Sustainability Research Network: Promoting interdisciplinarity in sustainability research

02 December 2013

The big challenges of sustainability cannot be tackled without disrupting established ways of thinking, and universities present rich melting pots of sustainability ideas. The Sustainability Research Network (SRN) was launched in May 2013 by five PhD students, based in five different schools at The University of Nottingham (including Nottingham University Business School), to establish a network for early career and postgraduate researchers focussed on, or with an interest in, sustainability.

The network is the first of its kind at the University of Nottingham and regularly holds events to discuss careers in sustainability and facilitate knowledge exchange. Since its launch in May, SRN has invited in guest speakers from E.ON, EvoEnergy and GlaxoSmithKline, and currently has more than 50 members from over 22 different schools, representing Arts, Engineering, Natural Science and Social Science faculties.

Reflecting on a visit to E.ON’s Ironbridge power station, which has recently been converted from coal to biomass, PhD student Sarah Glozer from the Nottingham University Business School commented: “The day was an opportunity to see how large-scale power generation takes place and was made more interesting given it was about a station that uses a renewable source of fuel. The day highlights the importance of networks such as SRN, which build connections between researchers and companies. It also highlighted the usefulness of talking to new groups of people about topics related to my areas of research as this often leads to seeing ideas from a different perspective.”

In encouraging collaboration across university departments, SRN builds upon The University of Nottingham’s strong sustainability focus and celebrates interdisciplinarity in sustainability research. SRN members have also been active in supporting sustainability teaching.

Sarah Speight, Deputy Head of the School of Education and Associate Professor, Faculty of Social Science stated: “SRN members are making a significant contribution to the University's research agenda, and also to teaching and learning. I am extremely grateful to the SRN members who have supported me in delivering Nottingham's first 'NOOC' (Nottingham Open Online Course) called 'Perspectives on Sustainability'. SRN members have shared their expertise to date with 1500 students and staff across our campuses in the UK, China and Malaysia - the SRN will be sharing their expertise globally from January when the course runs as a 'MOOC' (Massive Open Online Course). The SRN is a student initiative that is having real impact - both in research and in supporting positive action and behaviour change across the university community.”

Moving into 2014, SRN is keen to expand its networks, encourage more sustainability discussions and create a strategic Advisory Board. If you would like to hear more about these plans, or would be interested in being involved in one of our events, please contact the SRN Committee at SRN@nottingham.ac.uk. You can also follow SRN’s progress by subscribing to their blog and Twitter.