Skip navigation

Annual Report 1999: Graduate School 1998-1999


Review by the Director

Perhaps the most significant point to emphasise about the Graduate School in the year 1998-99 is that it saw the largest number of Ph.D. completions in the Department in any recent year (and, perhaps, ever). This was indeed an excellent testimony to the efforts of the Ph.D. candidates involved, and to their supervisors. Given the number of registrations each year, this number (23) is actually marginally in excess of the current steady state, so is a record that might stand for some time. However, to begin with this point is not to undervalue the importance of the community of Masters students in the Department; 44 of them completed the three M.Phil. courses, a total which may also be close to the maximum. This cohort included the first graduates of the M.Phil. in Quaternary Science, which although a difficult course to co-ordinate because of the involvement of several Departments, has clearly had a very successful first year. I recall a sketch by graduate students at a Departmental Christmas party in which an industrial thesis production line was created with a long loop of paper over a Library table, with books falling off the end. While it is tempting to note the high level of Departmental productivity implied by the figures, fortunately the process itself is altogether more humane and non-Fordist, and the products are of high quality as a consequence of the calibre of the students and the interaction amongst them and the academic staff.

All of this comes to fruition because of the contributions of many. As was noted last year, the annual receipt of 300 applications for admission as a graduate student imposes on the Graduate School office a burden not dissimilar to that in a College undergraduate admissions office. The procedures for handling these applications have become more efficient, but rely heavily on the good humour and commitment of Maria Constantinou, who keeps the Graduate School office (and the Director) in order. However, it also relies on the many colleagues who have to turn around applications with alacrity, develop and maintain the Department's research infrastructure, and generally ensure that such a high level of research and scholarship can be sustained. Of course, it was Linda McDowell who oversaw all of this activity in her last year as Director, and indeed, as a member of the Department before her move to LSE.

During the early part of 1999-2000, the Graduate School focused on questions of enhancing the Graduate Training Programme, and developing improved integration amongst the three M.Phil. courses, both in terms of their structure, management and administration, and (gradually) in terms of their academic connections (and their potential links with the M.Phil. in Polar Studies, which is also overseen by the Faculty of Earth Sciences and Geography). It remains to be seen how far this process can be taken in a year, but the next report might provide an indication of this.....

Keith Richards
Director 1999-2000

Graduate School Admissions Statistics

M.Phil in Environment and Development

YEAR
APPLICATIONS
OFFERS
ADMITTED
PASS
FAIL
for 1997-98
147
52
14
14
0
for 1998-99
158
42
25
25
0

M.Phil. in Geographical Information Systems and Remote Sensing

YEAR
APPLICATIONS
OFFERS
ADMITTED
PASS
FAIL
for 1997-98
59
39
14
12
2
for 1998-99
53
41
14
14
0

M.Phil in Quaternary Science

YEAR
APPLICATIONS
OFFERS
ADMITTED
PASS
FAIL
for 1997-98
4
2
1*

for 1998-99
7
6
5
5
0

*transferred to M.Phil. in Polar Studies

Research Student Applications And Admissions

Year
Applications
Offers
Admitted
for October 1997
87
33
12
for October 1998
80
53
28

Dissertation Titles 1998-99

M.Phil in Geographical Information Systems and Remote Sensing

NAME
TITLE
Annor, Mr J
Land cover mapping in a heteroneous landscape. A case study of the Sunyani District in Ghana
Aragundi, Ms S
Investigating populations decline of threatened bird species using GIS and Remote Sensing
Bohl Pazos, Mr R
Spatial analysis of tourist systems. The Peruvian case
Carlisle, Ms M A
The development of a geographical information system for the study of terrestrial pipeline oil spills in permafrost areas
Cashin, Mr S
The integration of high resolution imagery and GIS in cadastral surveying
Corrie, Mr R K
Mineral identification in the Cydonia and Radar Stealth regions of Mars using data from the Mars Global Surveyor's Thermal Emission Spectrometer (TES)
Cottray, Mr O J
The reconstruction of coastal cliff retreat using digital photogrammetry at Happisburgh, North Norfolk
Grover, Ms S
Integration of DEM data with satellite reflectance and geological survey data for the study of geological/geomorphological attributes
Kent, Mr A J
Geological and geomorphological mapping of Venus using Magellan data
Khan, Ms B K
The design of an integrated GIS for environmental management
Roberts, Mr S J
An investigation into the relationship between water resources and NDVI for semi-natural vegetation communities in Crete
Saito, Ms K
Designing a web map-based querying interface of a spatial database for vertical aerial photographic library
White, Mr P A
Monitoring channel change on Waitaki River, New Zealand: image analysis of aerial photography
Young, Mr J F
Determining and assessing Manatee habitats

