News round-up

As almost 200 countries agreed to a treaty to protect the High Seas, a consortium of experts – led by the University – launched calls for a similar process to protect Earth’s orbit. 

Writing in the prestigious journal Science, they said that with the number of orbiting satellites expected to increase from 9,000 today to over 60,000 by 2030, a legally-binding treaty was critical to ensure Earth’s orbit isn’t irreparably harmed by the global space industry. Dr Imogen Napper and Professor Richard Thompson OBE FRS, who have previously led research into the impact of microplastics in the marine environment, are leading the call the prevent the accumulation of so-called space junk. 

Leading researchers from across the University attended the 27th UN Climate Change Conference (COP27) held in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, last November.

It provided an opportunity to demonstrate our broad level of expertise in policy and the land-sea continuum, and the critical systems-thinking approach being taken to find solutions to climate change. Delegates from more than 60 nations were welcomed to the University stand, from Government officials to successful alumni now working towards a sustainable future. It also provided an opportunity to showcase a new partnership with University College Cork, created in the wake of COP26 in Glasgow, through which have jointly agreed to work together and address some of the critical climate and sustainability challenges facing our planet.

The 1970s Babbage Building, which many of you will have spent many hours in during your studies, is being reinvented as our new home for engineering and design, combining re-equipped laboratories with modern, state of-the-art resources. Meanwhile, by Plymouth Railway Station, InterCity House is being revamped into a first-class space to train our future nurses, paramedics, and other allied health professionals. Both buildings will welcome their first students in the autumn of 2023, by which time work will also have started on a number of other major campus projects, so keep an eye out for more information on our website and social media channels over the coming months.