Student Sustainability Research Conference 2024
This year's Student Sustainability Research Conference took place on Wednesday 6 March 2024 in Parkinson Court at the University of Leeds.
The Student Sustainability Research Conference 2024 offered students across all levels and disciplines from the twelve member institutions of Yorkshire Universities the opportunity to be inspired, share their sustainability-related research and learn from their student peers from across the region in a professional conference setting. A poster and design exhibition in Parkinson Court was open to all, with ticket holders also able to attend a range of workshops, presentations and talks throughout the day.
The Student Sustainability Research Conference 2024 (SSRC24) brought together students, staff, partners, collaborators, and members of the public to experience the diversity of undergraduate and postgraduate student sustainability research that reflects any aspect of positive social, economic and/or environmental sustainability.
SSRC24 themes
Reflecting the interdisciplinary nature of sustainability, the conference addresses all aspects of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and we particularly welcome research that addresses any of the six themes:
- Climate Resilience and Adaptation;
- Net Zero Carbon;
- Justice, Equality, and Inclusivity;
- Protection of Nature and Biodiversity;
- Education for Sustainable Development;
- Innovation, Industry and Infrastructure
These themes build on the Yorkshire and Humberside Climate Commission’s Climate Action Plan. Regional collaboration is vital to the YHCC Climate Action Plan, and core to the Supporting a Net Zero City commitments of the University of Leeds Climate Plan.
A Carbon Neutral Event
As part of our University Climate Plan, we delivered the 2023 SSRC as the first carbon neutral Student Sustainability Research Conference.
We continue to actively reduce and track all carbon emissions associated with every aspect of the conference including energy, catering and transport. The emissions associated with the event will be balanced using academically verified offsetting projects to deliver carbon neutrality.
The Student Sustainability Research Conference will act as a ‘Living Lab’ to test approaches to reducing the emissions associated with events. We will be sharing what we learn from this process across the University of Leeds and with wider partners, to inform future events.
London Student Sustainability Research Conference
As a new addition to the SSRC24, we partnered with the London Sustainability Research Conference, delivered by City University of London, to exchange three student presenters who have been given the opportunity to present at both conferences.
A huge congratulations to Beckie Lait (University of York), Blessing Mucherera (University of Hull) and Kate Morris (University of Leeds) for their outstanding presentations at Imperial College London earlier in the month.
We also welcomed Devika Prakesh (King’s College London), Pauline de Bigault de Cazanove (The London School of Economics and Political Science) and Safia Irfan, Soumya Sharma and Mehseen Ullah (University of Westminster) to Yorkshire!
You can find more about their research in the Conference Programme.
We use the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as a framework to guide our activity. The Student Sustainability Research Conference is linked to all of the SDGs.
Find out more about our impact on the SDGs.