Imagine what difference we could make by focusing our efforts on real-world environment, climate and biodiversity challenges?
Imagine your impact, if you help to address such challenges, raised by our public sector organisations, such as Natural Resources Wales, for whom research resources may be limited, and that your work therefore contributes to the protection and enhancement of the Welsh environment?
Can you imagine applying for a job and being able to cite your first-hand experience at trying to address one of these real-world challenges, particularly if it was one of the prospective employer’s research needs?
Universities have an unrivalled breadth of expertise and scale that could be decisive in addressing the challenges of climate change and biodiversity loss.
Most students whether at undergraduate or MSc level have the opportunity to work on a dissertation or project.
We are encouraging students to focus on Impactful Dissertations for Environment And Sustainability (IDEAS) selecting a real-world evidence need upon which to base their project.
To aid this process we have compiled a searchable database comprising of hundreds of environmental research questions which can be explored to find the inspiration for your project.
How Does Bright IDEAS Work?
The basic principle is that organisations developing environmental policy are able to present their evidence needs and research questions through our online portal. The question/need will then become part of our searchable database.
We then make the questions and challenges available to students and their supervisors, who are seeking to formulate and then deliver impactful final year projects and/or dissertations.
Students can choose to register for one of Bright IDEAS evidence needs questions, or register their own 1 in 5 Research Challenge climate change and biodiversity related question.
The students, in collaboration with their project supervisor, will develop their research project which, when completed, can be uploaded to the Budding Researchers Showcase, making it available to those raising the initial question as well as students who may wish to build upon the research with projects in subsequent years.
Given the severe public resource constraints we are aiming to maintain the flow of research evidence so that environmental policy decisions can still be made, influenced by the contribution of students across the country.
Our ambition is that not only will we achieve environmental change through the project, but participating graduates, across all subject areas, will strengthen and expand their awareness of climate change and biodiversity issues. They will then carry that knowledge into their future careers influencing colleagues and employers along the way.
Participating students will connect with real-life issues of concern to society and address challenges raised by organisations, with whom they make seek employment in future. Being able to cite involvement in Bright IDEAS in CVs and job applications may give our participating students the edge in recruitment processes.
Other Research Challenges
Click on the buttons below in order to find research questions of interest:
Students – Get your certificate of participation!
