Herbarium Holobiont at the Byre Theatre, St Andrews
On Wednesday 29th January, 18:30 (free but follow link here to book) – Dr Damiano Benvegnù and Dr Harry Watkins will discuss this project, explaining to a public audience why the St Andrews Botanic Garden collection (and others like it) comprises a new system of knowledge production capable of acknowledging plants, algae, and fungi as cognitive and historical agents embedded in multispecies narratives and ecosemiotic systems. A BIRCH-funded project last summer worked on some of the historic material (particularly seaweeds collected in the 19th century), so this event is a good opportunity to put this work in a wider context. Do come if you can!
Listening to Portmoak on BBC Radio
Mark Stephen from the BBC Scotland Out of Doors team went for a walk on Portmoak Moss with BIRCH summer intern, Natasha Currie, and combined that interview with excerpts from her soundscape in an Out of Door episode broadcast on Saturday 16th November (“A Moonlit Dip, an Alpine Coaster and Harvesting Oysters”). Natasha’s sounds helped to tell the story to the general public about why Portmoak – and peat bogs more generally – are important in carbon capture, and how community involvement in restoration can assist with that process. The full program is available as a podcast from BBC Radio Scotland; listen from 59:32. Well done Natasha!
17 December 2024
Dr Jane Pettegree Music Centre
BIRCH Core Team Member and Internship Supervisor
BIRCH Research Day celebration
In early November we gathered together our BIRCH community to hear about the exciting and innovative research internships that took place over the summer. During the research day, the student interns gave impressive presentations about their projects. From using low tech gear to film insects in a log pile; to developing a guidebook for children to explore biodiversity along the cliffs towards East Sands; to recording soundscapes in peatbog, and much more.
There was also an enthusiastic discussion of next steps for BIRCH. Focus groups decided that in the future we can continue to build on our University’s core strengths in biodiversity research, in addition to raising awareness of biodiversity within and outside the university.
The BIRCH community is enthusiastic about continuing to do excellent research, grounded in local issues and of global relevance. We can facilitate the biodiversity expertise within the university to help achieve world leading research and impact. Watch this space for forthcoming BIRCH workshops!
We look forward to the continued growth of the BIRCH community, forging new paths for biodiversity research within St Andrews and with our partners.
6 November 2024
Dr Rehema White, School of Geography and Sustainable Development.
BIRCH Core Team Member and Internship supervisor.
First Year Summer Projects Update
We are happy to celebrate the completion of the first series of summer internship projects focused on interdisciplinary biodiversity research. This summer, a group of talented interns collaborated across various disciplines – from machine-learning to music soundscapes to explore innovative solutions and methodologies for biodiversity challenges.
What I enjoyed most about this experience was the chance to pursue
academic interests that didn’t quite fit into the curriculum of my degree.
I was able to blend creativity with my study skills to work in a new
and more independent way.
Truly an invaluable experience for me!
Their dedication and fresh perspectives brought new insights into ecosystem preservation, species conservation, and how we communicate and educate around biodiversity. We are proud of their accomplishments and excited to see how their work will continue to inspire and shape the future of environmental research. Congratulations to all the interns on a job well done!
These projects have already led to some great outputs. For example, the Ocean Ambassadors Logbook is available for kids to pick up NOW at the Scottish Oceans Institute on East Sands Beach. Kids can follow the guided exploration of the seashore and learn about the marine environment. In another project, a soundscape created in the Portmoak peat bog has sparked important memories for local residents and been picked up by the BBC!
All the projects are just the beginning of new areas of interdisciplinary research and will continue beyond these summer internships, leading to scientific papers, grant proposals, and building on the new partnerships.
We look forward to the autumn research day in November when we’ll hear from all the interns about their projects and brainstorm new research ideas for 2025 and beyond!
By Dr Alison Johnston (Centre for Research into Ecological and Environmental Modelling, School of Mathematics and Statistics)
18 October 2024
Update First Year Summer Projects – Dr Alison Johnston, October 2024