University news

The University of Glasgow is launching a new interdisciplinary research centre that seeks to bring the study of environment and culture together.

Based at the University of Glasgow’s Dumfries Campus, the Solway Centre for Environment and Culture is the first of its kind in the UK.   Natural scientists and cultural specialists work together, creating truly interdisciplinary courses and good collaboration.

BBC Scotland: Dumfries Crichton Campus research centre opens

Initial projects include a project studying the impact of a spate of wildfires across the UK in the spring of 2011 and an archaeology project encouraging the local community to find out more about hidden, local archaeology.  The Solway Centre is also keen to establish itself as a national centre for environmental art.

Valentina Bold, the Director of the centre said “It seems fitting that the Solway Centre is opened in the part of the world where the word ‘Environment’ was created by Carlyle in 1826 and which has sustained creativity from the ‘ploughman poet’ Burns to modern land artists Jencks and Goldsworthy.  We are very excited about the opportunities for cross collaboration that the new centre will bring to us all here in Dumfries.”

Building on the strong partnerships already created in the School of Interdisciplinary Studies, the Solway Centre will continue to work closely with local partners and the community.  The centre seeks to develop projects which cross the Solway Firth into England, between academics and specialists working in arts and natural sciences, and has already built partnerships from Cumbria to Cornwall.

Eight University researchers are the core team, based at the Dumfries Campus, working with an additional seventeen academics from the University of Glasgow and beyond.  They will initially focus on three research areas:

• Rural landscape management
• Sustainable rural tourism
• Landscape, place and memory

Professor David Clark, Head of the School of Interdisciplinary Studies at the Dumfries Campus, home to the Solway Centre said: “This is a great boost to our research ambitions. The Solway Centre is already undertaking innovative studies that shed light on cultural and environmental issues in our region. It will present many opportunities for research and further study in the coming years and a real focus for working across disciplines.”

Find out more

• The Solway Centre for Environment & Culture
• Dr Valentina Bold, Director of the Solway Centre

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The Solway Centre for Environment and Culture will be launched on Wednesday 3rd October 2012, 3.30 pm – 5.00 pm

The event will be chaired by Professor John Briggs and you will have the opportunity to hear from centre staff and associates.

We are also delighted to feature a performance from internationally renowned harper Wendy Stewart. Locally sourced light refreshments will be served.

For more information contact Cara MacDowall in the University of Glasgow Media Relations Office on 0141 330 3535; 07875 203387 or email cara.macdowall@glasgow.ac.uk

First published: 2 October 2012