M.Phil. In Environment And Development

Name
Dissertation Title
Arsel, Mr M
Political economy of sustainable development
Arthy, Ms E
Participatory natural resource management in a refugee affected area: the case study of Dadaab, North East Kenya
Beja, Mr E
Environmental non-governmental organisations in policy-making: the case against lifting the export ban on lumber in the Philippines
Chiziwa, Mr P
Effects of climatic change on maize production in central Malawi
Cochrane, Ms J
An investigation into the potential for community driven wildlife management in Nepal's Terai region
Demoss, Ms S K
Sustainable development in the Phoenix, Arizona Metropolitan region
Francis, Ms T E
Ecotourism in Dominica
Furuyashiki, Ms K
Ivory appeal: evolving discourse of ivory trade and its implications for wildlife conservation
Henderson, Ms J A M
Cultural dimensions of conservation: perspectives on the use of culture as resource in conservation management of sacred groves
Holt, Mr T
Environmental Concerns and Humanitarian Policy in Refugee Situations
Jeong, Ms S
The land aesthetic: an embodiment of value?
John, Mr B M
“Conflicts over sustainable development.” A case study of the rural agricultural communities of Wesley and Woodfordhill in Dominica
Kalia, Ms P
Dilemmas of tourism and development in the context of sustainable resource management: case study of Khajuraho Heritage Region
Khera, Mr M
Clean development mechanism: opportunities and barriers for private sector with respect to energy efficient and renewable energy technologies
Lindhjem, Mr H
The potential economic and environmental impacts of ecotourism growth in the Wakatobi Marine National Park, Indonesia
McMenemy, Mr C J
Valuing resources: A study of hydropower development in Nepal
Padilla, Mr A P
Community-level sustainability of forestry in Chile
Paudel, Mr D
Socio-economic (and political) impacts of community forestry programme on different social groups in the rural communities of Nepal
Starkey, Mr M P
Use of woodland resources by local people in the Kilombero Valley, Tanzania
Thapa, Mr R S
An environmental perspective on the effectiveness of debt-for-nature-swaps in Costa Rica
Toole, Ms K A
The provision of water and sanitation in urban areas of the developing world
Tsongwain, Mr D V
Conservation and development: agricultural intensification and the uptake of project initiated alternative livelihood activities around the Kilum-Ijim Forest (Cameroon)
Upton, Ms C F
Biodiversity conservation in Mongolia - incorporation of indigenous knowledge and community participation in policy development and implementation
West, Mr J
Assessing the potential of voluntary riparian buffer zone programs
Winkels, Ms A
Institutional use of local knowledge (LK) in international development assistance. Case study: GTZ sustainable indigenous forest management (SFIM) and agroforestry, Fiji - an evaluation of change?

M.Phil. In Quaternary Science

Name
Dissertation Title
Al-Omari, Mr S
A palaeoecological survey of the fringes of Quidenham Mere using pollen and molluscan techniques
Allen, Ms C S
Pleistocene raised beach deposits of West Sussex
Brookes, Mr N J
A study of palaeoenvironmental changes from pollen at Dickleburgh Moor, Norfolk
Gosling, Mr W D
Sedimentology, taphonomy and climatic significance of stratum C at Hoxne
Nowell, Mr D A G
Quaternary volcanism in the eastern Eifel, Germany

Ph.D. Degrees Awarded 1998-99

NAME
TITLE OF THESIS
Barsoum, Ms N
A comparison of vegetative and non-vegetative regeneration strategies in Populus nigra and salix alba
Berndt, Mr C
Ruhr companies between dynamic change and institutional persistence: globalisation, the 'German Model' and regional place dependence
Bulkeley, Ms H
Valuing the global environment: publics, politics and participation
Crowell, Ms M D
Performance of Pinus Sylvestris seedlings in a restoration of Caledonian forest
Clark, Mr P D
Relations between assemblers and suppliers
Conway, Mr T H
Poverty, participation,and programmes: International aid and rural development in Cambodia
Davies, Ms A
Environmental values and the UK land use planning system
Forbes, Ms D M
Enterprising women: gender and business ownership in the market research industry in Britain
Gathorne-Hardy, Ms F
Just design: a US-UK comparative study of community design in the field of affordable housing provision
Green, Mr J C
The interaction amongst aquatic macrophytes, hydraulic resistance and river channel flow
Hu, Mr Wei
The impact of land tenure reform on China's agricultural environment
Klahr, Ms R A
Economic restructuring, rural industrialisation and gender relations: a case study of the garment industry in Marco de Canaveses, Portugal
Meth, Ms P J
Re-thinking the dumping-grounds: the case of Bilanyoni
New, Mr M G
Hydrologic sensitivity to climatic variability and change in the S. Western Cape province, S. Africa
Parry, Mrs B
The fate of the collections: revealing the social and spatial dynamics of genetic resource use
Pinder, Mr D J
Utopian spaces of the avant-garde
Popovski, Ms V
National minorities and citizenship rights: a case study of Lithuania 1988-1993
Pyle, Mr C J
Monitoring and modelling of river bank erosion
Trenchard, Mr R J
Unwrapping the Curtiba dream: a study of local state responses to urban land invasion, 1965-1990
Turner, Mr R H
An historical geography of the rural tramways of Loir-et-Cher (France) from c.1880 to 1934
Watson, Ms E M
Ground truths: land and power in Konso, Ethiopia
Priest, Ms S J
Stimulating small firms through business links
Wu, Ms S-Y
Privatisation and policy development and implementation in water pollution control in England and Wales

