Back in November, we formally welcomed our latest cohort of 14 Earth Fellows – a vibrant and supportive network of students from across levels of study, disciplines, and countries, representing all three colleges at the University of Edinburgh.
Now growing into its third year, Edinburgh Earth Initiative’s Earth Fellows programme provides paid opportunities for postgraduate and PhD students at The University of Edinburgh to work on projects of strategic importance related to climate, environment, and sustainability.
The focus of the Earth Fellows’ work this year ranges from ensuring the University is able to engage effectively with both Biodiversity and Climate COP, to looking at the connection between gentrification and urban food growing in Edinburgh and supporting efforts to meaningfully embed climate and sustainability in the curriculum.
Partners include Learning for Sustainability Scotland, the School of Social and Political Sciences, the School of Geosciences, the School of Literatures, Languages and Cultures, the Global Academy of Agriculture and Food Systems, the Institute of Infrastructure and Environment, the School of Architecture and Landscape Architecture, the Curriculum transformation programme and the Centre for Sustainable Forests and Landscapes.
Earth Fellows Programme Manager Chloe Francis said:
”We are so pleased to welcome this year’s cohort of Earth Fellows, a group of talented and passionate individuals from diverse backgrounds and disciplines. Their projects reflect the incredible range of climate and sustainability-related research, teaching and collaboration happening at the University of Edinburgh. We look forward to working with them and their project partners throughout this year and can’t wait to see what they achieve during their Fellowships and beyond.”
Earth Fellows cohort 2024/25
University engagement with COP – Katherine Taylor
Studies: PhD – compound drought and heatwave events; Partner: Edinburgh Earth Initiative
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.
Learning for Sustainable Future: Live at COP29 – Jenny Salmon
Studies: LL.M – Global environment and Climate Law; Partner: Learning for Sustainability Scotland
Jenny hopes 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’.
Towards a socio-technical approach to aquifers – Masood Rehman
Studies: PhD – denaturalizing vulnerability to drought; Partners: School of Social and Political Science and School of Geosciences (Agustin Diz, Alejandro De Coss Corzo)
Masood is exploring socio-technical understandings of aquifers, paying particular attention to water experts, users, managers, and governance institutions.
Cultural and environmental adaptations to new seasons – Freya Buckley
Studies: MSc – Film Studies; Partners: School of Literatures, Languages and Cultures and School of Geosciences (Willow Mullins, Rachel Hunt)
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.
Challenging assumptions on the trade-off between yield and biodiversity – Beth Pottle
Studies: MSc – Planetary Health; Partners: Global Academy of Agriculture and Food Systems and School of Geosciences (Alfy Gathorne-Hardy, Saran Sohi)
Beth is joining the project seeking to challenge assumptions on land sparing versus land sharing, supporting research on polyculture as a method of sustainable food production.
Urban agriculture in Edinburgh – Rachel Carlile
Studies: PhD – community-oriented, organic food production; Partners: School of Social and Political Science and School of Geosciences (Isabelle Darmon, Sophia Woodman, Hamish Kallin)
Rachel is looking 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.
Climate change, land management and river flows – Kaia Waxenberg and Nick Wray
Kaia studies: PhD – diet inequalities in future climate change scenarios
Nick studies: PhD – quantifying drivers of river streamflow change
Partners: Institute of Infrastructure and Environment and School of Architecture and Landscape Architecture (Lindsay Beevers, Soledad Garcia Ferrari, Athanasios Angeloudis)
Kaia and Nick are collaborating to research the effects of climate change and land use policy on river flows in England and Scotland.
Climate and sustainability curriculum (CAHSS) – Juliet Booker
Studies: MLA – Landscape architecture; Partner: Curriculum transformation programme (Lucy Patterson and Arno Verhoeven)
Juliet is supporting efforts to meaningfully embed climate and sustainability in the curriculum by better understanding links that degree programmes in the Edinburgh School of Art have to climate and sustainability.
Climate and sustainability curriculum (CSE) – Katherine Troeller
Studies: MSc – Global Environment, Politics and Society; Partner: Curriculum transformation programme (Lucy Patterson and Goncalo Dos Reis)
Katherine is supporting efforts to meaningfully embed climate and sustainability in the curriculum by better understanding links that degree programmes in the School of Maths have to climate and sustainability.
Student voice in curriculum transformation – Rachel Sharp
Studies: MSc – Developmental science; Partner: Curriculum transformation programme (Ian Glen)
Rachel is taking forward student engagement work across all aspects of the Curriculum transformation programme’s scope. She will help progress towards a vision to make our curriculum co-created by students, for students.
Digital media officer Sustainable Forests and Landscapes – Esther Githinji
Studies: MSc – Environment and development; Partner: Centre for Sustainable Forests and Landscapes
Esther is helping 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.
Woodland restoration research strategy development – Alys Daniels-Creasey
Studies: PhD – how investments in Scotland’s natural capital are impacting local communities; Partner: Centre for Sustainable Forests and Landscapes
Alys is developing a research strategy for native woodland restoration in Scotland. The project is aiming to align the priorities and interests of eNGOs in Scotland to strengthen collaboration and support development of new research activity.
University of Edinburgh circular economy research community – Mai Li Spencer
Studies: MSc – Circular economy; Partner: Edinburgh Earth Initiative
Mai Li is supporting circular economy researchers across the University. The project aims to identify the best model for strengthening, expanding and resourcing our circular economy research community.
A vibrant network of students from across levels of study, disciplines, and countries
Our latest cohort’s areas of study include Circular Economy, Film, Architecture, Climate Law, Climate Risk and Resilience, Climate Finance, Data Modelling and many more – with backgrounds across industry, academia, policy, local and national government, communications and healthcare.
Find out more about Masood, Beth and Esther’s background and hopes for their time as an Earth Fellow below and check out our People page and LinkedIn feed for the lowdown from the whole cohort.
Masood Rehman said:
“My academic journey bridges Computer Engineering and Human Geography, enriched by practical experience tackling environmental challenges across academic, developmental, and technical landscapes. During my PhD at the University of Edinburgh, I have focused on exploring the socio-political and environmental dimensions of water governance, particularly in the context of climate-induced hazards in Pakistan. From analyzing governance frameworks to creating spatial data models and devising resilience strategies, my interdisciplinary background enables me to integrate diverse perspectives and craft meaningful, impactful solutions as an Earth Fellow.”
Beth Pottle said:
“I actually come from a healthcare background; I used to work as a paramedic in the emergency services. In this role I was privileged to meet and work with people from a huge variety of backgrounds which I think definitely helps when in transdisciplinary contexts such at Edinburgh Earth Initiative! “
Esther Githinji said:
“My background is quite interdisciplinary, mainly focused on fostering cross-sectoral collaborations between conservationists and local communities, growing and supporting these communities and crafting communications materials and strategies tailored to convey compelling conservation stories to diverse audiences. All this ties in really well with my role as a digital media officer at the Centre for Sustainable Forests and Landscapes, where I support in expanding and implementing our digital communications strategy aimed at broadening our community reach and highlighting useful research and impact stories.”
Earth Fellows opportunities
We’ll be hiring for a new Earth Fellow role for University of Edinburgh students this month. Keep an eye out for more information soon.
Researchers at the University of Edinburgh can host Earth Fellows to support their areas of research and contribute to the wider strategic aims at the University of Edinburgh. Length of projects and Earth Fellows contributions are flexible based on your project’s needs. Get in touch with Earth Fellows Programme Manager, Chloe Francis to explore how you could be involved in our next cohort.
