Festival of Science
Interested in a career which will contribute to delivering a sustainable energy system and major cuts in CO2 emissions?
Have a look at Radio 4's Quentin Cooper for this series of evening webinars. They have explored the big picture of how 'whole systems' interdisciplinary science and knowledge are being used to underpin UK and global energy policy. UK policy will need to deliver 80% plus cuts in greenhouse gases. The webinars have touched on a broad range of related career options.
Feedback and opinion generated by these webinars has been reported back to the office of the Shadow Minister for Children and Young People (Tim Loughton MP) which is actively seeking the views of young people on such issues. We have also forwarded feedback and opinion to relevant organisations such as Government Departments, the Research Councils and the Higher Education Funding Councils to mention just a few.
Useful websites relating to energy, climate change and careers
AGENDA
Monday 9th March 7:30-9:00pm
Climate Change, Energy and Science: The Big Picture.
Climate Change Science and Politics
Mr Roger Street UK Climate Impacts Programme, Oxford University
What do we know and not know about climate change? How is climate science underpinning international climate negotiations? What is the latest political situation?
Energy in a Nutshell
Dr Christian Jardine Environmental Change Institute, Oxford University
What are the big energy issues and challenges? How might society rise to meet these challenges and what role will science play?
Creating and Using Science and Knowledge
Dr Jeff Hardy UK Energy Research Centre
The UK perspective. Why is a whole systems and interdisciplinary approach needed and what is this? What energy-related science is the UK investing in? Who is creating it and how is it funded and coordinated? How does this science get used in policy-making and developing new technologies?
Tuesday 10th March 5:30-6:30pm
Driving Passion. Dr Jillian Anable from Aberdeen University will be explaining how and why the car plays such a dominant role in our society today, the big challenges policy-makers face in regulating car manufacturers, the many factors that contribute to transport CO2 emissions and the many policy options that could improve technology and reduce the transport sector's demand for oil.
Wednesday 11th March 7:30-8:30pm
Marine energy: A sustainable solution? Prof Robin Wallace will introduce students to the dynamic policy context for marine energy and issues relating to the deployment of different types of marine technology in order to achieve ambitious Government targets for offshore wind and tidal energy.
Thursday 12th March 7:30-9:00pm
Career profiles in sustainable energy. Students will gain an insight into the interesting career profiles of distinguished players in the field including Oxford University's Emeritus Fellow, Dr Brenda Boardman and Stephen Tindale, Head of Public Affairs for RWE Innogy (previously Executive Director of Greenpeace UK) and Dave Thomas, First Secretary for Energy and the Environment (UK Embassy in Washington, USA), Foreign and Commonwealth Office.
The student experience. Students have the chance to their discuss career aspirations with Quentin Cooper and reflect on what they've learned from the webinar series. A panel of 3-5 students will be selected from those registering for these webinars. Student opinion collected during the webinar series will later be communicated to the relevant organisations by UKERC.
This webinar series is organised by the UKERC Meeting Place and is sponsored by UKERC and the ESRC. The ESRC Festival of Social Science is part of the National Science and Engineering Week (NSEW) which runs from 6-15 March 2009. With the UKERC Meeting Place being based in Oxford, the webinar series is also part of the Oxfordshire Science Festival, another NSEW initiative. NSEW is coordinated by the British Science Association in partnership with the Engineering and Technology Board and is funded by the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills (DIUS).
To access career resources that have been compiled to support this event, please follow this weblink.
