Bethan Davies

Just published: most comprehensive review ever of the glaciation of Antartica

Posted on 25/08/2014 / by Bethan Davies / tagged antarctica, LGM

A major new review of the last glaciation of the entire Antarctic Ice Sheet has just been published by Quaternary Science Reviews. The special issue of the journal includes a suite of review papers involving an international team of experts regarding the last glaciation of the entire Antarctic Ice Sheet. This review, which comprises six review papers […]

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How to get a funded PhD studentship

Posted on 07/07/2014 / by Bethan Davies / tagged careers

A position on a funded PhD studentship in the environmental sciences (including Geography and Geology) has never been easy, but in these days of funding cuts and university and RCUK (Research Council UK) reorganisations, it’s ever more difficult to get PhD funding. It’s competetive and every studentship may have hundreds of applicants. Here’s a guide

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Moving on (again)

Posted on 31/05/2014 / by Bethan Davies

So, in September I’ll be moving on again. I’m leaving the Department of Meteorology at the University of Reading to take up a lectureship in Physical Geography (Quaternary Science) at Royal Holloway, University of London. I haven’t been at the University of Reading for long, but I’ve been impressed by their progressive attitudes, by the

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In defence of reticence

Posted on 31/05/2014 / by Bethan Davies / tagged blogging

Occasionally, comments on this website call me reticent. I think that this is because I try not to let my personal opinions cloud my professional, scientific judgement. I am proud to be reticent. I always try to be informative, to give values of uncertainties and ranges and assessments of confidence. I try to present both

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A note on ‘Collapse’

Posted on 14/05/2014 / by Bethan Davies / tagged blogging, ice shelf collapse, MISI

There is a lot in the media at the moment about the ‘collapse’ of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet. See my previous blog post for more information. But when we talk about ‘ice sheet collapse’, what do we actually mean? When we talk of people ‘collapsing’, they fall down right in front of us in

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Is the West Antarctic Ice Sheet collapsing?

Posted on 13/05/2014 / by Bethan Davies / tagged MISI, WAIS

Marine ice sheet instability The West Antarctic Ice Sheet (WAIS) is the world’s most vulnerable ice sheet. This is because it is grounded below sea level, and marine ice sheets such as these are susceptible to rapid melting at their base. Fast-flowing ice streams draining the WAIS (Pine Island Glacier and Thwaites Glacier in particular)

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Analysis of www.AntarcticGlaciers.org as a tool for online science communication

Posted on 04/04/2014 / by Bethan Davies / tagged blogging

Davies, B.J., and Glasser, N.F., 2014. Analysis of www.AntarcticGlaciers.org as a tool for online science communication. Journal of Glaciology 60(220), 399-406. Download the preprint: Davies_et_al_2014_preprint. The following is a shorter, simpler version of the published paper. Science communication for the time-limited academic Academic research into climate change is driven by pressing human concerns. Because climate

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Five years post PhD

Posted on 22/02/2014 / by Bethan Davies / tagged careers

Career to date This week (Feb 2014), it’s five years since I had my viva. Rather like finishing my PhD originally, I feel like I’ll celebrate this anniversary several times (five years since submission, since viva, since corrections accepted, since graduation, etc.). I guess this means that I’m no longer an early career researcher, and

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Setting up a science blog

Posted on 02/01/2014 / by Bethan Davies / tagged blogging

Online science communication There are as many outlets for science communication as there are scientists doing it. They range from traditional press releases and media interviews1 to science cafes, public debates and lectures, museums, open days, TV programmes2 and films. However each comes with its own specific limitations; many preach to the converted. Many people

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Science highlights of 2013

Posted on 31/12/2013 / by Bethan Davies

As the 2013 year draws to a close, I thought it would be great to highlight some of our most important science discoveries in Antarctic Glaciology. Enjoy!

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