Members of the Sustainability Action team regularly contribute to this blog. We also publish blog posts by guest writers. You can read blog posts by guest authors here. If you are interested writing a guest blog please read the guest blog guidelines or contact Simon Kemp for more information.
Meet the Sustainability Action team authors:
Simon Kemp, Co-Chair of Sustainability Action
Simon is a passionate and committed educator who has had his work recognised through the award of a National Teaching Fellowship in 2010, and is currently the national Academic Lead in Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) at the Higher Education Academy where he leads a range of ESD projects such as the UK-wide Green Academy programme and works in partnership with bodies such as HEFCE, QAA, EAUC and the Leadership Foundation. Follow him on Twitter @skemp_esd.
Julia Kendal, Sustainability Action Officer (2012-2016)
Julia held a cross-faculty role supporting and developing opportunities for students to engage with sustainability in the curriculum and in extra-curricular activities. Having mapped where sustainability is taught in the current curriculum, Julia supported academics in promoting excellent existing teaching, and exploring new opportunities to teach a holistic approach to sustainability, balancing the social, economic and environmental factors. Julia was also responsibility for building on the existing legacy of student-staff partnership initiatives, for example through spearheading the first ever Swap Shop event. Get in touch via Twitter at @JuliaRKendal.
Imogen Dinham-Price, Student Intern (2015/16) and Postgraduate Student Representative (2015/16)
Imogen joined the team as an intern after completing her undergraduate degree in Geography with French. Throughout her internship she completed a review of sustainability within the undergraduate curriculum at Southampton (that’s thousands of modules!), comparing the results with a baseline study undertaken in 2012/13. This research informs the wider work of Sustainability Action in embedding sustainability in the curriculum across the University. In addition to this, she delivered annual Union Sabbatical Officer sustainability training as well presenting on the student sustainability experience at national and international conferences. On completing her internship, Imogen returned to the University to study a Masters in Sustainability, and remains part of the Sustainability Action team providing insight into the postgraduate student experience.
Beckie Thomas, Student Intern (2016)
Beckie was a BSc Psychology student. In 2013-15 she was elected to the full-time position of VP Welfare in the Students’ Union (SUSU) where she was responsible for representing the student voice on sustainability, welfare, and employability issues locally, globally, and nationally. She led the decisions on strategic change in those areas for example opening SU Recruit, SUSU Lettings, LinkedinLabs. She worked closely with Sustainability Action to raise the profile of the sustainability with students, the University community, and out in the city with the Business Ethics & Environment Students auditing programme in local businesses. During her time working with SUSU she was a Company Director and sat as Deputy President on the Board of Trustees. She is passionate about ethical fashion and sustainable interior design; currently completing her dissertation on the impact interior design environment on student wellbeing in halls of residence. Find Beckie on Twitter.
Beth White, Student Intern (2014)
Beth graduated in July 2014 with a degree in Anthropology from the University of Southampton. Her summer internship was focused towards increasing student’s engagement with sustainability across the university. She has supported ongoing sustainability projects; such as training the new Student Union’s Sabbatical Officers so that they themselves see how sustainability is relevant to all aspects of student life here at Southampton. Her main project has been the development of an eBook which aims to provide students with sufficient information on how to be sustainable at home, on campus and within the community. Beth hopes to continue her sustainability career through gaining further work experience throughout the year both in the UK and internationally. Following this she continued her sustainability journey at Masters Level by studying environmental anthropology. Follow her on Twitter @b_white642.
Jessica Lobo, Student Intern (2013) and Undergraduate Student Representative (2013/14)
Jessica joined Sustainability Action as an intern in 2013. Her initial role looked at ways in which we can further our student engagement at the University; highlights of which included running a sustainability awareness workshop for the Union’s Sabbatical officers and planning exciting new initiatives for the upcoming year. Jessica is in her final year studying Law with European Legal Studies. Prior to being involved in Sustainability Action she spent a year studying at the University of Oslo and developed an avid interest for International Environmental Law. This year she is focusing her studies on climate change and the implications of sustainable development in the legal sphere. She went on to study environmental law at Masters Level after graduating. Tweet her at @_jesslobo.