‘14 expeditions’ seminar series to tell globetrotting botany research tales
Posted on: 23 January 2018
Botanists from Trinity are launching an exciting seminar series with a difference this week as 14 expeditions will open eyes and minds to some of the unexpected trials and tribulations faced by researchers when they are in the field conducting their research.
While the speakers will touch on the importance of the research itself, the focus is much more on their unique experiences conducting it. Over the three-month series, audience members will hear tales of how scientists have avoided bears in Alaska, carefully weaved machete trails in Fiji, and hopped, skipped and jumped around temperamental volcanic vents – all in the name of science.
The series features one seminar each Thursday lunchtime between January 25 and April 26 and is open to anyone with a curious mind and a fascination of the natural world. The first seminar – taking place this Thursday, January 25 – is entitled The Man Who Climbs Trees. The speaker is BBC cameraman, James Aldred, who will discuss some of the more unusual experiences he has had while suspended in the canopy in pursuit of interesting footage. For more information, see here.
Professor of Botany at Trinity, Jennifer McElwain, has organised the seminar series. She said: “We are really excited by this series – it will reveal some of the incredible globetrotting exploits of botanists as they go in search of species that are new to science, and seek new solutions to global challenges of climate change, food security and biodiversity loss.”
“As people will discover, there is no such thing as a ‘typical’ day in the life of a botanist. The innovative ways in which they conduct their research in logistically testing, and often risky environments bears testament to their commitment to science and all the good things that come from high-quality research.”
The full line-up of the seminars and speakers is:
- The Man Who Climbs Trees, James Aldred (BBC), Thursday January 25
- Biking & Butter in Burkina Faso, Aoife Delaney (Trinity), Thursday February 1
- Machete Trails in Fiji, Wuu Kuang Soh (Trinity), Thursday February 8
- An undergrad in Puerto Rico, Emma Doyle (UCD), Thursday February 15
- Life and death at a volcanic vent, Caroline Elliott-Kingston (UCD), Thursday February 22
- Tale of many towers – from Mordor to Africa, Matt Saunders (Trinity), Thursday March 1
- Pacific invaders of the Pitcairn Islands, Steve Waldren (Trinity), Thursday March 8
- Great grasses of China, Trevor Hodkinson (Trinity), Thursday March 15
- An urban expedition, Marcus Collier (Trinity), Thursday March 22
- Don’t mention the Euphorbias – Gran Canaria, Simon Benson (Trinity), Thursday March 29
- Avoiding bears in Alaska, Michelle Murray (Trinity), Thursday April 5
- High in Honduras, Daniel Kelly (Trinity), Thursday April 12
- Travel diaries from Thailand, Anne Dubéarnès (Trinity), Thursday April 19
- 72 degrees North, Jennifer McElwain (Trinity), Thursday April 26