25 January 2011

Professor Iain Stewart to discuss natural hazards - CECHR Global Futures Lecture

Professor Iain Stewart, presenter of the TV series Making Scotland's Landscape and Men of Rock, will visit Dundee next week to discuss complex issues relating to natural hazards such as earthquakes and tsunamis.

The renowned academic, broadcaster and writer will visit the University of Dundee's Centre for Environmental Change and Human Resilience (CECHR) on Wednesday, 2nd February to give a free lecture entitled ‘Natural hazards and environmental change: communicating concepts of risk and resilience'.

In his talk, Professor Stewart will discuss the challenges associated with trying to understand the mechanics of natural hazards whilst also exploring the best way to communicate the complexity of ideas surrounding risk and uncertainty to both the public and policy makers.

The Professor of Geoscience Communication at the University of Plymouth has presented and produced several scientific television and radio programmes including, Rough Science, Journey from the Centre of the Earth, Earth: the Power of the Planet, The Climate Wars, How the Earth Made Us and The Ten Things You Don't Know About...

Professor Stewart recently completed two BBC TV series, Making Scotland's Landscape and Men of Rock. The former explained how the nation’s physical character has been shaped by geological processes while the latter tells the story of the pioneers who established Scotland’s pre-eminent reputation for research in the Earth Sciences.

Filming those series represented something of a homecoming for the East Kilbride-born academic who has worked mainly abroad or in England in recent years.

'It was really good to get the chance to return to Scotland after so many years living away,' he said.

'If you mention Scotland to geologists anywhere in the world, a kind of slightly misty nostalgia takes them over. Because there is a feeling that somehow the heartland of geology is in Scotland. It’s so small - it's a tiny bit of land - but it has given so many ideas.'

The CECHR Global Futures Lecture, ‘Natural hazards and environmental change: communicating concepts of risk and resilience', takes place at the D'Arcy Thompson Lecture Theatre from 1.30pm on Wednesday, 2nd February.

Spaces are limited, but tickets are available from www.dundee.ac.uk/tickets or by contacting CECHR at cechr@dundee.ac.uk or 01382 384185.

For media enquiries contact:
Grant Hill
Press Officer
University of Dundee
Nethergate, Dundee, DD1 4HN
TEL: 01382 384768
E-MAIL: g.hill@dundee.ac.uk
MOBILE: 07854 953277