University of Edinburgh
Geographical Society Newsletter
Editor's Letter
This edition of the newsletter focuses on 'How to be a geographer' - or more so here is a bunch of advice for Geographers in all years on a variety of subjects and hopefully it helps makes life and future choices a little easier! I hope you all enjoy it!
Good luck for the rest of semester and treat one another kindly! It is a stressful time for many students and you may not know fully what the other person is going through. GeogSoc coffee shop is always there to offer a friendly smile, chat and cup of tea. In the words of Lin-Manuel Miranda, 'Love is love is love is love is love is love is love...'
Shrove Tuesday Bake Sale
Tuesday, Feb 28, 2017, 10:30 AM
Old Infirmary Building, Drummond Street, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
THE ANNUAL SPRING BALL
This year's Geography Ball will be held at The Balmoral Hotel! It is the second time The Balmoral has hosted the Ball and we cannot wait to wine, dine and party at Edinburgh’s most famous venue again!
So, what is included in the ticket? On arrival, you will be greeted with a fabulous champagne reception followed by 1/2 a bottle of wine awaiting you at your table. The Balmoral will be serving their spectacular 3-course dinner, and after having a peek at the menu I can safely say it all sounds delicious! Of course, no ball would truly be a Scottish ball without a traditional ceilidh, and we have a photographer on hand to snap the entire evening. Don't forget to bring some change for the charity raffle, raising money for our charity of the year Beatson Cancer charity. And to top the evening, your ticket also includes discounted club entry. This is definitely going to be a night to remember!
HOW TO BE A GEOGRAPHER? EDITION
This quarter's theme is 'How to be a geographer?'. No, not in the sense of Nature of Geographical Knowledge, thank goodness, but in the sense of how to be a successful Geography student at the University! Here we have some advice on internships, a truthful guide to some of the courses you can take and lots more!
Advice on Honours Years Courses!
Principles of GIS
[Viola Heinrich]
Glacial Processes and Geomorphology
[Amy Flynn]
Remote Sensing and Global Change
[Viola Heinrich]
Encountering Cities
After kitting up with a ‘conceptual toolbox’, the course visits a range of global cities applying ideas and theories along the way. With an option to write an essay of a personal urban account, the course also offers a chance to apply the things you’ve learned to your everyday experience of Edinburgh. I loved approaching ‘the everyday’ critically , thinking about how and why things are constructed, from the construction of race and terror, to the construction of infrastructures of roads and water supplies. In terms of teaching, there are documentary screenings throughout the course, as well as seminar-like activities with a twist; think mind maps galore, and even a chance to get back to the lego to express key theories. Overall, this was my favourite course at university. 10/10
[Poppy Adams]
Berlin Honours Year Field Trip
Spending a week getting to know Berlin, free to explore a totally unique capital city, and an opportunity to design your own research project - this is not an option to miss! Free reign on the research project means you are free to pick something you and your small (2-3 people) group are all passionate about. For example, my group spent a sunny afternoon in an abandoned spy building with incredible views across the whole city, as well as taking in history and culture at various museums. The course assessment gives you a chance to get to grips on producing the types of analysis expected of you when writing up a dissertation, so if the thought of spending a week in one of Europe’s best nightlife cities with your friends doesn’t sway you - the dissertation practice is invaluable.
[Poppy Adams]
Values and the Environment
An interesting course that gives you the space to reconsider human activity and thought in context of entire ecosystems. A valuable course for Geography as you can think about human relation to the physical and non-human world and our place in it going forward. This course is pretty philosophy based so is a good stretch of all the skills you’ll pick up in Nature of Geographical Knowledge, and actually compliments that course really well.
[Poppy Adams]
Quantitative Methods in Geography
[Razann Al Ghussein]
Ice and Climate
[Amy Flynn]
Qualitative Methods in Geography
[Razann Al Ghussein]
Advice from GeogPALs on how to uni!
Hello from the GeogPALs leaders!
The aim of the Peer Assisted Learning (PALs) scheme is for 1st years to be able to come to our session and ask questions about anything related to uni from course content and advice to how to write the perfect essay. This semester the focus will be on the Physical Geography course. The sessions are a great place to meet people on your course in a friendly and fun environment.
- Tuesday 7th March, 1-2pm, in room 2.01
- Thursday 9th March, 1-2pm, in Old Library
were we will be focussing on the Physical Geography degree essay, giving you tips on structure, referencing, reading papers and any other questions you may have on the essay or the past few weeks content!
- Relax, don’t panic- you’ll think of an idea soon. If you have lots of ideas or can’t think of one, try to mindmap what topics you like and which parts of the topic you think you want to explore more. The office has past dissertations for you to get ideas of what is doable and might give you inspiration for a topic.
