Congratulations to Dr Áine Bird and Dr Bronagh Dillon who were awarded their PhDs in Geography during the University of Galway’s most recent graduation ceremonies. Áine’s work was funded by the Irish Research (now Research Ireland) and explores how place-based learning and community stewardship work together, using Burrenbeo Trust in Ireland as a case study. Her work points towards the necessity for supporting place-based learning to boost stewardship capacity around local heritage knowledges, community cohesion and environmental understanding.

Bronagh’s work was funded by JPI Solstice and EPA Research and explores young people’s understandings of climate change, and how these views inform transformative climate change education. Engaging post-primary schools in Galway City and County, her thesis focuses on young people’s voice within climate change education and incorporated a co-productive approach to consider how young people might shape transformative climate change education in Ireland. Bronagh’s work forms part of the broader CCC-CATAPULT project – for further details see: https://ccc-catapult.org/

Both Áine’s and Bronagh’s PhD projects were supervised by Dr Kathy Reilly and Professor Frances Fahy. Congratulations to all involved.