In a world powered by data, access is everything… but so is trust. My research tackles a core challenge: how to make sensitive data like NHS records or government files accessible to researchers, without compromising the privacy of the people behind it.
Working with Professor Felix Ritchie, the original creator of the Five Safes framework, I enable institutions around the world rethink how data is governed, so that systems focus on human judgment, not fear.
From ‘Lock It Down’ to ‘Use It Well’
For years, data governance has defaulted to caution. In many systems, especially legal ones, the assumption has been: people are a risk, data must be locked away. This approach comes at a cost. Without access to large scale, real world data, researchers are forced to work with small sample sizes, outdated studies or no data at all. This limits progress in vital areas like healthcare, social services, and public policy. As the recent pandemic has shown, these limits can be crippling to people in the moment.
This is why I am creating a different path. We need to shift our perception, It’s not about assuming people are dangerous, It’s about giving them the tools, training, and support to act responsibly and recognising that most people want to do the right thing
The Five Safes Framework
At the heart of this rethink is the Five Safes: a simple but powerful set of questions asked of any data project:
Are the people safe?
Is the project safe?
Is the data safe?
Is the environment safe?
Are the outputs safe?
By considering each aspect separately, it allows us to manage risk sensibly without defaulting to blanket denial. It’s a more flexible, responsive way to govern data, and it works. Since its introduction, the Five Safes model has been adopted by the Office for National Statistics, HMRC, and health bodies in the UK and beyond. It’s now written into the UK’s Digital Economy Act and used in Canada, Australia, and across Europe.
A Human Approach to Risk
What sets this work apart is its emphasis on people, not process. The legal route tends to focus on punishment; fines, prosecution, jail time. The thing is most breaches happen not through malice, but by mistake, or because people don’t feel safe enough to speak up. Using this framework I train other researchers and data custodians to reflect on their own biases, question assumptions, and take active responsibility. This is building a new culture and approach to data where people flag risks early, work collaboratively, and trust the system to support and not to punish them.
Since joining the project in 2015, I have worked with organisations across the UK and internationally. We have embed the Five Safes into their systems, trained staff, and shifted mindsets. We’ve worked with everyone from national statistical agencies to healthcare providers and tax authorities. What’s more We’ve seen countries redesign entire legal frameworks because they saw how effective this model was. It’s making data access cheaper, safer, and more impactful. Ultimately, enabling research to deliver real benefits to the public.
Behind every dataset are real people, the more we understand their experiences, the better we can design policies, services, and support that work. It is possible to respect privacy without stalling progress and with the right framework, trust becomes the foundation of a stronger, safer data ecosystem. After all, It’s not about locking data away, it’s about building systems people can trust, so data can be used safely, responsibly, and for public good.
Contribution to the UN 2030 sustainable development goals
UWE Bristol is proud to align our research to the UN sustainable development goals. The above research aligns with the following goals:
“How do you get the right patients to the right person at the right time? How do you stop the GP being the bottleneck in the system? – The resources are changing and practices don’t really know how to best utilise the changing resources that they’ve got.”
With GP practices facing unprecedented demand from an aging population, innovative solutions are transforming how healthcare is delivered. Dr. Smith’s operations management research is pioneering new approaches to help practices effectively utilize expanded healthcare teams and improve patient access.
My research addresses a significant question in modern healthcare: how can GP practices effectively harness new allied health professionals? This can be anyone from physios, paramedics and pharmacists to physician associates, and nurse practitioners. My work looks at developing systematic approaches to move beyond traditional models where all patients must see a GP first.
It’s like moving from craft production to mass production, from the GP who can turn their hand to anything, to understanding how to best utilize specialized skills. This research creates frameworks for getting patients directly to the most appropriate professional for their needs as quickly and as reliably as possible, reducing bottlenecks and improving efficiency.
Evidence-based solutions
Taking a comprehensive approach means I am able to examine not just process improvements, but their impact on patient experience, staff satisfaction, and practice effectiveness. This research identifies successful models already emerging in less overwhelmed practices, where new professionals effectively handle routine clinics and specialized services.
By understanding potential challenges early, such as supervision requirements and staff adaptation, we can help practices proactively address issues rather than react to problems after they arise.
