Building networks for creative and cultural responses to historic pollution and climate change research
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Nottingham
Department Name: Archaeology
Abstract
The proposed project would transform the research capability of the Department of Classics and Archaeology at the University of Nottingham (UoN), supporting engagement with our cultural and creative partners to translate and communicate research and to enable significant developments in cultural heritage management in response to the challenges posed by past, present and future climate change and pollution.
The new institutional research strategy at UoN (2022 - 2027) is shaped by our ambition to be a 'university without borders;' a key tenet of which is to 'build shared facility and infrastructure platforms' in order to support inclusive and supportive transdisciplinary partnerships. In keeping with this, we are seeking to ensure that our arts and humanities research on palaeoenvironments is visible, sustainable and accessible in the long term. The Faculty of Arts has already invested in specialist technical support to oversee the day-to-day running and upkeep of six laboratories and provide technical supervision/training in the use of equipment and techniques to relevant staff, students and researchers. However, there remains an urgent need to replace and upgrade essential research equipment and facilities that will improve our interdisciplinary network's capacity for creative and cultural responses to historic pollution and climate change research.
The new equipment and facilities will be used to highlight the human stories of past environmental change; where and how societies have been resilient in their responses to changes and how these compare to the current consequences of human-driven climate change. We do this work in partnership with organisations from the UK's creative and cultural sectors, working together to make these stories visible so that they can be understood, made meaningful to our lives and society and thereby influence the behavioural changes we need. We also work to protect cultural assets from the effects of climate change in partnership with their managing organisations.
To ensure that our research continues to have meaning into the future we will build digital archives to host our paleoenvironmental data, our interpretations and creative outputs, to make them accessible, findable and reusable to new and diverse audiences. By hosting these together, we will maximise the power of an interdisciplinary approach to create research outputs that can be more widely communicated and understood.
To ensure that our network continues to benefit from this investment, we will train partners from across the different sectors of our network, to use the new facilities, equipment and archives. Working together across disciplines will act as a catalyst for further developing diverse responses to contemporary challenges using historic pollution and climate change research.
The new institutional research strategy at UoN (2022 - 2027) is shaped by our ambition to be a 'university without borders;' a key tenet of which is to 'build shared facility and infrastructure platforms' in order to support inclusive and supportive transdisciplinary partnerships. In keeping with this, we are seeking to ensure that our arts and humanities research on palaeoenvironments is visible, sustainable and accessible in the long term. The Faculty of Arts has already invested in specialist technical support to oversee the day-to-day running and upkeep of six laboratories and provide technical supervision/training in the use of equipment and techniques to relevant staff, students and researchers. However, there remains an urgent need to replace and upgrade essential research equipment and facilities that will improve our interdisciplinary network's capacity for creative and cultural responses to historic pollution and climate change research.
The new equipment and facilities will be used to highlight the human stories of past environmental change; where and how societies have been resilient in their responses to changes and how these compare to the current consequences of human-driven climate change. We do this work in partnership with organisations from the UK's creative and cultural sectors, working together to make these stories visible so that they can be understood, made meaningful to our lives and society and thereby influence the behavioural changes we need. We also work to protect cultural assets from the effects of climate change in partnership with their managing organisations.
To ensure that our research continues to have meaning into the future we will build digital archives to host our paleoenvironmental data, our interpretations and creative outputs, to make them accessible, findable and reusable to new and diverse audiences. By hosting these together, we will maximise the power of an interdisciplinary approach to create research outputs that can be more widely communicated and understood.
To ensure that our network continues to benefit from this investment, we will train partners from across the different sectors of our network, to use the new facilities, equipment and archives. Working together across disciplines will act as a catalyst for further developing diverse responses to contemporary challenges using historic pollution and climate change research.
