Geography

Arsenic contamination of drinking water in Bangladesh/West Bengal

What happens when development plans fail!

During the 1970s there was a drive to improve health and economic opportunities in Bangladesh/West Bengal through improved access to water. A programme of well construction was undertaken which initially proved successful. However, after a period of years reports of ill-health started to emerge. Investigations indicated that many of the wells were contaminated with arsenic. This talk outlines the investigation and after aftermath which is still an on-going issue in Bangladesh. This addresses social inequalities, access to resources and development issues.

Email: discoverprogramme@hud.ac.uk

Multiple indices of deprivation: a case study of Glasgow's Maryhill Road

Maryhill Road in Glasgow runs from central Glasgow north west through North Glasgow to Bearsden in East Dunnbartonshire. It's a short journey by car but one which encapsulates many of the issues surrounding poverty and ill-health in post-industrial communities. Life expectancy for an adult male in North Glasgow is 10 years shorter than in neighbouring Bearsden! This talk explores some of the reasons for such a variation and introduces students to the use of visual indicators to help contextulaise national statistics. The talk will appeal to those students undertaking coursework activities on poverty and deprivation or those seeking additional material to enhance exam answers.

Email: discoverprogramme@hud.ac.uk

Geographical encounters with the Indian Ocean tsunami early warning system

This discover talk will explore the challenges encountered in developing an effective tsunami early warning system following the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami that claimed the lives of at least 283 000 people and displaced a further 1.1 million in the region. The session will examine the tsunami threat from a range of perspectives that span physical and human geography, including the potential sources of high-energy waves, local coastal topography and the density of human settlements. It will go on to describe efforts to protect coastal communities in the Indian Ocean, from the development of more accurate detection and forecasting of the tsunami threat to better warning dissemination and evacuation of communities at risk.

The session will help Geography candidates understand the complex and interactive nature of physical and human environments. It will address hazards resulting from tectonic processes and mass movements, and the potential for primary and secondary impacts on lives and property in coastal environments. It will also consider prediction and monitoring, hazard mapping, preparedness and perceptions of risk.  

Email: discoverprogramme@hud.ac.uk

The sinking city: Exploring Jakarta's vulnerability to flood risk

This discover talk will explore the challenges facing the Indonesian capital of Jakarta, a city of 30 million people that is increasingly vulnerable to flood risk and has gained a reputation as the ‘fastest sinking city in the world’. The talk will look at the factors contributing to flood risk in the city, including rapid urbanisation, excessive extraction of groundwater, rising sea levels due to climate change and a decentralised administrative structure.  It will consider how environmental factors and human behaviour have combined to create an existential threat to the city, but also recent efforts to protect the city and its population. 

The session will help Geography candidates understand how the viewpoints of different groups of people, potential conflicts of interest and other factors interact in the management of physical and human environments. It will address hydrology and fluvial geomorphology linked to the Ciliwung River Basin, the human impacts that have contributed to flood risk, and challenges in the management of urban settlements.

Email: discoverprogramme@hud.ac.uk