processes can align with visions of justice. This research complemented her work as an Earth Fellow, which involved investigating the socioeconomic costs of environmental inaction in the Scottish context.

Postgraduate Earth Fellow: Future Skills in the Curriculum

October 2023 – July 2024

Georgia is an LL.M. Candidate at the University of Edinburgh, studying Global Environment and Climate Change Law. As an Earth Fellow, she worked on the Climate and Sustainability in the Curriculum project with the Future Skills Working Group, exploring skills development, attainment and recognition for University of Edinburgh students. 

Earth Fellow: The Future of Energy Research Engagement

September 2023-June 2024

Rania is a (space) Law PhD student researching 3 key ideas: the end-of-life cycle of satellites, sustainability, and pollution from space to Earth. As an Earth Fellow, she was supporting the implementation of The Future of Energy and Energy@Ed and helping to raise awareness of each initiative. She is always keen to connect with new people and is curious about humanity’s ingenuity in working towards a better, more sustainable future.

r.a.djojosugito@sms.ed.ac.uk

Earth Fellow: Sustainable Land and Seas Research Engagement

September 2023-June 2024

Elliot Convery Fisher is a PhD researcher at the University of Edinburgh and Royal Botanical Gardens, Edinburgh. His research examines fire-use in grasslands and savannahs and the effect of fire on rare plants. He uses this work to inform conservation efforts in endangered fire-driven ecosystems, and employed this knowledge to engage with new sustainable land and seas research in his role as an Earth Fellow.

Postgraduate Earth Fellow: Climate and Sustainability in the Curriculum

October 2023 – April 2024

Erin is a second year Biodiversity, Wildlife and Ecosystem Health MSc student, originally from Middlesbrough. She graduated with a BSc in Zoology with animal behaviour from Bangor University in 2022. For her undergraduate dissertation, she looked at the impact climate change has on primate behavioural plasticity. As an Earth fellow, she continued to research climate change and sustainability through this fellowship alongside her degree. 

Postgraduate Earth Fellow: Climate and Sustainability in the Curriculum  

October 2023 – July 2024

Rebecca is a recent student in the MSc Carbon Management program. She recently graduated from Cornell University, where she studied climate science and climate change. As an Earth Fellow, she worked with the Curriculum Transformation Project, the Department for Social Responsibility and Sustainability, and the Edinburgh Earth Initiative on climate change and sustainability curriculum. 

Advanced Earth Fellow: Climate Justice
February-July 2023

Grace is a PhD student researching ‘Biodiversity vs Humans in the Ecological Crisis: Trade-offs, Interests, and Horizons of Solidarity’. As an Advanced Earth Fellow she worked with the Edinburgh Earth Initiative and partners to develop a Climate Justice manifesto for the University of Edinburgh.

Advanced Earth Fellow: Climate Vulnerabilities
November 2022-May 2023

Rebecca is completed her PhD researcher in the School of GeoSciences in 2023. Her research examines opportunities, risks and barriers to a just transition to renewable energy driven electrification in Rwanda. As an Advanced Earth Fellow, she worked with the UNHCR to develop a Climate Vulnerability Index to examine the impacts of climate change on refugee populations in Jordan.

Earth Fellow: Communications and Events
October-December 2023

Charlotte is a writer who recently completed an MSc in Creative Writing at the University of Edinburgh, and she now works as Events Administrator at the Scottish Wildlife Trust, as well as being a freelance copywriter and proofreader. She previously worked in PR at a gallery in Switzerland and as Media Officer at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society, which provided her with valuable communications experience.

Advanced Earth Fellow: Regenerative Agriculture
March-July 2023

Laura is a PhD student at the Global Academy of Agriculture and Food Systems studying antimicrobial use and animal welfare in agricultural supply chains, with a particular interest in actionable sustainability solutions in food supply chains. As an Advanced Earth Fellow, she worked with the Department for Social Responsibility and Sustainability to carry out an analysis of introducing regenerative agriculture into the food systems at the University of Edinburgh.

Advanced Earth Fellow: Earth Data Hub
June 2022-January 2023

Henry Ibitolu is a PhD candidate in Future Cities Engineering. PhD Topic – ” Towards mitigating urban warming and building energy-use with sustainable earthen materials: A multi-scale analysis”. As an Advanced Earth Fellow, he led the foundational work for our Earth Data Hub project to create a public facing interface of the University of Edinburgh’s earth data.