Creating Lasting Impact
The research has produced practical ‘Best practice’ guidelines tailorable to different practice types, showing how to effectively allocate patients based on available staff expertise. These evidence-based recommendations help practices maximize their investment in new healthcare professionals while maintaining quality care.
Beyond immediate operational improvements, this work is contributing to a more sustainable future for primary care. My research provides the framework needed to make expanding healthcare teams successful, ensuring practices can meet growing demand while supporting both patient outcomes and staff wellbeing. This systematic approach to healthcare transformation demonstrates how operational excellence can directly improve community health outcomes.
Contribution to the UN 2030 sustainable development goals
UWE Bristol is proud to align our research to the UN sustainable development goals. The above research aligns with the following goals:
I spend a lot of my time researching gender inequality in what I call a hypermasculine industry—aviation, aerospace, and space. Only 5.5% of commercial airline pilots in the UK are women. In engineering generally, women make up about 18% across the UK, but within aviation and aerospace, it’s even lower. These aren’t just statistics—they represent real barriers that prevent talented women from progressing in their careers.
From research to reality
My journey began while working with scientists at the Met Office and researching women in senior management. Airbus heard about my work and invited me to present. They asked: would I do the same study with their engineers? That conversation opened my eyes to how deeply embedded these inequalities were in aviation.
My research consistently showed that women struggled to build networks and find mentors. I had a choice: continue producing papers, or build a practical solution based on that research.
Building bridges across the industry
I spoke to Airbus, and together we approached the Royal Aeronautical Society. With ESRC funding, we spent six months conducting surveys, focus groups, and interviews to understand women’s career experiences and interest in a mentoring programme.
The response was a clear yes. But we didn’t want another corporate initiative. We built something different: a programme where competitor companies collaborate toward a shared goal. The result is ALTA—our mentoring platform supporting nearly 600 women across aviation, aerospace, and space. Based on relational mentoring, it fosters mutual learning rather than hierarchy, which is key to empowerment.
The platform uses an algorithm to match women based on questions we piloted over 18 months. Any woman in the industry can join at altamentoring.com for free. This was intentional—we wanted to include women in smaller firms whose employers might not support a women-only programme. So we asked the big corporates to help support the entire industry.
ALTA: Empowerment through connection
The result is ALTA—our mentoring platform that now supports just under 600 women across the global aviation, aerospace, and space industries. It’s built on the principle of relational mentoring, where mentor and mentee work together and learn from each other. It’s not a hierarchical relationship, which is crucial for empowerment.
The platform uses algorithms to match women based on carefully designed questions that we piloted for 18 months before launch. Any woman in the industry can join at altamentoring.com free of charge. This was deliberate—we knew there were lone women in small engineering companies whose employers might not sign up to a women-only programme. So we asked the big corporates to support women across the entire industry.
A collaborative revolution
What makes this really special is seeing competitors like Airbus, the Royal Air Force, the Royal Aeronautical Society, and Little Blue Private Jets Limited working together. Corporate sponsors make annual donations which doesn’t just support their own employees—it supports women throughout the industry.
This work earned us the ESRC Outstanding Impact in Business and Enterprise prize in 2020, along with prize money that we used to build our website. But the real impact goes beyond awards. The success of ALTA led to UKRI’s Future Flight Challenge programme approaching me to design another bespoke mentoring programme—Through this work, I’ve been made a fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society and now chair ALTA’s steering group while sitting on their Women in Aviation, Aerospace and Space Committee. It’s given me unprecedented access to an industry that desperately needs change.
Contribution to the UN 2030 sustainable development goals
UWE Bristol is proud to align our research to the UN sustainable development goals. The above research aligns with the following goals:
“We’re building the evidence base required to bring about economies that embody greater levels of sustainability – at local and global levels.”
The transition to a green economy presents us with a huge opportunity. But it also poses a fundamental challenge: how do we ensure that this transition is fair and just for everyone?
The green economy promises transformation, but it’s replicating the same old inequalities. The winners are usually those already in positions of power.
Take the labour market’s 10% gender pay gap. It carries straight into green jobs. Ethnic groups also face barriers accessing these roles, then earn less once they break through. Our planet’s life-support systems are failing, driving up living costs and degrading quality of life. This threatens human survival itself. But here’s the catch: You can’t save the planet while leaving people behind. You need widespread buy-in, people who recognize the opportunities and believe they have an equal stake in the change. This is where our research comes in.
