Author Julie Davidson to share Mrs Livingstone's story in talks series

Author and Journalist Julie Davidson will share the enthralling story of the extraordinarily courageous and stoical wife of the world-renowned explorer and missionary, David Livingstone in a talk based on her book Looking for Mrs Livingstone in Aberdeen, Dundee, Dunfermline and Edinburgh between the 6th and 9th January.

This talk is part of the Royal Scottish Geographical Society’s Inspiring People talks programme.
In the history books, Mary Livingstone is a shadow in the blaze of her husband's sun, a whisper in the thunderclap of his reputation. Yet she played an important role in Livingstone's success and her own feats as an early traveller in uncharted Africa are unique.

She was the first white woman to cross the Kalahari, which she did twice - pregnant - giving birth in the bush on the second journey. She was much more rooted in southern Africa than her husband: he has a tomb in Westminster Abbey, London; she has an obscure and crumbling grave on the banks of the Zambezi in a destitute region of Mozambique.

In the thrall of Africa, Julie Davidson has travelled extensively over several years in the footsteps of Mary Livingstone, from her birthplace in a remote district of South Africa to her grave on the Zambezi. She explores the places the Livingstones knew as a couple and, above all, explores the detail of the life and family of this little-known figure in British - but not African - history.

JULIE DAVIDSON's varied and award-winning career in journalism, includes work for The Times, Observer, Guardian, Daily Telegraph, Aberdeen Press & Journal, The Scotsman, The Herald (Glasgow), Cosmopolitan and House & Garden. Winner of 5 Scottish Press Awards, she was a TV presenter and has won several awards for travel writing.

Julie’s talk will take place at 7:30pm on:

6th January - Aberdeen - MacRobert Building, University of Aberdeen, King's College, Aberdeen, AB24 5UA

7th January - Dundee - Tower Extension Building, University of Dundee, Perth Road, Dundee, DD1 4HN

8th January - Dunfermline - Carnegie Hall, East Port, Dunfermline, KY12 7JA

9th January - Edinburgh - Appleton Tower, 11 Crichton Street, Edinburgh, EH8 9LE

Everyone is welcome. Tickets are £8 for adults, free for students, under 18s and RSGS members.

For more information about the RSGS talks and how to join the Society visit www.rsgs.org, contact us on enquiries@rsgs.org, find us on Facebook or follow the Society on twitter @RoyalScotGeoSoc.

From Deepest Africa to the Highest Himalaya: Siân Pritchard-Jones and Bob Gibbons

Our first speakers in the Inspiring People talks season for 2013-14 are Siân Pritchard-Jones and Bob Gibbons.  Travel writers and expedition leaders, Siân Pritchard-Jones and Bob Gibbons will share their experiences of Africa and the Himalayas in talks in Kirkcaldy on Monday 16th and Edinburgh on Wednesday 18th September.  

Siân Pritchard-Jones has been travelling in Africa for 30 years. She worked in computer programming and systems analysis for far too long, until overland travel and particularly the Himalayas captivated her on a trip to Nepal in 1982.

Siân Pritchard-Jones and Bob Gibbons met in 1983, on a trek from Kashmir to Ladakh. By then Bob had already driven an ancient Land Rover from England to Kathmandu in 1974 and led overland trips across Asia, Africa and South America as well as decrepit old tourist buses around India. He had also lived in Kathmandu as a trekking company manager. Before they met, Siân had worked in computer programming and systems analysis, but her heart had always been in the Himalayas, after a trip there on her way back from working in New Zealand.

Since they met they have been leading and organising treks in the Alps, Nepal, Algeria and Niger; they have hitched across Tibet, driven a busload of over-50s overland to Nepal, explored the Sahara and driven across Africa to Gabon. Some of this was real work, but luckily that ‘proper job’ has not materialised.

However, they regularly return to their first love, Kathmandu and the Himalayas, where they work with various publishers in Kathmandu, and have written guides on the Kathmandu Valley, Ladakh and Tibet.. During 2011 they revisited Tibet, this time driving the same old Land Rover back from Kathmandu to the UK overland via Lhasa, Kazakhstan, Russia and across Europe. It was with great relish that they returned to one of their former trekking haunts in Nepal - the Annapurna region - to research a new guide, and to contribute to Trekking in the Himalaya. 