Advanced Earth Fellow
October 2022-July 2023

Sofie is a PhD candidate in Science, Technology and Innovation Studies. Her current research looks at different formats for public engagement with climate change discourse and policy-making with particular interest in environmental sociology, public engagement, deliberative democracy, AI & Society and climate activism. As an Advanced Earth Fellow she led both the continuing work on the Fossil-Fuel.Ed work and supported Dr Annette Davison in developing a community of researchers connected to climate, energy and audio-visual media.

Earth Fellow
June-July 2022

Dzaui Jansen graduated from the International Relations and International Law programme in 2023. As an Earth Fellow she supported the Fossil-Fuel.ed and Community projects, and led our review of climate and sustainability related projects, placements at the University of Edinburgh as well as our competitor benchmarking analysis.

Advanced Earth Fellow: Climate Vulnerabilities
November-December 2022

Henry is a PhD candidate in Geography with a focus on forest management, estimating forest biomass, carbon emissions and sinks. As an Advanced Earth Fellow, he worked with the UNHCR to develop a Climate Vulnerability Index to examine the impacts of climate change on refugee populations in Jordan.

Earth Fellow: The Future of Energy Research Engagement

September 2023-June 2024

Joanna is a current postgraduate at the University of Edinburgh studying MSc Environmental Protection and Management. As an Earth Fellow, she provided communications, engagement and event planning support for the Future of Energy research theme, including for the Energy@Ed research group.

Postgraduate Earth Fellow: Project Support
February-May 2023

Jauza graduated from the MSc in Environment and Development 2023. As an Earth Fellow she supported Energy@Ed in developing their communications, engagement and events strategy with researchers and external audiences. She is also supporting the Fossil-Fuel.Ed research project.

Postgraduate Earth Fellow: ISCN
February-May 2023

Christelle graduated from the MSc Climate Change Finance and Investment programme in 2023. As an Earth Fellow she supported the International Sustainable Campus Network, of which The University of Edinburgh is a member, to develop a refreshed membership engagement strategy for the global network.

Postgraduate Earth Fellow: Climate and Sustainability in the Curriculum

October 2023 – April 2024

Jamie is an MSc History student with an interest in Environmental History.  

Earth Fellow
June-July 2022

Zachary Li graduated from Ecological and Environmental Science in 2023. As an Earth Fellow he supported the Climate Research and Impact project and lead on research to establish a clearer understanding of the University of Edinburgh’s current enterprise activity with relation to climate, environment and sustainability.

Advanced Earth Fellow: Medical Waste
October-December 2022

Yi is a graduate student from the MSc Management of Bioeconomy, Innovation and Governance with research interests in the social, political and policy dimensions of medical science and technology. As an Advanced Earth Fellow he worked on the Medical Waste project, working with Dr Alice Street to investigate the UK’s regulatory history of plastics use in single-use diagnostic devices.

Postgraduate Earth Fellow: Project Support
October 2022-May 2023

Sarah graduated from the MSc in Environment and Development in 2023. As an Earth Fellow she supported the Fossil-Fuel.Ed, Energy, Climate Change and Audio-Visual Media, UNCOVER and Adapt.Ed projects, in addition to our wider communications and engagement work.

Earth Fellow: Health and Climate Research Engagement

September 2023-June 2024

Maria is a postgraduate student in the MSc in Environmental Sustainability Program. Before coming to the university, she worked in journalism and health communications in the United States, which was invaluable experience for her role as Health and Climate Research Engagement Fellow. She previously studied at the University of Edinburgh as a visiting student in undergrad and is excited to be back for a postgraduate degree programme!

Postgraduate Earth Fellow: Climate & Sustainability Training
February-June 2023

Natalie Meiklejohn graduated from the MSc Carbon Management in 2023. As a Postgraduate Earth Fellow she worked with the Department for Social Responsibility and Sustainability to develop and deliver the University of Edinburgh’s accredited carbon literacy and biodiversity training for students and staff.

Advanced Earth Fellow: Climate Vulnerabilities
November 2022-May 2023

Martín is a PhD candidate in Agriculture and Food Systems. He is currently researching food governance structures in Chile, with a particular focus on the role of the agricultural sector in improving access to sustainable diets for the most vulnerable population. As an Advanced Earth Fellow, he worked with the UNHCR to develop a Climate Vulnerability Index to examine the impacts of climate change on refugee populations in Jordan.

