New Seminar Series Showcases Breadth of Environmental Research at Trent
Trent School of the Environment seminar series features presentations from a range of disciplines
"There is a lot of amazing environmental research going on at Trent University that people may not be aware of," says Dr. Stephen Bocking, director of the Trent School of the Environment, as he speaks about the School's inaugural seminar series which kicked off on March 28, 2016.
The four-part series showcases the breadth of research undertaken by scholars and scientists associated with the School of the Environment, which launched in September 2015 and brings together experts from a variety of disciplines who are teaching or studying environmental topics.
"Each meeting features two short presentations, one by a scientist and one by an arts or policy person, so that every session captures a bit of the diversity of scholarship that goes on here," explains Professor Bocking, who is also chair of the Environmental and Resources Studies Program. "It's a way for researchers at the School to gain a better understanding of what everyone else is doing and to encourage collaboration and sharing."
To date, presentations have ranged from the effects of nanosilver on lake ecosystems and a global history of environmental conservation, to green energy prospecting in Ontario and improving crop production sustainability. The talks are framed so that they are accessible to non-specialists and members of the public who are interested in attending.
This year's series concluded on Monday, April 25, 2016 with a presentation by Dr. Stephanie Rutherford, entitled A howling good time: Sound as a source of environmental history, followed by Dr. Gyles Iannone of the Anthropology department, whose topic is Exploring socio-ecological entanglements in tropical societies.
Prof. Bocking anticipates that there will be two series in the 2016-2017 school year, one during the Fall term and the other during the Winter term.