A systems approach
Our interdisciplinary team, sociologists, psychologists, environmental scientists, geographers, economists deliberately brings diverse insights because siloed thinking won’t solve this challenge.
We work from individual behaviour change to macro-policy, collaborating with government departments like Defra and local authorities like the West of England Combined Authority. Implementation happens locally, but you need systems thinking across the whole supply chain.
The green transition is caught in a classic chicken-and-egg problem: businesses will only shift if there’s consumer demand, but consumers can only demand what’s already available. Breaking this cycle requires understanding both sides of the equation.
Real-world impact
Our research has lead us to found The Brunel Centre, a long-term collaboration between UWE Bristol, University of Bath, and Futures West. It is all about putting data and research to work by turning insight into action supporting inclusive and sustainable growth in the West of England. Backed by £4.5 million of funding and bringing together universities, businesses, and policymakers to address the region’s biggest challenges.
Our work is rooted in real-world partnerships: from long-term collaboration with Bristol City Council on sustainable business futures, to joint events with fintech firms exploring greener tech infrastructure, to national projects with the Central Bank on digital currencies and tax reform. We’re also supporting community-led businesses through Power to Change funding, ensuring the benefits of change are felt on the ground.
The transition to a green economy is still light on solid data. We don’t even have a shared definition of a ‘green job’ let alone reliable data on pay, benefits, or who’s accessing these roles. The Brunel Centre will change that by building a real-time, publicly accessible data hub. It’s designed to answer urgent questions while remembering this isn’t just about research. It’s about making the transition fair. Because if we’re reinforcing existing inequalities, we’re not really moving forward.
Breaking new ground
Solving the climate crisis will take more than new technologies. It requires fundamental shifts in how we live, work, and consume. That means understanding how to encourage behavioural change in ways that are ethical, inclusive, and rooted in people’s real lives.
We’re also pushing the boundaries of what’s possible with data. By carefully and ethically linking anonymised government records, like payroll and employment histories; we’re building a clearer picture of green jobs across different demographics. It’s a complex and sensitive task, but it’s essential if we want to design a future that truly works for everyone.
The green transition isn’t just about saving the planet. It’s about reshaping our future, and it won’t happen by accident. It takes data, collaboration, and the courage to challenge business as usual. We’re building that foundation. And we welcome those ready to help shape what comes next.
Contribution to the UN 2030 sustainable development goals
UWE Bristol is proud to align our research to the UN sustainable development goals. The above research aligns with the following goals:
*Date change* Due to unforeseen circumstances this event has been postponed to March 20 6pm – 8pm.
Kathryn Bishop and Gillian Camm, finalists for the 2024 Business Book Awards, are bringing their ground-breaking book to life at UWE Bristol in a bespoke workshop Board Talk: Insights in Action. With a combined 60 years of board-level experience across multiple sectors, these experts are set to demystify the art of boardroom leadership.
Date: 23/01/25 20/03/25
Time: 6pm-8pm
Location: Bristol Business School, UWE Bristol Frenchay campus
The interactive workshop isn’t just for seasoned board members. Whether you’re dreaming of a board position or currently navigating organizational leadership, this event offers invaluable insights utilising their book ‘Board Talk: 18 crucial conversations that count inside and outside the boardroom’ Participants will explore crucial conversations that can make or break board effectiveness, learning strategies to build trust, overcome communication barriers, and drive strategic success.
Hosted by UWE Bristol and featuring a welcome from Vice-Chancellor Sir Steve West, the evening promises networking, learning, and inspiration. With parking, refreshments, and a book discount included, it’s an opportunity no aspiring leader should miss.
Mark your calendar and register soon – seats are limited, and this is one leadership lesson you won’t want to miss.
This October, Research Business and Innovation (RBI) proudly commemorate Black History Month with the national theme: ‘Reclaiming Narratives; Spotlighting Stories, Allegories and Histories.’ Throughout October, as part of UWE Bristol’s wide reach of events RBI will showcase and amplify the voices of leading Black figures from within UWE Bristol, sharing stories and insights that are crucial to our work.
Our aim is that through these themes, discussions, and shared resources, we not only honour Black History during October but also inspire ongoing reflection and growth well beyond the month. We value Black History, it is a vital part of our collective journey—one that continues to shape and influence our work long after the month ends.