Advanced Earth Fellow
June 2022-April 2023

John Mutua is a PhD student using earth observation combined with local ground truth data to estimate livestock feed composition in East Africa. These will then be used to support more robust estimates of Green House Gas (GHG) emissions from the livestock sector in East Africa. As an Advanced Earth Fellow he has worked on multiple projects, including our Climate Research Impact project to understand the scope and opportunities for climate and sustainability related research across the University of Edinburgh, and mapping the climate technology landscape in Scotland for Scottish Enterprise.

Earth Fellow
June-July 2022

Ernesta Mwacha completed here degree in Sustainable Development in 2023. As an Earth Fellow she supported the Fossil-Fuel.ed and Community projects and lead the Circular Economy project, working with University of Edinburgh staff to scope out opportunities for creating a university wide platform for repair.

Advanced Earth Fellow: Work in a Warming World
May-August 2023

Henry is a PhD candidate in Human Geography at University of Edinburgh. His PhD research primarily involves ethnographic study of the politics of indigenous recognition, tenure reform, and forest governance in Indonesian Borneo where her has been working with indigenous Dayak Lebo and Basap communities since 2016 studying their struggles for forest rights. As an Advanced Earth Fellow he worked with Dr. Amir Anwar on the Working in a Warming World project, conducting systematic literature review to identify opportunities for research on impacts to global work and livelihoods from climate change.

Postgraduate Earth Fellow: Communications and Events
October-December 2022

Solace graduated from the MSc in Africa and International Development in 2022. As an Earth Fellow she supported our communications work by developing content for our website, social media channels and campaigns.

Earth Fellow: Communications and Events

September 2023-June 2024

As one of the Communications and Events Earth Fellows, Racheal brought a wealth of experience in communication and event coordination to our team. With a background in Journalism and Communication from Makerere University, Racheal is dedicated to advancing our mission of communicating the important work of researchers and ensuring that the message of climate action is heard, understood and appreciated by audiences.

Prior to joining the University of Edinburgh, Racheal served as a Communications Assistant for organisations championing climate action, health and sustainability. She also volunteers with national NGOs in Uganda to promote environmental awareness, education and action. Racheal is currently pursuing a MSc in Africa and International Development at the University of Edinburgh under the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program.

Postgraduate Earth Fellow: Climate and Sustainability in the Curriculum

October 2023 – July 2024

Sonakshi Pandit is a postgraduate student studying a Master of Architecture (MArch). Her research interests focus on prototyping low-carbon materials for the built environment, particularly mycelium and earth-based construction materials. 

Postgraduate Earth Fellow: Communications and Events
February-July 2023

Shivani completed an MSc in Literature and Modernity: 1900 to the Present in 2023, she is now completing a PhD at the University of Oxford in memory studies. As our Communications and Events Earth Fellow, she was responsible for content creation for our website, social media channels and events, as well as supporting communications for other research projects with the wider Earth Fellows team.

Postgraduate Earth Fellow: Project Support
March-May 2023

Charlegne graduated from the MSc in Carbon Management in 2023. As an Earth Fellow she supported Energy@Ed in developing their communications, engagement and events strategy with researchers and external audiences. She is also supporting the Fossil-Fuel.Ed research project.

Postgraduate Earth Fellow: Graphic Design
May – December 2023

Immi graduated from MA Graphic Design in 2023. As an Earth Fellow she has worked with students and staff to develop a visual brand for EEI’s student-led project – Fossilfuel.Ed – which examines the University of Edinburgh’s historic relationships with the fossil fuel economy. She also used her design skills to support EEI’s communications and those of the research groups working on climate, environment and sustainability at the University.

Advanced Earth Fellow
January-March 2023

Chitra is a PhD student in Social Anthropology entitled ‘Between the Life and Death of a River: Contested Knowledge in a Toxic Commons’. As an Advanced Earth Fellow, worked with Professor Jamie Cross to create a short documentary film exploring the use of heat sources in India as part of the Cool Infrastructures project.

Earth Fellow
June-July 2022

Lila Sakata graduated with a degree in Environmental Geoscience in 2023. As an Earth Fellow she supported the Earth Data Hub and Climate Research Impact projects and led our review of climate and sustainability related projects, placements at the University of Edinburgh as well as our competitor benchmarking analysis.

Advanced Earth Fellow: Medical Waste
October 2022-March 2023

Sophie is a final year Veterinary Medicine and Surgery student. As an Advanced Earth Fellow she worked for the Medical Waste Project run by Dr Alice Street. The focus of her work is to strengthen the community of practice for research on circular economy and medical waste through a focus on the impact and reduction of waste flows, in particular in relation to waste from medical diagnostics.