Organisations
| Title | 3D artefact scans |
| Description | Working to 3D digitise artefacts from the University of Nottingham Museum |
| Type Of Art | Artefact (including digital) |
| Year Produced | 2023 |
| Impact | Increased teaching and learning in digital imaging for researchers and students. Increased capacity for sharing digital information from digital collections |
| Description | This award has allowed up to develop the archaeology labs at the University of Nottingham, providing opportunities for enhanced historic environmental and pollution investigation. As a result of this increased capability, we were also able to create a network of heritage practitioners from across the University of Nottingham, and partners beyond, to create the N-MESH initiative, which has been significant for further awards and partnerships |
| Exploitation Route | We will be conducting further historic environment and pollution research in the future, thanks to this award. These results and datasets will be made public as outcomes are forthcoming. We have also developed the N-MESH network as an output of this work. The N-MESH network brings together the capabilities and capacities across UoN for heritage science and makes them available to practitioners across the sector. |
| Sectors | Creative Economy Education Environment Culture Heritage Museums and Collections |
| URL | https://www.nottingham.ac.uk/arts/research/multidisciplinary-research-and-knowledge-exchange/n-mesh/n-mesh.aspx |
| Description | As this award was primarily an infrastructure award, the academic outputs are ongoing, but expected to increase considerably in the near future as the infrastructure is used and embedded. As part of this, the award allowed us to the develop the N-MESH labs initiative - this is the Nottingham Materials and Environment Science and Heritage Laboratories - a network of capabilities and capacities from across different academic departments across the University of Nottingham. On receiving the initial funding, it became clear to us that there was a significant amount of heritage science and heritage-adjacent science happening across the different areas of the University of Nottingham, but that we did not know the extent of this: who was doing it? Where was it happening? Who were the partners? What were the capabilities? What were the capacities? How could we add to these, with views towards our new funding and facilities? Having set up this network we are, 2 years in, beginning to see that creative and cultural sector partners are beginning to ask us about heritage science, how they can access it, and beginning to collaborate with us. We are also developing a portfolio of outreach and engagement, through schools, museums and regional and national outreach events. |
| First Year Of Impact | 2023 |
| Sector | Creative Economy,Digital/Communication/Information Technologies (including Software),Education,Culture, Heritage, Museums and Collections |
| Impact Types | Cultural Societal Economic |
| Description | International Research Collaboration Fund |
| Amount | £4,523 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | H59028 |
| Organisation | University of Nottingham |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 09/2024 |
| End | 03/2025 |
| Description | Nottingham Heritage Science Gateway (NHSG) |
| Amount | £965,645 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | AH/Z50614X/1 |
| Organisation | Arts & Humanities Research Council (AHRC) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 08/2024 |
| End | 09/2026 |
| Description | Proof of Concept - tortoise shell |
| Amount | £1,500 (GBP) |
| Organisation | National Trust |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 01/2025 |
| End | 01/2026 |
| Description | Research Pump Priming |
| Amount | £1,360 (GBP) |
| Organisation | University of Nottingham |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 03/2023 |
| End | 07/2023 |
| Description | Research Pump Priming |
| Amount | £2,700 (GBP) |
| Organisation | University of Nottingham |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 04/2023 |
| End | 07/2023 |
| Description | Bilkent University |
| Organisation | Bilkent University |
| Country | Turkey |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Discussions of heritage science capabilities, capacities and networking |
| Collaborator Contribution | Discussions of heritage science work and specialisms in Turkiye |
| Impact | Ongoing |
| Start Year | 2024 |
| Description | CEG |
| Organisation | British Geological Survey |
| Department | Centre for Environmental Geochemistry |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Public |
| PI Contribution | While already a member of CEG, the award has allowed us to make increased contributions to the CEG partnership by offering better capabilities and capacities and as a research partner in funding application activities |
| Collaborator Contribution | Our partner has recently supported a large funding bid on the basis of this enhanced partnership |
| Impact | Increased co-operation of an existing collaboration that has been strengthened by recent funding |
| Start Year | 2014 |
| Description | Derby Museum |
| Organisation | Derby Museum and Art Gallery |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| PI Contribution | Working in collaboration to investigate the Joseph Wright of Derbyshire collection and the Archaeology and Natural History collections |
| Collaborator Contribution | Working in collaboration to investigate the Joseph Wright of Derbyshire collection and the Archaeology and Natural History collections |
| Impact | Ongoing |
| Start Year | 2024 |
| Description | National Trust |
| Organisation | National Trust |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| PI Contribution | We are working with Kristie Short-Traxler from the National Conservator for Conservation Science at the National Trust to understand the genetics, microscopy and potentially other heritage science aspects of the tortoise shell furniture in the National Trust collections |
| Collaborator Contribution | National Trust have sought us out to provide heritage science analysis of their tortoise shell collection and provided £500 for consumables |
| Impact | Ongoing |
| Start Year | 2025 |
| Description | Nottingham Museums and Gallery Service |
| Organisation | Nottingham City Council |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Public |
| PI Contribution | As part of the N-MESH labs initiative, we are working with NMGS to analyse some of their collection |
| Collaborator Contribution | NMGS have made material available to the N-MESH labs initiative for research and outreach purposes |
| Impact | Outputs will be forthcoming as the collaboration is still active and in a research phase |
| Start Year | 2023 |
| Description | University of Leicester |
| Organisation | University of Leicester |
