This was such a wonderful session and gift! Thank you @julietjfall.bsky.social

As others have noted, promotion often depends on getting grants, but so does permanency and the transition from precarity and, increasingly, surviving compulsory redundancy.

Would love to see more conversations like this. If you haven't got access to a grant or institutional funds (which many increasingly don't), conferences are impossible. Lots of implications but there remains an expectation that people can simply 'just go'.

Had the immense pleasure of seeing the maestoso @inneskeighren.bsky.social of @rhulgeography.bsky.social for his inaugural professorial lecture. A tour de force detailing the life of William Macintosh & his place in geographical lore. A superb lecture by a superb (and immaculately dressed) academic.

It's arrived! So excited to read this from @julietjfall.bsky.social - it looks truly wonderful - what a fascinating way to explore borders. Looking forward to reflecting on it with others at this year's @rgsibg.bsky.social conference

Huge congratulations to Professor Katie Willis on receiving the @rgsibg.bsky.social Taylor & Francis Award for excellence in the promotion and practice of teaching and learning in higher education. www.royalholloway.ac.uk/about-us/new... @royalholloway.bsky.social

Seeing yet more stories of unis moving to compulsory redundancy, with Geography colleagues (and of course others) at risk. Today, it's Newcastle Uni, a department that produces incredible scholarship with a vibrant culture. Sharing in solidarity x www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/north-e...

A great morning at the @rgsibg.bsky.social today for the 'I can see the sea' school resources walkthrough. Brilliant to meet teachers and to celebrate the @geographicalassoc.bsky.social Highly Commended award for the work. www.rgs.org/about-us/our...

A last plug for my inaugural lecture—"The archive in the armoire: rediscovering the global lives of William Macintosh"—which will be held in person at 18:15 on 20 May at Royal Holloway (a recording will be published online afterwards). All details here: www.royalholloway.ac.uk/about-us/eve...

🚨JOB ALERT 🚨 12-month Lectureship in Human Geography (esp. urban and political geography) @rhulgeography.bsky.social. Salary: £49,325 p.a. Application deadline: 2 May 2025. Starting date: c. 1 September 2025. Details: jobs.royalholloway.ac.uk/vacancy.aspx...

🚨 Calling all colleagues who have previously worked in a UK #geography department, but no longer do. We are developing best-practice guidelines for addressing #precarious employment within geography departments. Join a focus group below to contribute your insights! forms.office.com/e/ec5ywgjhXm

Appreciating signs of spring on a grey day

Yesterday I submitted a grant proposal - my first in a while. I may not get it (this is most likely the case), but I'm celebrating the process & labour nonetheless. Extremely grateful to work with colleagues who took the time to read it so carefully & help shape the ideas amidst everything else 🥳🤞

Please join me, if you can/want to, for my (in-person) inaugural lecture—"The archive in the armoire: rediscovering the global lives of William Macintosh"—on Tuesday, 20 May, at Royal Holloway, University of London. www.royalholloway.ac.uk/about-us/eve... #C18

Because #Musk is going to gut #NASA and make himself the guardian of outerspace, it's worth revisiting this piece I wrote with @squirerachael.bsky.social and Pete Adey back in 2021 about the enclosure of the commons of outer space www.societyandspace.org/forums/the-f...

This looks brilliant. Looking forward to reading in more detail and using in teaching!

States of Precarity made an important contribution to the discussion on the current state of geography in UK higher Ed. Geography (and human geography in particular) often ends up being on the front line in times of austerity

It has been a pleasure to work with @statesofprecarity.bsky.social on posters looking at the impact of fixed term contracts (FTC) in Geography (and beyond). 🔵Poster 1 - the challenges of FTC 🔵Poster 2 - How to support colleagues on FTC 🔵Poster 3 - Identity and difference and the impact of FTC

Really excited to be launching this with @rgsibg.bsky.social in May. We hope it will bring the sea to classrooms in new & exciting ways. If you're a #KS2 or #KS3 teacher, it would be wonderful to see you there. The event is free to attend with details on the link below: www.rgs.org/events/upcom...

EDICa co-investigator, Dr Catherine Souch, is Head of Research & Higher Ed at @rgsibg.bsky.social. They've funded a project which has reported on fixed term contracts in geography depts, but this is applicable across UK academia. blog.geographydirections.com/2025/01/13/r... Recommendations: 🧵

Many things familiar to me in this article on the issues stemming from precarious ECR contracts (in some of my first postdoc projects, the zero hours contract I had to be on didn't even allow access to the Uni's *library*, let alone a desk, webprofile, or a long enough contract to write a paper in).

The posters available on this blog are applicable across higher education. #universities

The implications of this extend far beyond geography departments, as do the practical suggestions for what can be done at the level of the everyday

Very similar experiences here in the U.S. as well... and awkward when going from a "permanent" position to "precarious" one. Looking forward to reading more of this work.

Really important blog post by the @rgsibg.bsky.social States of Precarity research team. There are overlaps here with our @isrfoundation.bsky.social research on ableism in academia as many disabled staff on precarious contracts avoid asking for reasonable adjustments they are legally entitled to

an important report on precarity in UK geography departments: “Whilst we cannot take full responsibility for the endemic structural problems within UK Higher Education, nor can we cede responsibility for caring about our colleagues.” blog.geographydirections.com/2025/01/13/r... @rgsibg.bsky.social

As someone stuck in a loop of fixed-term contracts this is welcome reading for improving experiences across the social sciences and beyond, but it's going to take permanent members of staff to lead these changes.

A big thank you to @zjayres.bsky.social for the design work on the posters. Zoe was a joy to work with and we're really excited to share the results.

Resources for change - some early work from the @statesofprecarity.bsky.social project. Do read on the link & get the posters up in your departments! blog.geographydirections.com/2025/01/13/r...

Back from a brilliant few days at @hifmb.bsky.social with Kim Peters and team. Grateful for amazing hospitality, a completed project report, some wonderful conversations, and Christmas markets! Also thinking every dept should have a coffee & seminar bell.

Two permanent human geography posts at Durham University ( a focus on nature, climate change and just futures) durham.taleo.net/careersectio...

Turns out crafts can be fun! Feeling very Christmassy after wreath making yesterday 🎄

Looking forward to welcoming visitors to the open day today! So many things that make @rhulgeography.bsky.social great 👍😊

Brilliant to collaborate with Rachel at the @rgsibg.bsky.social & Kim Peters on this. Bringing the ocean to KS2 & KS3 classrooms through a new scheme of work. www.rgs.org/schools/reso... Thanks to @britishacademy.bsky.social for initial project funding & to the ESRC impact accelerator scheme

Agree with this. Staff travel is so rarely on the table for discussion about reducing department carbon footprints. Worth considering too that for some of our first years, their field trip is the first time they've been abroad. Wider conversations needed that engage with the questions below.

A new Oxford Bibliographies entry on Cold War geographies is coming soon! There will most definitely be omissions (partly due to format, partly my ignorance) but hopefully it will be a useful resource.

19/20 ‘Where do we go from here? Reflections on the idea of progress in the history of geography’, by @inneskeighren.bsky.social (@rhulgeography.bsky.social). Read it here: doi.org/10.1016/j.jh... (Vol. 85 – Pt. III: Legacies)

In the spirit of sharing some positivity, here's my favourite fiction read of the year so far. It's beautiful and uplifting 📚😊

Here's a little blue sky creeping in over Kew Gardens yesterday. Thank you for all the follow backs - looking forward to sharing in this community 🙂