Advanced Earth Fellow: Fossil-Fuel.Ed
June-July 2022

Shubhi Sharma completed her PhD on the social impact of a REDD+ project on the Khasi forest community of Meghalaya, India. As an Advanced Earth Fellow, she led our Fossil-Fuel.ed team, producing foundational work for the student-led research project examining the University of Edinburgh’s historical involvement with the industrial revolution and fossil fuels.

Advanced Earth Fellow
July-August 2022 and February-July 2023

Talia Shoval is a PhD student whose research focuses on the interplay between environmental ethics and the ethics of war. As our first Joint Advanced Earth Fellow she worked with Professor Toby Kelly in the School for Social and Political Science to develop a literature review which explored the relationship between environmental degradation and violence. She is currently working with the Edinburgh Earth Initiative and partners to support the development of a climate justice manifesto for the University of Edinburgh.

Postgraduate Earth Fellow: Project Support
October-December 2022

Elizabeth graduated from MSc in Environmental Sustainability in 2022. As an Earth Fellow she supported the Fossil-Fuel.Ed, Climate, Energy and Audio-Visual Media and Highland Rewilding projects.

Advanced Earth Fellow: Urban Flooding
May-August 2023

Sara is a PhD student researching the impact of sediment transport, anthropogenic activities, and climate change on river morphology change and flooding in Nepali and Scottish rivers at the School of Geosciences. As an Advanced Earth Fellow, she worked with the Department for Social Responsibility and Sustainability on a project to investigate cost-effective engineering solutions to reduce urban flooding due to intense rainfall and recommend the most impactful technologies to the university to include in climate strategy plans.

Postgraduate Earth Fellow: Project Support
October-December 2022

Aurora completed her MSc in Carbon Management in 2023. As an Earth Fellow she supported the Earth Data Hub and Highland Rewilding project, and led our communications and engagement work with the Energy@Ed research group.

Advanced Earth Fellow: Low Voltage Living
February-July 2023

Ki is a PhD student in Integrative Studies. As an Advanced Earth Fellow she worked with Dr Arno Verhoeven in the School of Design on the Low Voltage Living project. She will be working in a team to deliver workshops with researchers to challenge predominant sociotechnical narratives regarding social behaviour, technical emancipation and the role of critical infrastructures in energy production, storage and distribution.

Advanced Earth Fellow: Energy Demand Research Centre

January – July 2024

Ian is a final year PhD researcher specializing in geological storage of CO2 by engineered mineralization. His academic background is in physics, marine geophysics, and Earth sciences. As an Advanced Earth Fellow he was working with Dr Faye Wade in the School of Social and Political Science to conduct a policy analysis on the government’s green jobs programmes for the UKRI funded Energy Demand Research Centre.

Advanced Earth Fellow: Highland Rewilding
September-December 2022
Lucy is a PhD candidate in the School of Geosciences and part of the NERC SENSE Earth Observation CDT. Her research examines the response of savannas and dry forests to global change, with a focus on areas of conservation concern using remote sensing. As an Advanced Earth Fellow she led the project with Highlands Rewilding which evaluated the availability of earth observation methods and technologies to quantify and model the carbon stocks of Beldorney estate, Aberdeenshire, in the context of generating verifiable carbon offsets.

Advanced Earth Fellow: Medical Waste
October 2022-April 2023
Marie-Louise is a PhD student researching biosecurity and the understanding of infectious diseases amongst conservation staff and experts in Scotland. As an Advanced Earth Fellow, she worked for the Medical Waste Project run by Dr Alice Street, investigating plastic waste in COVID-19 lateral flow testing.

Advanced Earth Fellow
June-July 2022
Emma Yule is a PhD student researching extreme weather and climate events, their causes and consequences and how organisations are approaching risk management and adaptation decision making. As an Advanced Earth Fellow she led our Community Project, scoping out the existing opportunities for students to get involved with climate, environment and sustainability projects at the University of Edinburgh and the local area.

Postgraduate Earth Fellow: Nature-Based Learning
September 2023 – March 2024

Sophie completed her MSc Outdoor Environmental and Sustainable Education in 2024. She’s particularly passionate about are transformational learning in the outdoors, and a systems-based approach to sustainability that is good for people and for the planet. As an Earth Fellows she coordinated the Earth Initiative’s pilot programme on nature-based learning and hopes to see this type of education become sustainably integrated into the curriculum long term.

You can find out more about the project at earth.ed.ac.uk/outdoor-nature-based-learning