Global change: global threats

Lead Research Organisation: Swansea University
Department Name: School of the Environment and Society

Abstract

Abstracts are not currently available in GtR for all funded research. This is normally because the abstract was not required at the time of proposal submission, but may be because it included sensitive information such as personal details.

Publications

10 25 50
 
Description Global Change: Global Threats 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Regional
Primary Audience Schools
Results and Impact The Global Change: Global Threats workshop at Swansea University challenged sixth formers to investigate some of the possible consequences of global change. The workshop attracted 60 pupils from 8 schools in south Wales. Participants were divided into teams, and under the guidance of a member of staff from the Geography Department each team investigated the implications of global changes for threats to society: flooding, sea-level change, landslides, tropical cyclones, population issues, wildfires and weather extremes. After a period of research using the internet, books and journal articles, teams presented their findings as a poster and a verbal presentation, with each team making the case for public attention and funding to be allocated to the topic they studied. Participants voted the verbal presentation on flooding the most persuasive, and the poster on population was judged to be the best. Members of the winning teams were presented with a book.



The participants gained valuable experience of working with university lecturers in a university environment, investigating issues relating to global change and presenting arguments through diverse media, and gained insight into the ways in which decisions are made with regard to scientific issues. Feedback from participants and teachers was overwhelmingly positive.

After this event, we organised two similar workshops in 2009 and 2010, including one workshop through the medium of Welsh. As a consequence of this workshop organisers have been invited to give talks at several local schools.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2007,2009,2010