Tickets are available on the door: £8 for adults, free for students, under 18s and RSGS Members. Kirkcaldy: 7:30pm on Monday 16th September in the Department of Nursing and Midwifery, University of Dundee Fife Campus, 5 Forth Ave, Kirkcaldy, KY2 5YS.

Edinburgh: 2:15pm on Wednesday 18^th September in Appleton Tower, 11 Crichton Street, Edinburgh EH8 9LE.

This talk is part of the Royal Scottish Geographical Society’s Inspiring People talks programme. For more information on the talks visit www.rsgs.org/events

The Ocean of Life - Talk in Edinburgh 2nd July

Professor Callum Roberts will speak about humanity's effects on the oceans in a talk at the University of Edinburgh's Appleton Tower on the 2nd July.  This talk starts at 6:30pm and is free to attend, you can register your attendance here.

Callum Roberts takes us on a voyage beneath the waves to reveal the seas as few know them.  He shows how human activities have for centuries been unpicking the fabric of marine life.  He suggests that we are transforming life in the sea, and with it undermining our own existence.  

The images he will share in this special lecture are not a catalogue of unavoidable disasters ahead.  They illustrate an ambitious plan to reverse long-term trends of depletion and degradation, recapitalise the value of the oceans to people and wildlife, and improve the quality of everyone's lives, especially of generations still to come.

"We don't have to look on helplessly as all that we love about the sea is sullied.  Change for good is within our reach".

Leo Hickman wrote in the Guardian last year "Callum Roberts' Ocean of Life is a manifesto for marine management.  The book calls for a new deal for the world's oceans – and explains why we need to save the seas to survive on land".

One part of the solution - so timely for Scotland - says Roberts, is the establishment of a network of marine protected areas (MPAs).  This summer the Scottish Government will propose via a public consultation a network of MPAs for Scottish waters.  Roberts will highlight a working example from the north east Atlantic to prove it can be achieved.  This was protected in a bold move for the protection of the high seas by the OSPAR Commission in 2010 - the International Year of Biodiversity. "It is now being policed for illegal fishing" he says.  

Roberts seeks a new deal for the world's oceans. For example, he is calling for an outright ban on fishing beneath 800 metres and a phasing out of bottom trawl and dredge fishing. But the focus is not entirely placed on the fishing industry. One problem he forecasts will become much more prominent over the next decade is deep sea mining.  As mining technology improves, and resources become ever more sought after, companies will push deeper into the oceans in search of minerals, metals and fossil fuels.  

Callum Roberts was consultant to the BBC Blue Planet, and The End of the Line, documentary based on Charles Clover’s book which deftly exposed catastrophic reduction in fish stocks globally. 

The event is being co-promoted by the Scottish Environment LINK Marine Taskforce - a coalition of 8 environmental organisations* - who are campaigning for a network of Marine Protected Areas to connect, protect and recover Scotland's seas.   See www.savescottishseas.org for more.

* Marine Conservation Society, WWF Scotland, Scottish Ornithologist Club, Scottish Wildlife Trust, Whale and Dolphin Conservation, RSPB Scotland, Hebridean Whale and Dolphin Trust and The National Trust for Scotland.
The Ocean of Life is available from Word Power Books, 43 W Nicolson St  Edinburgh EH8 9DB 0131 662 9112 www.word-power.co.uk and on the night.

Will Self lecture published in Scottish Geographical Journal

In September last year, novelist and critic Will Self gave the annual Wreford Watson lecture at the University of Edinburgh, speaking to the title ‘Decontaminating the Union: post-industrial landscapes and the British psyche’.

The lecture, which is to be published in Scottish Geographical Journal, took the audience on a ‘psychogeographical’ drift through the less trodden paths of post-industrial Scotland, culminating in detailed exploration of Motherwell and its surrounds.

Self was an obvious choice for the Wreford Watson lecture, which commemorates the life and work of the late James Wreford Watson, formerly Professor of Geography at the University of Edinburgh, Chief Geographer to the Canadian Government as well as being a poet of some distinction.

Given that James Wreford Watson had an academic interest in the relationship between geography and literature, it seemed appropriate to invite one of Britain’s most celebrated writers whose recent novel Umbrella was shortlisted for the Booker Prize.