| Department | School of Archaeology and Ancient History |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Collaboration with N-MESH activities including attendance at Launch event and subsequent collaboration on research funding |
| Collaborator Contribution | attendance and support of the N-MESH labs launch event and subsequent collaboration on research funding |
| Impact | attendance at Launch event and subsequent collaboration on research funding |
| Start Year | 2023 |
| Description | 3D Scanning Training |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Third sector organisations |
| Results and Impact | c.20-50 people have attended various training events to use 3D scanners for research across heritage science and medical capabilities. All parties reported increased skills, knowledge and interest in kit and capabilities, and a desire to continue to develop techniques together |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023,2024 |
| Description | AHRC RICHeS Launch Day |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | Attended AHRC launch day for RICHeS project to present poster, network and discuss N-MESH initiative |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | AHRC RICHeS visit |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Third sector organisations |
| Results and Impact | C.10 people attended an AHRC visit to the site of the new RICHeS lab to discuss plans and put forward working strategies to engage in further activities. N-MESH representation from UoN and BGS |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2025 |
| Description | Archaeology lab/N-MESH network launch |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Third sector organisations |
| Results and Impact | c.60 people attended for the launch of the new infrastructure - the refurbished archaeology labs. At the same time, we launched the new initiative, the N-MESH laboratories (the Nottingham Materials and Environment Science and Heritage labs) - a network of heritage science researchers and collaborators from across the University of Nottingham and beyond and solicited interest from 3rd sector organisations in accessing and engaging with the capacities and capabilities the new infrastructure and wider network, represented by N-MESH, now offer. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| URL | https://www.nottingham.ac.uk/news/n-mesh-labs |
| Description | Challenge Event |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | c.30 people attended the challenge event primarily between N-MESH and Nottingham Museums, but also wider audience. Questions were posed and capabilities and capacities mapped on to this, resulting in the work package on George the Gorilla. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | Directors of Research N-MESH talk |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Discussed N-MESH network with Directors of Research in school of Humanities, UoN |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | MP Interview and tour of facility |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | Meeting with MP Lillian Greenwood to discuss activities in Arts and Humanities - including tour of lab facilities and demonstration of capabilities. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Media discussions re. Goerge the Gorilla work |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
| Results and Impact | Initial discussion with NottsTV, wider syndication to local news organisations and BBC - work with George the Gorilla highlighted |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cvg3yd3v00yo |
| Description | Media launch for N-MESH |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
| Results and Impact | Discussion with internal media relations in order to launch press release associated with the N-MESH labs initiative. Included photography and videography |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| URL | https://www.nottingham.ac.uk/news/n-mesh-labs |
| Description | Meeting with Derby Museum |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Third sector organisations |
| Results and Impact | Discussion and plans for further heritage science analysis with Derby Museum |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | N-MESH collaborative activity meetings |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Events with collaborators and wider partners who are interested in collaborating with the N-MESH labs network. Meetings have included agreements to collaborate on research projects, teaching and the developments of capabilities. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023,2024 |
| Description | NIR training |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | c. 10 people trained to use NIR spectromoter for research and commercial applications. Reported increased knowledge, skills and interest in future research collaborations |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023,2024 |
| Description | Natural History Museum visit |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Third sector organisations |
| Results and Impact | c.50 people attended a workshop with the Natural History Museum to look at partnerships and future research work |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2025 |
| Description | Sampling for George |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Panel from N-MESH undertook sampling from George the Gorilla at Wollaton House with professionals from Nottingham Museum and Gallery Service |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | UoN Council visit to N-MESH |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Third sector organisations |
| Results and Impact | c.30 members of the UoN council visited the CResCa/RICHeS-refurbished labs in Humanities, to discuss the development and work of N-MESH |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | Visit to Bromley House Library |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Third sector organisations |
| Results and Impact | 10 people discussed various aspects of N-MESH and evidence from Bromley House Library, for example a cat skeleton found on premises. Sparked questions and discussions and a possible showcase of the evidence in future |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | Work with Bilkent University |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | c.100 people were engaged over 5 days of activities with Bilkent University, Turkiye visit to UoN. Discussions of N-MESH network, CResCa and RICHeS developments across university and visits to impacted labs. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2025 |
| Description | pXRF training |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Training events for staff and students to enable them to use new capabilities. Respondents reported increased skills, knowledge and interest in engagement in future. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023,2024 |