Black History Matters.
What’s happening in RBI this month?
Changemaker Podcast Series
Over the summer RBI have been working on a special series of the Changemaker podcast that shines a light on some of the incredible work our Black academics are doing to drive change. The Changemaker Podcast Series is about highlighting work that is taking place across UWE Bristol to transform futures and drive positive impacts. This special series features six of our Black academics that are each pioneering change in their research areas and teaching practice. The series celebrates each of these amazing academics and confronts a range of racial justice issues in the Higher Education sector. The series will be launched on our Soundcloud page.
RBI Huddle Takeovers
This October RBI are coming together for a series of impactful discussions as part of our weekly Huddle. We will be celebrating Black History Month and highlighting the rich narratives and contributions of Black individuals in literature, research, and social justice.
We will be connecting with colleagues, asking questions, and having discussions that matter. This is not just a time to celebrate; it’s a moment to listen, learn, and d deepen our understanding of the critical role Black voices play in shaping our collective history and future. .
Tuesday, 1st October: Introduction We will introduce the 2024 National Theme of ‘Reclaiming Narratives; Spotlighting Stories, Allegories and Histories’ and discuss its impact on individuals, businesses, and give an overview of this months upcoming activities.
Tuesday, 22nd October: Reclaiming Black Contributions to Research and Innovation We will be spotlighting our Changemaker podcast series which explores black excellence in six episodes.
Tuesday, 29th October: Black Narratives in Social Justice Will offer a moment to reflect on the month’s activities and distribute copies of Marvin Rees’ book, Let’s See What Happens: The Last Mayor of Bristol within the RBI offices.
Further activities & events
Beyond Black History Month Book Club
The Beyond Black History Month Book Club is an initiative facilitated by Hannah Nuttall, Abi Duffy, Xavier Baker, and academic colleague Amelia Baldwin. Open to all UWE Bristol staff, this club creates a welcoming and inclusive environment dedicated to exploring Black literature, along with a variety of creative and cultural materials.
Participants are invited to engage with discussions that delve into the rich tapestry of Black voices and narratives, fostering a deeper understanding and appreciation of their contributions to literature and culture.
For those interested in joining this reading group, registration can be completed here: go.uwe.ac.uk/EOI.
Bristol Distinguished Address Series Celebrating Dr Guy Bailey
On Wednesday 02 October the Bristol Distinguished Address celebrates Dr. Guy Bailey and his lifelong activism. He holds an honorary doctorate from UWE Bristol, highlighting his role in the 1963 Bristol Bus Boycott and subsequent community work, while fostering discussions on education, empowerment, and social justice.
Black History Month Resource List
An RBI Black History Month resource list will be made available to all RBI colleagues at the end of the month. We invite everyone to contribute by sharing relevant materials, articles, and resources that highlight Black history and culture.
We invite everyone to join us this October to celebrate Black History Month, reclaiming narratives and honouring the rich contributions of Black individuals. Together, let’s engage in meaningful conversations that foster understanding, reflection, and growth.
The Centre for Print Research (CFPR) offers a series of dynamic continuing professional development courses (CPD) aimed at a wide audience including artists, designers, craftspeople, communicators, photographers, teachers and managers. CPD courses offer the opportunity for professional updating, learning new skills and techniques, and for intellectual stimulus.
CFPR is a research centre within UWE Bristol. It has links and partnerships with world leading academic institutions; an outstanding track record in working with industry; working collaboratively with high profile artists, studios, contemporary makers and galleries.
Our courses for 2024 are being finalised please see the details below. More courses will be added over time so please check the course list website for up to date details.
Let’s Lino Workshop – 19 & 20 March
This course is Lino Printing 101. It will give an overview of the whole lino printing process, including drawing designs, transferring designs onto lino blocks, carving and printing. There are many methods of printing to explore: single colour, multiple block, reduction lino printing: the possibilities are endless and importantly, very exciting. This course will enable any beginner to understand the fundamentals of lino cutting, mark making and translating images into print. It will equip you with skills and techniques needed to continue making your own prints at home.
This course is ideally suited to printmakers, artists, illustrators, and anyone interested in print with little to no previous experience. The course is perfect for beginners wanting to get to know the basics, but is also suited to more experienced printmakers looking to pick up new tips.
