On Friday 15 April 101 people gathered at the University of Southampton for the UK's first international student sustainability research symposium. The 'Educating Global Citizens' Symposium showcased and celebrated how undergraduate and postgraduate student research is changing the world for the better.
This was an event for students and by students; we invited dozens of students to get involved in the symposium - presenting their research, joining the judging committee peer-reviewing student presentation applications, chairing presentation sessions and capturing the event through social media and illustration. This enable students to develop their transferable skills, enhance their CV and gain insight into an academic symposium, as well as celebrating the breadth of student research that is contributing to the University’s mission to change the world for the better.
The day began with and closed with two inspiring keynote speakers , and was filled with student presentations delivered in broad session themes - from wellbeing to design, global politics to community energy. There was time during the day to network, interact with student research posters and reflect on what sustainability means for people as individuals.
This event would not have been possible without the dozens of students who got involved:
Students delivered ten-minute presentations and posters of their research. Read about them in the Delegate Handbook (link below); their presentations will be online soon.
Joe Massey, Hannah Lesbirel, Frances Dunn, Claire Murray, Alice Moysiadi, Sarah Mayson, Ronan Brennan, and Mengyu Huang
Anna Tassie, Linda Baines, Christopher Lawson-Johns, Aliki Moysiadi, Jasleen Amber Kaur Mahal, Jaffar Ridha, and Amy Paraskeva
Jade Playle, Jasleen Amber Kaur Mahal, Samantha Dobbie, and Phoebe O’Brien
Hugo Loynes, Jenn Hammond, Nichola Garrett, and Sam Elston
Imogen Dinham-Price, and Beckie Thomas
Global citizens are individuals seeking to have a positive impact on the world. This isn’t limited to environmental action; it includes the economy, society, business, the arts, technology, politics and much more. The symposium was the ideal place to develop your understanding of the world’s social, cultural, economic and environmental dimensions.
Contact Julia Kendal , Sustainability Action Officer, for more information.
This event has been made possible through funding won from the Institute for Learning Innovation and Development’s Education Enhancement Fund and the support of the Excel Southampton Internship Programme .
See the highlights from the day on Storify .