- Be realistic in what you think you can manage in the time period
- Simple can be good!
- Should you do fieldwork? YES: It is fun, you will get primary data and gain great experience. No: Could you fund the trip yourself? Is it dangerous? Will you have enough time to collect enough data?
- It doesn’t have to be a ground-breaking new idea, just one that you will enjoy.
Advice on Internships!
Nestle (Safety, Heath, and Environment) Intern
Digital Marketing Intern
Carbon Data Analyst Intern
Here she discusses how her work at summer camp and her time at Edinburgh University has helped her develop the necessary skills and experiences to be in the position she is in today!
Thinking... 'what the ___ am I going to do after I graduate'? Not to fear! Advice is here!
Jane completed her undergraduate degree BSc Geography in Aberdeen then went on to complete MSc Recreational land management at Reading University and has also completed a MBA at Heriot Watt. Jane has worked for Scottish Natural Heritage, volunteers alongside the Royal Geographical Society of Scotland and much more! So come along to hear about a range of different career paths and advice for job applications. Feel free to bring lunch along!
[Laura Sloan]
Wednesday, Mar 1, 2017, 01:00 PM
Old Infirmary Building, Drummond Street, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
A note from our President...
I joined the Geographical Society in the second semester of my 1st year as a general member. I remained as a general member throughout my second year helping out with little jobs on the side and in my third year I was appointed as a Social Secretary. I loved this role as I was able to meet students across all 4 years at our socials. We were able to throw year specific socials as well allowing us to get to know our year better following the field trips at the start of the year.
I was then fortunate enough to be elected President at the end of my third year and this has been a thoroughly enjoyable and challenging role. This year we have had the biggest committee in a long time and they have been a great support so far. GeogSoc is a very busy society so there is a lot of work that goes on behind the scenes. I thoroughly enjoy liaising with staff and students about ways to adjust or improve the running of the society. I speak to our sponsors on a daily basis keeping them updated with the work that we are doing in the Society and creating new events that are of use to all students across the board in preparation for leaving university.
I cannot encourage you enough to join the committee as it is such wonderful network to get involved in. Not only will you be able to be an active student within your discipline but you will form strong friendships in doing so. The society offers so many wonderful opportunities for you to meet potential employers and build those relationships with outside contacts.
If there is one thing I have enjoyed most about this year it is getting younger years involved. I have introduced 1st and 2nd-year representatives into the committee to ensure the student voice was being heard across all years. This has been a great success with 2nd years in particular creating their own socials ensuring the coming together of their year. It’s not an opportunity to pass up on, so come along to the meetings to meet the committee and find out if it’s for you!
~ MT Chitnis
Geography Society AGM
If you would like to run for a position, we ask that you start to come along to the weekly meetings held in the Drummond Library G.10 (down the steps at the back of the carpark and to the right). They are held every Tuesday from 13:10 – 14:00. This is the best way to get a sense of how the society runs and to understand what each position entails.
We look forward to meeting you!
Tuesday, Mar 21, 2017, 01:00 PM
Old Library, G.10 - Drummond
Awesome Geographical Talks and Seminars!
One thing Edinburgh University is fantastic for is the vast amount of talks and seminars it hosts from the fortnightly RSGS talks to listening to some of the finest Professors in their fields from all over the world talk about their cutting edge research!
(If anyone went to Domokos' talk - you'll know how great these can be!)
RSGS Talks
March 22nd 1:30pm: Sir John Lister-Kaye - The Balmorality Epoch
RSGS talks take place in Appleton Tower LT5
Hutton Club
3rd March: Dr Andrew Cunliffe - 'Terrestrial Carbon in Degrading Drylands: A study of soils, sediments and plants from drones' [Joint with EEO]
10th March: Dr Jens Turowski - 'Sediment controls on fluvial bedrock erosion'
(If anyone is thinking about studying Eroding Landscapes module in honours year you should totally come to this, it's a pretty interesting topic!
17th March: Professor Tamsin Mather - 'Volcanoes and Global Change'
24th March: Dr Twila Moon - 'Ice Sheet to Ocean, Ice Motion, Ice Loss and Icebergs'
Hutton Club talks usually take place at 4pm in the Old Library, Drummond
Calling all first and second year Geography students!
Would you like to write for the Geographical Society newsletter? Get some awesome experience down on your CV? Have advice for upcoming new students?
I'm looking for some first and second students who would like to share their experiences at the University of Edinburgh so far, and any advice they would give to the prospective students looking to study here! This could be about student life, how you are finding classes, what the Geography degree programme is like so far, which lecturer is the best etc.. I would love to have many pieces to share to the new students, so if this sounds like something you want to do email me at s1305674@sms.ed.ac.uk :)