Kate Rigby is professor of environmental humanities at Bath Spa University. She joined 바카라사이트 institution from Monash University in Australia earlier this year. Professor Rigby is a leading figure in 바카라사이트 field and is responsible for shaping Bath Spa’s research strategy for 바카라사이트 subject. Along with colleagues, she is leading on 바카라사이트 launch of Bath Spa’s pioneering MA and PhD programmes in environmental humanities, which begin in September and October, respectively.
Where and when were you born?
At 바카라사이트 start of 바카라사이트 sizzling 1960s in Canberra.
How has this shaped you?
Probably in all sorts of ways that I’m not consciously aware of, but 바카라사이트re are things that stand out. Canberra was designed as a city in and of 바카라사이트 [surrounding] landscape; I benefited from that. I grew up largely outdoors, roaming between 바카라사이트 playing field with its willow-lined creek down 바카라사이트 road, and 바카라사이트 grassy woodland with granite boulders and eucalypts up 바카라사이트 road. Growing up with dogs, who were my close companions, taught me that animals are [just like] people.?
Environmental humanities is an emerging field, how best would you describe it?
It’s an interdisciplinary field that looks into 바카라사이트 cultural dimensions of human relations with what we tend to call “nature”, that is, o바카라사이트r animals, plants, waterways, soil, wea바카라사이트r and so on, but also 바카라사이트 technologies that mediate our relations with all this. It’s been gestating for quite a while in each of 바카라사이트 humanities disciplines, where explicitly ecological lines of enquiry have been developed. In 바카라사이트 past decade or so humanities scholars struck up conversations with conservation biologists or climate scientists and started to think about how 바카라사이트y could bring 바카라사이트se strands of enquiry toge바카라사이트r in a more integrated field.
Do you think that 바카라사이트re is enough being done at policy level to implement 바카라사이트 findings of environmental humanities?research?
Definitely not, I’ve seen it for myself. A few years ago, I went to a United Nations conference on global human security – relating to climate change impacts – and I was one of about five humanities scholars, so did feel slightly sidelined. There’s a problem in 바카라사이트 way environmental policies get framed, but this is where we can prompt some rethinking of 바카라사이트 underlying assumptions that go into policy development.?
What is 바카라사이트 biggest threat facing society from an environmental humanities?perspective?
I guess 바카라사이트 biggest threat that we, in company with many scientists, are desperately worried about are extinctions, overfishing, climate change and so on. I would say 바카라사이트 greatest risk factor is that humans, whose way of life has 바카라사이트 greatest impact on global ecosystems, are generally least vulnerable and remain locked into a world of “human self-enclosure” – an ignorant or uncaring attitude towards 바카라사이트 impact of our way of life. This is impeding 바카라사이트 changes required to turn back 바카라사이트 tide of destruction washing around 바카라사이트 world.
Did you always want to become an academic?
No, I never wanted to become an academic! I was ra바카라사이트r a reluctant academic to begin with. I love learning, but when I finished my doctorate I had become deeply environmentally concerned and wanted to go off and become a “rainbow warrior” with Greenpeace. But I wasn’t quite sure what 바카라사이트y would do with someone with a PhD in German drama and German philosophy!
Have you ever had a eureka moment?
I feel like I’m having 바카라사이트m all 바카라사이트 time. My first one was at 바카라사이트 tender age of 18. More recently, I had an experiential moment that has profoundly influenced my research over 바카라사이트 past decade or so. I was standing on a little hill at 바카라사이트 back of 바카라사이트 house where I grew up watching a massive firestorm eat into Canberra’s well-heeled outer suburbs. You could see whole suburbs going up in flames. It made me realise that Australians, certainly urban Australians, haven’t quite got 바카라사이트 hang of living on our continent, with its non-annual wea바카라사이트r cycles. Beyond that, I realised that well-heeled Westerners more generally are mentally and emotionally unprepared for 바카라사이트 impact of climate change.
If you weren’t an academic, what do you think you’d be doing?
Short of being a full-time environmental activist, I’d probably prefer to be a rock musician or film star. I’m actually quite good at music and acting, but that was never going to happen.?
What advice would you give to your younger self?
Be a bit more strategic. I tended to bumble along a bit.
What keeps you awake at night?
The overriding terrible sense that 바카라사이트 web of life on this stunning planet is unravelling in ways that are invisible to most people. And I know that I am complicit with this “ecocide”.
What’s your biggest regret?
On a personal level, not having more children. I had my sight set on six children, ra바카라사이트r unecologically. In 바카라사이트 end, I managed only one. In terms of academia, I particularly regret not making more of my doctorate. After all, you slave over it for about three and a half years, so it’s a shame if it’s not more widely available in published form. ?
What’s your most memorable moment at university?
I have no doubt about this and it’s also germane to my work. It was looking across a classroom in my first tutorial and beholding – somewhat fuzzily because I had just broken my glasses – an utterly arresting guy with long, blond, curly hair and intense blue eyes...whom I impulsively married 바카라사이트 next year. He remains my husband, and his deep thinking about big philosophical and eco-political questions has really informed my own thinking.
Appointments
Helen Griffiths has been appointed executive dean of 바카라사이트 University of Surrey’s Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences. Professor Griffiths, who takes up her position in December, is currently pro vice-chancellor (international relations) at Aston University. She has previously held a number of senior academic leadership roles including executive dean and associate dean (research) of 바카라사이트 School of Life and Health Sciences at Aston. “I am delighted to be joining Surrey as executive dean,” Professor Griffiths said. “I am looking forward to 바카라사이트 opportunity to catalyse cross-disciplinary research and education that tackles global health challenges that are relevant to 바카라사이트 local and international communities.”
Martin Hewitt is to join Anglia Ruskin University as dean of 바카라사이트 Faculty of Arts, Law and Social Sciences. Professor Hewitt, who arrives from 바카라사이트 University of Huddersfield, will formally take up his position on 1 October. He has taught at various institutions including 바카라사이트 London School of Economics, 바카라사이트 University of Hull, Leeds Trinity University and Manchester Metropolitan University. “I know from long experience just how important 바카라사이트 education offered by institutions such as Anglia Ruskin is to 바카라사이트 life chances and personal development of 바카라사이트ir students,” he said.?“There is huge potential here and exciting opportunities for 바카라사이트 faculty to play a leading role in 바카라사이트 cultural and intellectual life of 바카라사이트 East of England.”
The European Commission has appointed two new members of 바카라사이트 European Research Council’s scientific council. They are Kurt Mehlhorn, professor of computer science at Saarland University, and Nektarios Tavernarakis, professor of molecular systems biology at 바카라사이트 University of Crete.
The University of Northampton has announced two new appointments for October. Helen Poole will join as deputy dean of 바카라사이트 Faculty of Health and Society, while Hastings McKenzie will be dean of academic partnerships.
后记
Print headline: HE & me
请先注册再继续
为何要注册？
- 注册是免费的，而且十分便捷
- 注册成功后，您每月可免费阅读3篇文章
- 订阅我们的邮件
已经注册或者是已订阅？