With its layers of paperboard, polyethylene and aluminium foil, Tetra Pak not only has an immediacy which other collagraph materials lack, but also a satisfying tactility when cutting, scoring, peeling and printing with this distinctive material. During this advanced two-day Tetra Pak collagraph print workshop, the course tutor, Stephen Fowler, will facilitate the exploration of multi tetra pak plate prints which explore colour overlay, and the combination of intaglio and relief collagraph print processes.
This course is ideally suited to for artists, educators, printmakers, and illustrators who have some experience in collagraph printmaking, or have attended one Stephens previous Tetra Pak printmaking courses before.
Nearly everyone has the means of rubber stamp production in their pencil case: an eraser, scalpel, pencil and maybe even a stamp pad, all that’s needed is something to print on. When choosing an eraser the common misconception is ‘the bigger the better’ but this is an error. Unlike linocut printing and other forms of relief printing, it isn’t purely a means of reproducing a motif, picture or design. During the workshop you will learn how to carve and print stamps. You will leave with a number of stamps, prints and a limited edition publication containing the groups stamp print impressions.
This course is ideally suited to for artists, educators, printmakers and illustrators who have some or no experience printmaking.
The beginners workshop is perfect for people who have little or no experience screenprinting. It’s a chance to learn about the history of screenprinting, learn various techniques – from artworking to coating your own screen, but most importantly to have fun, get inky and engage with the printing process. Participants of the course will leave with their own hand printed artwork. They will also have a good understanding of the process of screenprinting which would give them the confidence to return for future workshops, or to enter any print room and know what to do.
The beginners workshop is perfect for people who have little or no experience screenprinting.
The word Collage derives from the French ‘to glue’ and has an ancient history dating back to the invention of paper in China in about 200 BC. Look around and you will see Collage everywhere and so perhaps it is a way of responding to, and trying to make sense of, a very fractured and disconnected world.
In book arts we can use collage to unite disparate elements to create something new and whole in it’s own terms, in either very controlled or in free-flowing organic ways. Over two days we will try many different collage techniques relating to words, images, magazines, pictures, books, cutting, pasting, stitching, splicing and creating.
This practical course will give participants the time and space needed to make collages and collaged books that they may not have otherwise produced. Some projects may involve group collaborations. Some projects can be one-off pieces, others could be small editions. The course will be structured but it will also be exciting and spontaneous, responding to the desires of the participants.
This course is ideally suited to Book Arts practitioners, students, professional artists, amateur artists, and book-makers, seeking to learn completely new skills, or to brush up/develop existing ones and to then proceed to working on their own projects once the course has finished
Introduction to Photopolymer Gravure Printing – 18 & 19 April
In this two day course Laura will provide an introduction to Photopolymer Gravure plate making and printing. The course will allow participants to expose, develop and print their own plate using imagery they have bought with them, be it a drawing or a photograph. Once the plate has been made, they will learn how to print their plate, and leave with a beautiful original print of their own making.
Participants of the course will leave with their own hand printed artwork. They will also have a good understanding of the process of photopolymer gravure which would give them the confidence to return for future workshops, or to enter any print room and know what to do.
This course is aimed at those with very little experience but want to learn about Photopolymer Gravure and gain some experience printing Intaglio.
Introduction to Tissue Transfer Ceramic Printing – 24 & 25 April
This is a new two day course delivered by Dr Lisa Sheppy who has just completed her PhD at the CFPR with an investigation into tissue transfer printmaking for artists. This method of ceramic print production was an industrial process and practiced in the potteries and has now been made accessible through research conducted at the CFPR by Lisa.
This process has never been fully explored as an art process, and for this course Lisa has pared it down into three straight forward stages of production. Initially you will making your own design using digital technology to create a unique printing plate. You will then use your plate to print intaglio onto tissue and transfer onto a ceramic substrate. The ceramic will then be fired and glazed ready for you to have your own piece of tissue transfer printed ceramic.
This course is suited for artists who are intermediate level printmakers with some knowledge of intaglio printmaking. You do not need to have any ceramics background.
Introduction to Analogue Black and White Photography – 27 & 28 April
In this workshop, participants will explore analogue black and white photography as a fine art print process, by exploring the use of 35mm film camera photography and darkroom printing.
