Summer in the Field: Where Geography Comes to Life

This summer, we launched Summer in the Field, a new series on Instagram and Facebook. It celebrates the exciting fieldwork taking place across the Department.

Open to undergraduate, postgraduate, and PhD students, the series invites participants to send in photos and short reflections. Each story reveals where our students and researchers are working, and what they are learning along the way.

So far, the response has been remarkable. The first five stories span ecological surveys, interviews, archive work and cross-border research.

Restoring ghost ponds in Norfolk

Hayley began the series with images from her research on ghost ponds in Norfolk. Despite low water levels, she recorded strong biodiversity and shared a glimpse into the challenges of fieldwork.

Exploring the social impact of informal mining in Ghana

Efua travelled to Ghana to collect dissertation data. She interviewed women in Subriso and Ningo about the environmental and social impacts of informal mining.

Sampling rare high-altitude ponds in the Lake District

Charlotte climbed Scafell Pike and nearby fells to sample high-altitude ponds. She collected data on invertebrates and water quality in sites rarely studied before.

Uncovering Caribbean histories in the Black Cultural Archives

Lian and fellow student Luqa Ismail-Keyes worked at the Black Cultural Archives in Brixton. As part of their Fieldwork Apprenticeship, they catalogued new records from the Grenada Revolution.

Studying cross-border relations between Gibraltar and Spain

Beatriz visited Gibraltar and La Línea de la Concepción to study cross-border relationships and local diplomacy. Her trip coincided with a historic new agreement between the UK and EU.

These stories show the range of research happening within UCL Geography. Students are not only developing deep subject knowledge, but also building practical skills, cultural understanding and independent thinking.