Science and Technology at Lancaster University

Some great news from Environment Centre - Dr Tim Lamont was on the radio! 📻🌊

On BBC Radio Lancashire and BBC Radio Cumbria, Tim discusses his latest research using AI-powered underwater listening technology to uncover the true scale of illegal bomb fishing in the Indo-Pacific.

By 'listening' beneath the waves, researchers have shockingly discovered that bombs are being detonated at a rate of almost one per hour in a globally important marine biodiversity hotspot.

The conversation covers everything from coral reefs to how AI is helping researchers tackle this pressing environmental challenge. Tim also shares some practical things we can all do to help protect our oceans. 🐠

🎧 Have a listen on the link below from 2hrs 23mins.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m002zzzk

What do rice and scones have in common? 🍚☕️

According to new study by our researchers in the psychology department, they can both influence how bilingual people process emotion! 🗣️

Led by postgraduate researcher Yanxi Lu, and investigating Mandarin-English bilinguals, the study found that words linked to Chinese or British culture influenced how quickly people responded and even how their brains processed emotional meaning. 🧠

It’s a reminder that the brain does not respond to words based on language alone, it’s also responding to the cultures and experiences we carry with us! 🌍

You can read the full story on the link below 👇

https://www.lancaster.ac.uk/sci-tech/about-us/news/new-study-by-lancaster-psychology-researchers-reveals-how-culture-shapes-emotional-responses-in-bilinguals

💥 AI is helping to reveal the devastating scale of bomb fishing on coral reefs.

Illegal bomb fishing is causing extensive damage to some of the world's most biodiverse marine ecosystems. A new pilot study involving Lancaster Environment Centre researcher Dr Tim Lamont has now used AI-powered underwater listening systems to reveal just how widespread the practice is. 🐠

🌊 In Indonesia’s Spermonde Archipelago, the research team shockingly found that bombs were detonated once every 62 minutes on average. 🎧

🤖 To process the thousands of hours of audio recorded, the team developed an AI model capable of rapidly identifying each bomb blast, allowing them to process a month’s worth of audio in just four hours. ⏰

The technology could provide a powerful new way to identify bomb fishing hotspots and inform conservation efforts.

You can read the full story on the link below 👇

https://www.lancaster.ac.uk/sci-tech/about-us/news/researchers-use-ai-to-expose-devastating-impact-of-bomb-fishing-on-coral-reefs

Huge congratulations to all those who have just received their and will be joining us on one of our STEM courses at Lancaster University in October! 🥳🥳

We can't wait to meet you!!

Some fantastic news over at Lancaster Environment Centre - Professor Nick Graham has recently secured a £7M fellowship from The Royal Society to establish an ‘Island-Ocean Research Hub’ to undertake vital research into coral reefs and sea birds! 🪸🐠

The hub will expand on years of work on seabird nutrients and coral reefs by Nick and his team, and will investigate the interconnected nature of island and marine ecosystems at the forefront of the biodiversity crisis.

Read the full article below 👇
https://www.lancaster.ac.uk/news/lancaster-university-led-island-ocean-research-hub-to-tackle-one-of-the-grand-challenges-of-our-time

Powering more than the grid ⚡️

Solar farms could be doing much more than generating clean electricity, according to a new study by researchers from Lancaster Environment Centre and Lancaster University Mathematics & Statistics , led by Dr Hollie Blaydes. ☀️🌿

Analysing biodiversity data from 86 solar farms across England and Wales, the researchers recorded 289 plant species, 25 butterfly species, and 81 bird species across the sites studied! 🦋🌻

The findings show that when biodiversity is built into the way sites are planned, designed, and managed, solar farms can play an important role in supporting nature recovery alongside tackling climate change.

You can read the full article on the link below 👇

https://www.lancaster.ac.uk/sci-tech/about-us/news/powering-more-than-the-grid-lancaster-researchers-show-how-solar-farms-can-be-a-win-for-both-climate-and-nature

🎓 What certificates don't show.

In a new blog for our series, Ellie Moxham from Lancaster Environment Centre , FST Research and Engagement Assistant, reflects on completing a PhD thesis whilst living with a hidden disability - and the challenges of navigating an academic culture that often values constant productivity. 📆📚

Through their own experiences, they explore the challenges of feeling ‘behind’ in an academia of ever-growing expectations, and why we need to create an inclusive culture where different journeys are valued.

Read the full blog and join the conversation on the link below 👇

https://www.lancaster.ac.uk/sci-tech/about-us/stemming-the-leaky-pipeline/stemming-the-leaky-pipeline-what-the-certificate-doesnt-show-completing-a-phd-with-a-hidden-disability-in-an-academic-culture-of-constant-productivity

Mind the Gap: Lancaster University Psychology researchers uncover blind spots in police misconduct research. 🚨🚓

Issues surrounding police misconduct and institutional culture have received significant public and media attention in recent years. But are researchers using the right tools to understand how officers recognise and report wrongdoing?

New research from Livvi Taylor, Dr Richard Philpot, Dr Oliver Fritton, and Professor Mark Levine finds that the most dominant tool used for studying police whistleblowing may no longer reflect the realities of modern policing. 🙅

After analysing 95 studies from around the world, the team identified important gaps in how misconduct is measured, including limited attention to issues such as misogyny, discrimination, senior officer misconduct, and peer intervention.

The findings highlight a simple but important challenge: we cannot tackle police misconduct effectively if we are not measuring it accurately.

You can read the full article on the link below 👇

https://www.lancaster.ac.uk/sci-tech/about-us/news/mind-the-gap-lancaster-university-researchers-uncover-blind-spots-in-police-misconduct-research

Our wonderful undergrad students in Lancaster Environment Centre Jess and Betty are currently undertaking an internship at Butterfly Conservation Lancashire Branch , and as a part of this are running butterfly counts! They're outside LEC until 1.30pm, so do pop by and say hi!🦋

is on for a couple of days yet, so if you've a spare 15 minutes, why not join in?

Lancaster University Careers

What if councils could stop fly-tipping before it happens? 🚮

School of Computing and Communications researchers Yukun Cui, Cai L ei, Afraz Moqueem Mohammed, and supervised by Dr Hansi Hettiarachch, have developed an AI-powered system that predicts future fly-tipping hotspots using data from over 18,000 incidents recorded across Lancaster. 🤖

The model could help councils identify high-risk locations, target enforcement more effectively, and act before illegal dumping happens. 🗑️

The findings show how AI can be used to tackle real-world environmental challenges whilst supporting cleaner, safer, and more equitable communities. ♻️

Read the full story below 👇

https://www.lancaster.ac.uk/sci-tech/about-us/news/from-clean-up-to-prevention-lancaster-researchers-use-ai-to-combat-fly-tipping