FLEXIS at The Climate Emergency and Social Inequality ECR Network Research Conference

FLEXIS and Cardiff University’s Professor Karen Henwood chaired a discussion on new technologies and approaches concerning energy systems at The Learned Society of Wales‘s Early Career Researcher conference at the end of 2021. Contributing to the discussion were Dr Simon Middleburgh of Bangor University’s Nuclear Futures Institute, Marina Kovaleva of the College of Physical Sciences at Cardiff University and Dr Rhiannon Chalmers-Brown of the Sustainable Environment Research Centre at the University of South Wales. The call for papers for the whole conference attracted 23 proposals from Early Career Researchers based at eight Welsh Universities.

The session was titled ‘Energy Systems: New Technologies and Approaches’ with Dr Middleburgh discussing ‘How Bangor University is Developing Nuclear Systems to Combat Climate Change and Explore the Universe’.

Another discussion that featured Marina Kovaleva’s work on improvement of a Humidified NH3/H2 Combustor Design as part of the discussion on the climate emergency and social inequality can be seen here.

Lastly, Dr Chalmers-Brown was exploring Carbon Capture and Utilisation: The VFA factory.

One researcher who attended the conference said ‘…it was rewarding for me to have an opportunity to disseminate my own research but more than that, listening to other researchers was even better. I found it interesting to see where my research shares similarities with other research and also, where it differs. I’ve been stuck on a particular aspect of theory but another researcher mentioned some literatures that will really help me. Her subject was not the same as mine and perhaps I needed to listen to interdisciplinary research in order to have had this input.”

Another academic said ‘I loved the engagement and dialogue following all the speakers. It has been an exemplary event. Thank you Learned Society of Wales’.

FLEXIS Principal Investigator and President of The Learned Society of Wales, Professor Hywel Thomas said:  ‘The Learned Society of Wales ECR conference was a great success with researchers from different disciplinary backgrounds able to present their research and engage with others. My thanks to all who contributed to a great opportunity to learn about the research being conducted on climate change from different disciplines and to Dr Barbara Ibinarriaga Soltero for an engaging event.’

The full video of the conference session chaired by Professor Henwood can be found here: