Exploring Experimental Environments

This module has two components one is a research circuit where students will spend one or two days with a research group from each of the four schools in the College of Life and Environmental Science: Biosciences; Geography, Environmental and Earth Sciences; Psychology; and Sports, Exercise and Rehabilitation Sciences. They will learn from PhD students and Post-Doctoral Researchers about their projects and will observe and learn about diverse experimental approaches across the different disciplines in the College. They will then spend an hour with the lab lead to discuss their experience and to ask any questions they have about the labs activities and why these are important.

The second component explores how leading experimental research facilities at the University are helping advance our knowledge and understanding of human impacts on the environment. Students will spend time at key research facilities (e.g. BIFoR-FACE; Ecolab; Wolfson Advanced Glasshouses) and after each visit a tutorial will further develop the students understanding of how cutting-edge research is planned, conducted and how the results are being used for the benefit of society and global challenges. 

By the end of the module you should be able to:

• Understand the scope of research activity over the different disciplines represented by the schools in the College
• Reflect upon either existing interdisciplinary research within the college or the potential as yet unrealised interdisciplinary research
• Critique how localised laboratory/field research contributes to addressing global challenges.
• Research and demonstrate high-level understanding of cutting-edge research being undertaken by Birmingham’s experimental environments
• Present synthesis of work being undertaken in an experimental environmental facility at Birmingham as a professional standard output.