School of Natural Sciences

Newsletter June 2012

Research Update

Stirling joins new programme to combat animal

disease

Professor Randolph Richards of Stirling’s Institute

of Aquaculture is one of seven academic

members of the new Animal Health Research

Club (ARC) steering committee; details here.

Stirling Psychology Professor wins prestigious

funding award

Professor David Donaldson has been announced

as the successful recipient of a Higher Education

Academy (HEA) Doctoral Programme award, as

part of a new HEA initiative to support the

development of learning and teaching across UK

higher education; details here.

Arab award for abalone research excellence

Mr Khalfan Al-Rashdi, who is currently a first year

research postgraduate student at the Institute of

Aquaculture, University of Stirling, has been

awarded the first prize for scientific innovation in

the field of aquaculture; details here.

News @ Stirling

University of Stirling Guard of Honour welcomes

Olympic Torch

The University of Stirling held a special guard of

honour celebration as the Olympic flame passed the

campus during the penultimate day of its tour of

Scotland.; details here.

Graduation celebrations at University of Stirling

Over 1400 students will graduate from the

University of Stirling on 27 and 28 June, in four

ceremonies which will take place in the University’s

National Tennis Centre on the Stirling campus;

details here.

University of Stirling first in Scotland and eighth in

the UK

The University of Stirling is ranked number one in

Scotland and eighth in the UK in The Times Higher

Education 100 Under 50 table, which ranks the

world’s best 100 universities under 50 years old;

details here.

Welcome to the School of Natural Sciences Newsletter!

Choosing the right university for your postgraduate studies is essential. Here at Stirling, we combine excellent teaching and learning with dynamic and innovative research which all feeds into the stu-dent experience. The School of Natural Sciences offers a unique academic environment in which to study, where new ideas on the complex and challenging relationships between human behaviours, social, biological and environmental systems are explored.

This newsletter provides a glimpse into our world of research and we are very much hoping that we can welcome you to that world very soon.

Ian Simpson, Head of School

Featured Programme

MSc in Biological Conservation

The University of Stirling’s MSc or MRes in Biological Conservation, new to

2012, provides a secure foundation in the scientific principles of

conservation and the opportunity to specialise in particular areas via the

selection of option units and the research project. Areas of potential

specialisation include habitat restoration, river conservation, environmental

economics, conservation genetics, habitat and biodiversity management

and application of GIS and remote sensing to environmental management.

Full programme details are available here.

Research Focus

The African Forest Ecology Group (AFEG) specializes in ecology and conservation in the Congo Basin rainforest. For almost 3 decades our members have contributed to understanding tropical ecosystems in the region and the resulting data has been highly influential in shaping the face of conservation in Central Africa today. All the group have spent years carrying out long-term field research in Lopé National Park, Gabon. These combined efforts have generated one of the longest-running and most valuable ecological databanks in the world. Full details here.

Academic Focus

Professor David Goulson Professor of Biological Sciences

I maintain diverse ecological research interests, although my focus is largely on various aspects of the conser-

vation of biodiversity (at genetic, species and community level), particularly of bumblebees. I have a strong

interest in the application of molecular techniques to answering ecological questions. I am also increasingly

involved in “Citizen Science” as a mechanism to involve large numbers of people in conservation and in sci-

ence more generally, as a means for gathering large data sets. Some of my current research areas are:

Conservation, ecology and population genetics of bumblebees.

Use of molecular tools.

Sustainable maintenance of ecosystem services in agroecosystems, particularly pollination.

Management, restoration and recreation of species rich grasslands.

Keep in touch:

Biological &

Environmental Sciences

Psychology

Institute of Aquaculture

Computing Science &

Mathematics

Funding Opportunities

The School of Natural Sciences (Psychology) is pleased to be able to offer

five £1,000 bursaries to contribute towards fees or maintenance costs for

students beginning a taught MSc course in September 2012. For more

information click here.

The Institute of Computing Science and Mathematics are offering scholar-

ships worth £3,000 towards tuition fees for the MSc Advanced Compu-

ting programme. For more information click here.

RESEARCH WITH IMPACT STUDENTSHIPS TO BE CONFIRMED….. STEPH

COLVIN TO PROVIDE AN UPDATE

For further information on Scholarships please click here.

Research Funding Successes

Across the School of Natural Sciences, a range of research is undertaken

which feeds into your learning and teaching experience at Stirling. During

your time with us, you will be taught by academics, who are at the fore-

front of their field of expertise and therefore exposing you to cutting-

edge research and contributing to your employability.

‘An integrated model for predicting bumblebee population success

and pollination services in agro-ecosystems’, Lead PI – Prof Goul-

son; total value £1.1 million

‘Global Observatory of Lake Responses to Environmental Change

(GloboLakes)’, Consortium Grant. Lead PI – Dr Tyler, total value

£2.5 million

‘Genetic diversity and ecological success of the invasive riparian

plant Mimulus guttatus’. PI: Dr Mario Vallejo-Marin; Total value

£60,000

Preventing alcohol-related harm among young women: develop-

ment and feasibility testing of a community-based group interven-

tion, Dr Linda Irvine (Dundee) is the Principal Investigator and

Vivien Swanson is a Co-Investigator, total value MRC £161,866

University of Stirling is a charity registered in Scotland, number SC 011159

Any questions? Email international@stir.ac.uk