Destinations of Ph.D. Students after Completing Degree, 1998-99

NAME
DESTINATIONS/JOBS
Barsoum, Ms N
Research Associate, Department of Geography, University of Cambridge
Berndt, Mr C
University Lecturer, Katholische Universitat, Eichstatt Lehrstuhts fur Kulturegeigraphie, Ostenstr. 26-28, 85072 Eichstatt, Germany
Bulkeley, Ms H
Junior Research Fellow, St Catharine's College, Cambridge
Clark, Mr P D
Lecturer, East London Business School, London
Conway, Mr T H
Researcher, Overseas Development Institute
Crowell, Ms M D
Project Manager, for a national program called “Quality Conservation Management”, New Zealand Department of Conservation
Davies, Ms A
University Lecturer, King's College London
Forbes, Ms D M
Working for research consultancy in Munich
Gathorne-Hardy, Ms F
Working in London for inner city housing project
Green, Mr J C
Research Assistant, EU funded project
Hu, Mr Wei
Joint Researcher, WCMC (World Conservation Monitoring Centre, Cambridge
Klahr, Ms R A
Researcher, MORI in market research
Meth, Ms P J
University Lecturer, School of Urban and Regional Studies, Sheffield Hallam University
New, Mr M G
University Lecturer, School of Geography, University of Oxford
Parry, Mrs B
Junior Research Fellow, King's College, Cambridge
Pinder, Mr D J
University Lecturer, Department of Geography, Queen Mary & Westfield College
Popovski, Ms V
University Lecturer, School of Eastern and European Slavonic Studies, University College London
Priest, Ms S J
Professional Manager at British Chamber of Commerce, London
Pyle, Mr C J
Teacher, Perse School for Boys, Cambridge
Trenchard, Mr R J
FAO in Rome
Turner, Mr R H
Museum attendant, Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, Cambridge
Watson, Ms E M
University Assistant Lecturer, Department of Geography, Cambridge University and Newnham College
Wu, Ms S-Y

Departmental Seminar Programme 1999

15th January
DR PETE NIENOW (Department of Geography, University of Glasgow
"Glacier hydrology, ice dynamics (and sea level rise? - tall tales from Arolla, Switzerland"
21 January
DR KLAUS DODDS (Royal Holloway, University of London)
"The paradox of sovereignty: Patagonian Toothfish and living resource management in the southern ocean"
28 January
PROFESSOR GORDON CLARKE (School of Geography, University of Oxford)
"Contested terrain: Republican rhetoric and pension fund investment in community development"
4 February
DR SATISH KUMAR (Department of Geography, University of Cambridge)
"The (pre)occupation of studying women's work: A comparative case study of Rangoon and Calcutta, 1872-1941"
11 February
PROFESSOR ANDRE ROY (Department of Geography, University of Montreal, Canada)
"Structures in turbulent flows: Scales, processes and implications"
18 February
Dr. Chris Soulsby (Department of Geography, University of Aberdeen)
"Isotope hydrology of the Cairngorm mountains; applications and implications"
25 February
DR TIM UNWIN (Department of Geography, Royal Holloway, University of London)
"A waste of space? Is there any vale in the social construction of space?"
4 March
DR NUALA JOHNSON (Geography Department, Queens University, Belfast)
"From time immemorial: Nationalist discourse and conceptions of time"
22 April
DR LESLIE SKLAIR (Department of Sociology, London School of Economics)
"Competing conceptions of globalisation"
29 April
PROFESSOR IAN SIMMONS (Department of Geography, University of Durham)
"All coherence gone: time, culture, environment"
13 May
PROFESSOR PHILIP STOTT (Department of Geography, School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London)
"Metaphor and language in ecology and biogeography: from mechanics to Malibu!"
14 October
DR GERRY KEARNS (Cambridge University)
"Migrants or refugees: the famine Irish in Liverpool 1847"
21st October
PROGESSOR ANDREW WARREN (University College London)
"The Environmental Sustainability of Sahelian Agriculture"
28 October
PROFESSOR DENIS COSGROVE (Royal Holloway)
"Millennial Geographies"
4 November
PROFESSOR BRAIN HUNTLEY (Durham University)
"Species migration and climatic change: lessons from the past and modelling for the future"
11 November
DR DAVID PINDER (Queen Mary College)
"Modernism and urban form/lessness: destablising calls to order"
18th November
DR RAYMOND BRYANT (Kings College London)
"False Prophets: Mutant NGOs and Parasitic Action in the struggle over the Philippine Environment"
25 November
DR PHILLIP HOWELL (Cambridge University)
"Race, Space and the regulation of sexuality in the British Empire"
2 December
DR STUART LANE (Cambridge University)
"Towards a Radical Physical Geography"