Placements give students a valuable opportunity to get an insight into the international development sector, consider what key skills they need to develop to contribute to such work, and better understand the role of geoscience in fighting poverty. Following successful placements with the NGO CAFOD, GfGD are delighted to announce two new placement opportunities for UK-based geoscience students  ...[Read More]
Some Comments on Recent Earthquakes in Iran
In this article, Joel Gill and Faith Taylor write about the importance of reducing individual and community vulnerability in Iran. This post is written in response to the recent earthquakes in April 2013, and an article posted in the Guardian in 2010. In addition to their GfGD responsibilities, Joel and Faith are undertaking PhD research at King’s College London – investigating specifi ...[Read More]
Friday Photo (75): GfGD-CAFOD Placement
Sam Marshall (University of Southampton) and Dr Kate Crowley (Disaster Risk Reduction Adviser, CAFOD), at the CAFOD headquarters in central London. Sam has been undertaking a GfGD placement with CAFOD this week, learning more about how geoscience can be applied in the development sector. (c) Geology for Global Development 2013
GfGD at #EGU2013 – The Value of Student Placements
Yesterday afternoon, Joel Gill (GfGD’s National Director) gave a presentation within the ‘EOS7 – Geoethics and Geoeducation’ session at the EGU. This talk examined the value of placements in helping students to better contribute to sustainable development. Geologists have a lot of training in the field, as our recent photo series “Geologists in the Field” highli ...[Read More]
GfGD-CAFOD Placements – Successful Candidates
A while ago we advertised the opportunity to undertake a placement, organised by GfGD, with the international NGO CAFOD. These one week placements are designed to give geoscience students a preliminary, but important, insight into the development sector. They allow students to consider the role that geology already plays, and ways in which it could be further integrated to ensure effective and sus ...[Read More]
King’s College London Summer School: Natural Hazards and Society
The study of natural hazards, such as earthquakes and volcanic eruptions, are an important part of geoscience courses. However a thorough understanding of how and why they impact society requires the study of a much broader range of topics. Similarly, the study of social sciences gives us an understanding of the origins and development of vulnerability, but this knowledge must be combined with an ...[Read More]
Save the Date – GfGD National Conference 23rd October 2013
On Wednesday 23rd October 2013, GfGD will be hosting their first National Conference in London. Aimed at students and recent graduates, this one day event will be a great opportunity to learn more about GfGD and their work, explore the role of geoscience in development, and meet people across the country with the same interest in applying their work to fight poverty and improve society. Put the d ...[Read More]
In the News – November 2012
GfGD’s Director, Joel Gill, shares some of the things that have caught his eye in the news recently: Natural Disaters: The past couple of weeks have seen a significant number of natural disasters, from earthquakes in Guatemala and Myanmar (Burma) to hurricanes in the Atlantic – impacting developing nations such as Haiti, and a landslide dam break in Indonesia. The earthquake in Guatemala tri ...[Read More]
Friday Photo (54) – Debris Flow Channel, Gansu Province, China
Southern Gansu Province, China: Poorly Maintained Debris Flow Channel This channel is designed to transport debris flow material away from the road, thus preventing a major road blockage. The poor design and maintenance of the channel, however, is resulting in material coming down the channel and then being pushed back on to the road. (c) Geology for Global Development, 2012
Guilty: L’Aquila Earthquake Scientists Sentenced to 6 Years Imprisonment
As a young scientist undertaking research into natural hazards and disaster reduction, I found the decision yesterday to find a number of scientists guilty of manslaughter very worrying. The case against the scientists is centred on the L’Aquila earthquake of 2009 and argues that they were guilty of providing “inexact, incomplete and contradictory” information. There is helpful a ...[Read More]