This month I have decided to take part in the #30DayMapChallenge to consolidate my GIS mapping skills as well as think creatively about spatial data.

The idea is to create (and publish) maps based on different themes on each day of the month using the hashtag #30DayMapChallenge, You can prepare the maps beforehand, but the main idea is to publish maps from specific topics on specific days listed below. Just include a picture of the map when you post to Twitter with the hashtag. You don’t have to sign up anywhere to participate. There are no restrictions on the tools, technologies or the data you use in your maps. Doing less than 30 is also fine (doing all 30 is really hard!).

@tjukanovt

After a lot of hard work, we’ve submitted our NERC EDI Hackathon proposal! If successful, http://findascienceberth.wordpress.com aims to increase the accessibility of obtaining ship berths by making use of spare capacity to provide training opportunities. Big shout out to the team: @BenFisher_ @KRHendry @AENMcGregor @SiddhiInGalway @allygully @DiverMads @KatieSieradzan @efdarlington @KJJVanLandeghem & Sophie Fielding for putting a lot of work in to this at a busy time of year, fingers crossed!

Women in Coastal Geoscience and Engineering Network’s Experience of Unlearning Racism in Geoscience

Women in Coastal Geoscience and Engineering (WICGE) is an international network of coastal geoscientists and engineers of all genders. It is led by a committee of fourteen female academic researchers all around the world, with a membership base of over 400 individuals. Thirteen members from WICGE participated in the WICGE Unlearning Racism in Geoscience (URGE) Pod, including two committee members. Our pod’s experience of URGE is an example of an international Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion initiative in marine science. Some lessons learnt from the WICGE’s experience of URGE give valuable insights, deepening the community’s knowledge of the effects of racism on the participation and retention of Black, Indigenous, People Of Colour (BIPOC) individuals in Geoscience. Furthermore, the key objectives of URGE to produce policy deliverables which can be implemented at each pod’s home institutions, building a large network of anti-racism initiatives worldwide. Following our URGE pod, WICGE formed a standing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion committee that will ensure the continuity of anti-racism work in our organization.

This episode of Let’s talk social work podcast by British Association for Social Workers (BASW), made for Pride Month 2021, explores challenges facing British Asian LGBTQIA+ and the ways in which social workers can better support this community. Andy McClenaghan is joined by Siddhi Joshi, founder and chairperson of British Asian LGBTI online support group, Khakan Qureshi, Founder of Finding A Voice and co-administrator of British Asians LGBTI and Narinder Sidhu, Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Lead Officer with BASW.

For more information on the issues discussed in the episode, Siddhi and Khakan recommend reading “Unorthodox: LGBT+ Identity and Faith” – fiveleaves.co.uk/product/unorthod…ntity-and-faith/

I have been invited to give a motivational seminar at the Institute of Zoology in London on Thursday 25th February 2021 and its entitled “Stepping stones and stumbling blocks… My experiences of intersectionality in marine science.” Looking forward to it!

UPDATED: Blog post about the seminar and the talk can be found on the Women in coastal blog!

Update 2: Slideshow can be viewed here!

This is the time to be slow
Lie low to the wall
Until the bitter weather passes

Try, as best you can, not to let
The wire brush of doubt
Scrape from your heart
All sense of yourself
And your hesitant light.

If you remain generous,
Time will come good;
And you will find your feet
Again on fresh pastures of promise,
Where the air will be kind
And blushed with beginning.

John O’Donohue, “This Is the Time to Be Slow.” From To Bless the Space Between Us: A Book of Blessings. Penguin Random House, 2008.

Maërl or rhodolith beds are seabed habitats of great conservation significance and can be found in the clear waters of Galway Bay and around Ireland. Whilst doing my PhD at the NUI Galway, I met many maerl researchers- I felt compelled to make this documentary. This is the 15 minute version of the film, with the full hour long documentary available via seabedhabitats.org/2014/12/01/maerldocumentary/

Climate Change as a Human Rights Issue: A Business and Human Rights Perspective

This thesis begins by looking at climate change and the silence on human rights, the key climate change agreements and the need for a business and human rights lens to look at climate change issues in the courts. The subsequent chapter discusses the relationship between climate change and human rights, including the overarching right to a healthy environment; the right to life, right to respect for private and family life as civil and political rights; and the right to health, food, water and sanitation as economic, social and cultural rights. It then looks at the latest climate litigation including cases where public citizens have taken legal action against the state (Netherlands, Pakistan, United States, Columbia, Inuit case and many others); followed by the first wave and second wave of strategic private climate litigation against corporations. It then discusses the key legal principles to consider when looking at climate change issues in the courts and key recommendations for further action, followed by a brief conclusion.