David Litchfield completed a second undergraduate degree in Geosciences with the Open University and is currently studying part-time for an MSc in Geophysical Hazards at UCL. He has a broad interest in hazard monitoring methods and how geoscientists communicate their findings with those who need it, and retains a strong connection with the Andean highlands of Ecuador. This summer, David is volunte ...[Read More]
Geology for Global Development
Sustainable Development in the Himalayas – GfGD’s Role in a Major Upcoming Conference
In June 2014 a conference will take place in Leh (Ladahk Region, India) with a focus on sustainable resource development in the Himalayas. The conference is being organised by the Geological Society of London, in collaboration with the Institute of Energy Research and Training at the University of Jammu, India and many other stakeholders. It will examine a range of issues, including geohazards, ac ...[Read More]
Geology for Global Development
Friday Photo (91): Lava Flows at Mount Etna
Hiking across lava flows on Mt Etna to use a GPS point on the cone in the background. Credit: Rick Wall (c) Geology for Global Development 2013
Geology for Global Development
Guest Blog: Holes, Hazards and Honey
Tim Middleton, GfGD Advocacy Officer, interviews Dr. Andrew Longley, Director of the Nicaragua-based NGO Nuevas Esperanzas. It’s a warm June day, so I suggest that we sit outside. We take our coffees onto the rooftop terrace and admire the view across Oxford. Before long, however, Andrew is zipping up his fleece and starting to shiver; he’s used to the rather warmer climate in Nicaragua. In fact, ...[Read More]
VolcanicDegassing
Santorini: a volcano in remission?
In January 2011, Santorini volcano in Greece began to show the first subtle signs of stirring after many decades of quiet – or at least many decades without detectable activity. This presented an exceptional opportunity to track the behaviour of a very well-studied volcano at the start of a phase of ‘unrest’. Although it may seem counter-intuitive, volcanologists don’t real ...[Read More]
Geology for Global Development
Reminder: GfGD Blog Competition
The GfGD Blog Competition is a great opportunity to put science communication into practice. Clear communication, particularly of complex scientific problems, is a skill that is highly valued by many employers. Good science communication is also essential for people working within NGOs and in developing countries to access beneficial scientific ideas and progress. We are currently accepting articl ...[Read More]
Geology for Global Development
Professionalism and Social Responsibility (4): Popular Science Writing – Polished, Punchy Pyramids and Some Barbarously Bad Writing
Tim Middleton, GfGD Advocacy Development Officer, writes on a freelance basis for a number of organisations and was previously the President of the Cambridge University science magazine, BlueSci. Here he offers a few thoughts on how to go about composing an engaging piece of popular science. George Orwell had six rules for writers. It’s true that Orwell didn’t write a great deal of popular ...[Read More]
Geology for Global Development
Friday Photo (90): Eruption at Sakurajima, Japan
An eruption at Sakurajima, in Japan on 25th July 2013. Explosions of this type occur almost daily at this volcano. Our Friday Photos for the following few weeks will all be of volcanoes visited by Rick Wall during research for his PhD at UCL. Credit: Rick Wall (c) Geology for Global Development 2013
Geology for Global Development
The Complexity of Development
Development is a complicated process, with a range of considerations to be taken into account. In an article published recently by David Shukman (BBC Science Editor), Shukman poses the question ‘would you mine the white cliffs of Dover for £1 billion worth of gold?’ For those readers not familiar with British culture, the chalk cliffs of Dover are a national emblem of Britain, a landscape strongly ...[Read More]
Geology for Global Development
Guest Blog: A Summer of Volcanic Observation in Ecuador (2)
David Litchfield holds an MA in Social Work and has worked in this field for a number of years. However, experience of travel and living in Latin America led to the renewal of a long-forgotten interest in geosciences and especially in volcanism. On return to the UK he completed a second undergraduate degree in Geosciences with the Open University and is currently studying part-time for an MSc in G ...[Read More]