Monday, March 31, 2014

Update: November 2013 - March 2014

The last few months have been a haze of activity and have kept me out of trouble.

First up - I successfully completed the upgrade process, moving me from MLitt to official PhD student status.

Parliament - I made my debut at the House of Commons, speaking as the representative for ESD in Higher Education. Surprised to find that entering the hallowed halls was a bit like going through airport security.

Awards - the Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) team, including yours truely, were commended for our education efforts at the Green Gown Awards (courses category - see more here: http://www.sustainabilityexchange.ac.uk/13-courses/1728-green-gown-awards-2013-courses-university-of-bristol-highly-commended-case-study)
Me centre holding our commendation from the Green Gown Awards

Research - I did some more survey work at the Hell-Fire Caves; and took a trip to LAARC to conduct x-ray fluorescence analysis of some bits of glassware related to the Hell-Fire Clubs (pew pew)
A sample of the glassware I sampled at LAARC
This is what a sensible academic looks like (#LearningIsFun)
Conference - attended the Shipwreck Archaeology conference in Plymouth: great chats, papers, and new friends.
One of my new friends in Plymouth

Abby - and stopped by Buckfastleigh Abby on the way back.

Blast from the past - found a bunch of golden oldie childhood toys while at home for Christmas.
Pogs! Who remembers pogs!

Presentations - workshops, posters...too many for any sensible person, but at least one of them had cake.
The University understands that its students need cake

New Brighton - it's a place near Liverpool which is guarded by a demented clown. Be afraid.

BAARS - my home away from home, the #LearningIsFun capital of the world: BAARS (Bristol Archaeology & Anthropology Research Seminar Series).
It's all about the post-talk drinks and bonding

New Years - a fantastic get together of friends. Totally civilised. All photos were burned.

Lecture - with limited teaching this term (good for time contraints) I only had to give a few lectures, one to the visiting Access students on Maritime Archaeology, and the other on the material culture of the Japanese Tea Ceremony.

Social - saw Steel Panther (oh dear, they are a lot to handle), went to a delightful Bristol Real Ale Festival; took a scenic trip to Henley-on-Thames, survived Ragnorak, etc.

Press - I did some more BBC 5Live cover for Win Scutt on Archaeology (Giles Dilnott's "Up All Night"); and was interviewed about the Hell-Fire Cave survey plans by BBC 3Counties, which was also covered by the Bucks Free Press and the University in a press release.

Funding - started a crowdfunding project to help get a 3D laser scan of the Hell-Fire Caves done, check it out and support here: http://wefund.com/project/hell-fire-cave-mapping/p59473/

Phew. Need to get back to my PhD by resolve (again) to update more frequently.