Murray Scown
Associate senior lecturer
What is your academic background?
I have a PhD and Honours degree in Geography and a Bachelor of Environmental Science.
What courses are you teaching and what is your research about?
In LUCAS, I coordinate the first course - Drivers and Dynamics of Climate Change. In LUMES, I coordinate the Geographies of Sustainability course, and also do some teaching in the Earth Systems Science course.
My research is broadly about future scenarios and adaptation in coupled human-environment systems. I currently focus on coastal risk and adaptation, as well as sustainability in river basins. I work on cases around the globe, recently in Sweden, China, UK, and Vietnam. Previously, I've also worked on sustainable agricultural systems in Europe.
What is the best thing about teaching, and what teaching methods do you use?
The best thing about teaching is definitely engaging with students. We have wonderful students in LUMES and LUCAS. I use active teaching methods like practical labs and field trips, as well as lectures and seminars. I enjoy helping students learn new tools, like how to use GIS or databases, or how to measure the amount of carbon in a tree!
How do you integrate your research into the programme(s), and why?
I do a lot of quantitative geospatial research, and students in the Geographies of Sustainability course use data from my research to learn GIS, for example. I also use my research on scenarios when teaching the students about different futures and futuring. I've also previously taken field trips to our research site on the southern coast of Sweden.
What motivates you in your teaching?
Again, this is definitely the students and their engagement. I really enjoy when I can help a student grasp something they didn't know or a skill they didn't think they could do.
What do students need to be successful in LUMES/LUCAS?
Creativity, dedication, openness. And a raincoat and waterproof boots in my courses, haha.
Why should students choose LUMES/LUCAS?
It will be a truly unique experience, unlike any other master programmes I've seen. You will make lifelong friends while learning about some of the planet's most pressing challenges and, hopefully, some solutions.
What do you want students to leave with after completing LUMES/LUCAS?
Knowledge, skills, and passion to go out and make meaningful change in the world.