Second Festival of Research tackles topic of sustainability

University College Isle of Man's second Festival of Research will have the theme of sustainability. Higher Education Manager Gail Corrin, the event's organiser, writes:

Our Festival of Research is back and will take place on Friday 18th September at UCM’s Nunnery Campus.

Organised by Research Vannin, UCM’s hub to support and develop the conduct and value of research at UCM and on the Isle of Man, this year’s festival is downsized due to the challenges of recent months.

However, it still feature fascinating presentations and academic discussions.

The unifying concept for this year’s research festival is Sustainable: /səˈsteɪnəb(ə)l/ adjective 

1.  Focus on meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs.

2.  Able to be upheld or defended.

The event is for anyone interested in research, whether you are a new or returning UCM student, an active researcher or someone interested in 'formalised curiosity; poking and prying with purpose' (Zara Neal Hurston).

The eclectic schedule starts at 10am Dr Rachel Glover, UCM Fellow and Founder of Biosphere Partner company Taxagenomics, whose expertise, facilities and commitment resulted in the rapid establishment of the IOM’s own Covid-19 testing laboratory.  

Dr Christa McCartney will present her PhD research about how to develop  sustainable business practices and leadership and Dr Amy Monroe will present her fascinating research on contagious altruism, a feature of evolution and may be needed now more than ever.

Culture Vannin's Biosphere Intern Sarah Mercer will present for the first time her findings from her Mann’s Green Footsteps project which engaged with individuals, scientists, businesses, politicians and communities and records how Covid-19 and the global climate crisis is affecting Manx culture, and how our UNESCO Biosphere status is both influencing, and being influenced by, those changes as we imagine a Manx Utopia.

UCM graduates will competing in a 2020 Dissertation Showcase, where the challenge is to share their research projects in seven minutes and the afternoon there will be two pithy workshops about how to start a research project.

Flo the Coffee Van and Taste Africa will provide tasty meals and cakes.

for more information, click here.

To book a free place at the festival, click here.