This course will re-engage the participants with traditional film photography and maybe even with the cameras they have forgotten about or inherited from their families. It is as much an introduction to analogue photography for newcomers as well as a refresher for lapsed photographers wanting to return to darkroom days of years gone by.
On this 2-day course the participants will learn how to produce prints from black and white negatives. Understand the workings of a darkroom and the safe handling, preparation and use of chemistry needed to develop black & white prints. Develop an understanding of the creative and visual potential of black and white photography and master the techniques used to produce stunning prints. This includes an understanding on the effect of contrast control on image tone, the effect of exposure on image brightness, burning and dodging, to produce well exposed and correctly balanced black and white prints.
This course would refresh the skills and knowledge of participants who may have already used a darkroom to produce black and white prints and up skill participants who have used black and white film and analogue cameras but have used commercial Labs to make prints in the past. The understanding and mastering of analogue B&W printing is a transferable skill which will be of use of participants who already print digitally. The course will use a medium format analogue film camera but if learners have an analogue film camera then by all means bring it along.
Course Tutor: Lucy May Schofield
Price: £359.00 full price/ £280.00 concessionary price
Liquid Light: Working with Light Sensitive Photographic Emulsion – 13 & 14 May
This workshop will explore the different ways light sensitive photographic emulsion can be used to make dry-glass plate negatives, false tintypes, and black and white prints on a variety of substrates such as paper, fabric and stone. After an introduction to the process and its variations, participants will learn to prepare and coat a glass or aluminium plate and to expose these in a camera. We will then develop the images as a negative or a positive, ready to be printed from on the next day.
This course is aimed at confident photographers who would like to push the boundaries and explore black and white image making using a new approach and is suitable for confident beginners and advanced photographers.
Sculpted by the Machine – An Introduction to Creative CNC Programming – 14 – 16 May
This course is an introduction to custom and creative programming of a 3 axis CNC milling machine/router. Throughout the course, we will explore the essential tools, encompassing both machines and cutters, explore the intricacies of the necessary software, and demystify the G-code that governs these machines. We will explore a non-traditional workflow that enables those with even basic skill levels in digital fabrication to design for the process in an out-of-the-box wy.
Emphasising a holistic approach, this course uniquely integrates analogue techniques with digital precision, guiding participants to craft a final object that embodies the synergy between traditional craftsmanship and cutting-edge CNC technology. Unlike traditional courses that focus on industry standards for machining engineered objects, our approach encourages play and collaboration with the machine.
This course is designed for creative educators (academic and technical) and practitioners in art, design, and architecture.
Screenprinting Intermediate Workshop – 15 – 17 May
This three day short course will allow participants to gain an in-depth understanding of Screen Print, from the history of screen printing, art working, printing your own film positive, to coating your own screen, and printing onto paper and fabric with multiple colours.
Participants of the course will leave with their own hand printed artwork. They will also have a good understanding of the process of screenprinting which would give them the confidence to return for future workshops, or to enter any print room and know what to do.
The intermediate workshop is perfect for people who have some experience of Screen Printing, or for people who have an understanding but maybe haven’t printed in a while.
The Afghan Box Camera is a camera and darkroom in one, and can produce black and white portraits anywhere! Predominantly used in Afghanistan to make identity images as well as formal portraits at weddings and for special occasions, the camera is a versatile tool for the photographic image maker anywhere lacking a traditional darkroom!
This course is aimed at anyone with an interest in photography
Concessionary rate prices: CFPR offer a 20% discounted concessionary rate to UWE Bristol staff, alumni (including previous CFPR CPD attendees), anyone reliant on state benefits for their income, anyone currently in full-time education (worldwide) or part-time higher education (UK), and those who are retired.
At present, only 13 countries in the world currently recognize ecocide – mass damage and destruction of the natural environment – as a distinct crime under domestic law.
Following the introduction of a Member’s Bill by Monica Lennon (Scottish Labour MSP for Central Scotland), Scotland may soon be the first UK nation to criminalize ecocide under Scottish law.
Further information about the public consultation, which is open until 9 February 2024, can be found here.
As one of the few ecocide experts in the UK, Dr Suwita Hani Randhawa (Senior Lecturer in Politics and International Relations) was invited to attend this event. Prior to the event, she had the opportunity to meet Monica Lennon at the Scottish Parliament to discuss further collaboration on ecocide.
