Environmental Science & Sustainability Undergraduate Programmes 2020 2020 Entry | Page 17

ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND SUSTAINABILITY | 17 Student Research Projects All of our Environmental degrees feature an independent research project as a key component of the final year. In consultation with an academic member of staff (a research mentor and advisor), students devise and complete a research project that generates new data on an important environmental or wider sustainability topic that is of particular interest to them. Many students use this as an opportunity to engage and work with environmental professionals. Examples of projects undertaken by students on our environment programmes include: • • • • • • • Bat roost surveys on the Trentham Estate, Staffordshire Effects of air pollution on lichen distribution Carbon footprint of business travel Water toxicity to invertebrates Effects of climate change on earthworms Influence of environmental factors on mental well being Food waste sorting and energy savings In recent years academic staff teaching the environmental courses have been highly successful in gaining external funding from the Nuffield Foundation, The Royal Society of Chemistry and the Analytical Chemistry Trust Fund to support undergraduate research projects over the summer and provide our students with first-hand, ‘real world’ research experience. keele.ac.uk/gge