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Annual Student Representative’s Report - 2011
The RSPSoc year kicked off in September with the Society’s Annual Conference in Cork, and for most this meant hard work preparing posters and presentations, and travelling by air and sea to get there. But it was work and a journey well worthwhile, with a week of intriguing presentations, rousing discussions and more Murphys that you can shake a stick at. Most of the students arrived early for the pre-conference Chairmain’s 11 vs Student’s 11 football match, which has over the last few years become a key component to successful RSPSoc conferences. The students’ victory was followed by a social event that gave students the chance to meet some friendly faces before the conference got into full swing. Preparations are well underway for a similar event in Bournemouth this September.
This year’s Annual Student Meeting was held in March at Ravenstor Youth Hostel in the heart of the Peak District National Park. The meeting offered students the opportunity to present their work in a friendly and relaxed atmosphere, and get to know other student members from different disciplines and institutions. Technical sessions covered applications of GIS and remote sensing to the atmosphere and climatology, land cover detection and mapping, terrestrial and planetary geomorphology, and hazard and risk research. The delegates also received talks from professional members of both the academic and commercial legs of the geospatial community. Following on from previous student meetings, the event also included a morning out of the classroom when the group of delegates split up to go potholing down Devonshire Cavern in Matlock, or take a more leisurely walk down the show cave: Poole’s Cavern, near Buxton. Every year the event is made possible by the support and sponsorship it receives from various surveying, remote sensing and publishing companies. The combination of talks from industrial representatives and commercial support for the meeting make it a fantastic opportunity to forge links between young researchers and the geospatial industry.
In addition to the student events, this year has also seen a growing interest among RSPSoc students in disseminating their research to a wider audience. During discussions at the ASM many students expressed an interest in speaking to school pupils about their research. Consultation with geography teachers has also flagged the need for greater links between the academic and educational communities to increase awareness and understanding of geospatial science. As the 2010-2011 RSPSoc year draws to a close plans are being laid in place to facilitate the RSPSoc students visiting and speaking in secondary schools. The program will add another (optional) dimension to being an RSPSoc student, with the opportunity to gain experience in outreach and communicating to non-academic audiences. Watch the RSPSoc spaces for more details to follow over the next few months.
Robert Parker
RSPSoc Student Representative 2010-2011