Dr Suwita Hani Randhawa has now been invited to contribute a guest blog on ecocide for Monica Lennon’s campaign website, as well as to work with her team on their efforts to introduce an ecocide law in Scotland.
(from left to right): Jojo Mehta (Stop Ecocide International), Dr Suwita Hani Randhawa (Senior Lecturer in Politics and International Relations, UWE Bristol), Monica Lennon (MSP for Central Scotland)
Ecocide in Global Politics
Beyond Scotland, ecocide is the subject of a vibrant global campaign that is calling for a radical solution to the global ecological crisis and attendant demands for climate justice.
Spearheaded by Stop Ecocide International, this campaign is pushing for ecocide to be recognized as an international crime.
Since the end of the Second World War, the international community has only recognized four specific acts as international crimes: aggression, crimes against humanity, genocide and war crimes.
A fifth international crime of ecocide will make it possible for the International Criminal Court – the global court responsible for prosecuting and punishing individuals who commit international crimes – to also prosecute and punish individuals and corporations for acts of ecocide.
Response to the Climate Emergency” – that is aligned to UWE’s research beacon on Sustainability and Climate Change Resilience. The study draws upon her innovative research on the process of international criminalization – recently published as a ground-breaking research article in the esteemed journal International Theory – and represents the first systematic interdisciplinary study of ecocide’s ongoing criminalization in global politics.
She will present preliminary findings of her research later this month at an in-person research seminar at the University of Reading’s Department of Politics and International Relations, as well as at an online webinar for the Centre for Trust, Peace & Social Relations, Coventry University.
As part of the research project’s impact plan, she is organizing a workshop on ecocide with interested national stakeholders, such as Carla Denyer (Co-Leader of the Green Party of England and Wales) and Monica Lennon (MSP of Central Scotland) and Jojo Mehta (Co-founder and CEO of Stop Ecocide International) – to discuss how greater political action on ecocide can be coordinated across the UK.
She is also putting together a proposed workshop on “Ecocide in International Relations” for the European International Studies Association’s 11th Workshops in International Studies, which aims to foster greater dialogue between a small emerging group of International Relations ecocide with other ecocide scholars across the social sciences.
Krishma joins us to discuss her journey for International Women in Engineering Day: 23 June 2023
Congratulations Krishma! Since we last spoke to you, in October 2022 you completed of your Civil Engineering Apprenticeship and graduated with first class honours. Reflecting on your apprenticeship what would you advise other women about to start their apprenticeship and career in engineering?
Today’s engineers are responsible for creating pioneering technologies that are helping to solve the world’s toughest problems.
It’s important for women to not feel intimidated by such roles and responsibilities, but instead feel confident and empowered by the prospect of an engineering career. Start your career with something you’re passionate about, and don’t be intimated by the job roles in construction. If you have the right mindset and the skills, you can do anything.
Don’t be afraid to take risks and seek support where needed, this is journey of learning and experiencing – so make sure to enjoy every moment of it.
You don’t need to change who you are or how you behave to be an engineer. Make your career your passion!
What or who was your inspiration to follow an apprenticeship into Engineering?
From school I always had a passion in graphics and design, what fascinated me was the concepts and ideas behind some of the biggest structural monuments around the world. My imagination and curiosity is what led me into a career into engineering, to be able to witness my contributions to design and ideas is what encouraged me to pursue something I love.
Following on from completing the apprenticeship how would you like to progress in your career?
I see myself progressing into an associate position within the next 5 years, within the consultancy side of the construction business.
Providing innovative solutions to clients on how to maximise efficiency and productivity within their projects and provide a purpose with the service they are intending to offer to the society.
How could apprenticeships in Engineering be better available to women looking for a career in that sector?
By changing perceptions and giving a reason to encourage women to see beyond the hard hats and overalls. With each year the construction industry is changing with new technologies to the way people understand and perceive different ideas and concepts. A career in STEM can now encompass a range of different skill sets and extensive opportunities – but in essence engineering is still ultimately about having the ability to build up whatever you dream up. It is a profession focused on progress, breakthroughs, and curiosity.
What was the valuable skill you gained during the apprenticeship?
The most valuable skill I gained throughout my apprenticeship was the technical exposure to the working world and how this was then applied to real life working scenarios.