‘I am no kind of orthodox academic’ he told the audience. ‘Rather, I am a writer – specifically of prose fiction – who in the past quarter century or so has taken an increasing interest in a practice known as psychogeography’.

The Wreford Watson lecture is a longstanding event in the University’s calendar but its profile has been raised in recent years as it aims to bring geographical ideas and scholars into circulation within a wider culture of public intellectualism.

Download the full text of the lecture from the SGJ here.

Watch the lecture here:

www.rsgs.org

RSGS's Mike Robinson gives climate evidence

Last week our Chief Executive Mike Robinson, was invited to give evidence to the Rural Affairs and Climate Change Committee (RACCE) of the Scottish Parliament, in response to the Scottish Government publishing the draft Report on Policies and Proposals (RPP2).   

The paper is intended to outline Scotland's path towards a low carbon future, and details by sector some of the Government's firm intentions (policies) and outline plans (proposals) to help achieve the Scottish Climate Act targets. 

Image © Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body – 2012. Licensed under the Open Scottish Parliament Licence v1.0.

Low Carbon Scotland: Meeting our Emissions Reduction Targets 2013-2027 - The Draft Second Report on Proposals and Policies can be read here.

Romania: Learning to Love Europe's Wild Child. Tessa Dunlop.

Tessa Dunlop, a broadcaster, writer and historian with a special interest in Romanian culture and history, will speak on her 20 year odyssey through modern day Romania in talks in Kirkcaldy, Edinburgh and Glasgow on 18^th and 20th of February.

Tessa Dunlop has close ties to Romania. She first went to Romania aged eighteen shortly after the Revolution. Tessa is the author of the book To Romania With Love, the story of how one young Romanian boy and his country changed her life forever.  She is fascinated by the country’s history, including the story of Princess Marie, granddaughter of Queen Victoria who became the ‘Soldier Queen’ of Romania. Romania is a beautiful country riddled with corruption. 

Tessa Dunlop is a writer, broadcaster and historian with a passion for Romania.

These talks are part of the Royal Scottish Geographical Society’s Inspiring People talks programme.
Tessa is a television presenter, radio broadcaster and historian. She is currently a presenter and historian on BBC Two’s Coast. She has presented history programmes on BBC1 London, BBC2, Discovery Europe, Channel 4, UKTV History and the History Channel (USA).

Tessa’s talk ‘Romania: Learning to Love Europe’s Wild Child’ takes place at the following times and venues.

Kirkcaldy: Monday 18^th February at 7.30pm. 

School of Midwifery, University of Dundee Fife Campus, 5 Forth Avenue, Kirkcaldy, KY2 5YS. Edinburgh: Wednesday 20th February at 2:15pm.

Appleton Tower, 11 Crichton Street, Edinburgh, EH8 9LE.

Glasgow: Wednesday 20th February at 7:30pm.

Boyd Orr Building, University of Glasgow, University Ave, Glasgow, G2 4JP.

Tickets are £8 for adults, (redeemable if buying membership) and free for students, under 18s and for RSGS members. Tickets are available on the day from the venue. For more information about any talks this season please visit www.rsgs.org/events/

Sara Wheeler Steps Where Penguins Fear to Tread with Stories of the Antarctic.

Sara Wheeler, travel writer and biographer will share stories of the Polar Regions in talks in Dundee, Dunfermline and Edinburgh on February 5th to 7th

Sara will uncover the beautiful, brutal reality of the Polar regions, telling stories about her seven months in Antarctica and many visits to the Arctic, including anecdotes, science, and the difference between the two places.

Sara Wheeler in sunnier climes at Leptis Magna, Libya.

Sara spent seven months in Antarctica as the writer in residence of the US National Science Foundation. She wrote the book Terra Incognita: Travels in Antarctica based on her time there, including spending the night sleeping in the captain’s bunk in Scott’s Hut.

These talks are part of the Royal Scottish Geographical Society’s Inspiring People talks programme. The Dundee talk is kindly sponsored by the Scottish Association of Geography Teachers.

  

Dundee: Tuesday 5^th February at 7.30pm.

Dundee University’s Tower Building, Perth Road, Dundee, DD1 4HN. 

Dunfermline: Wednesday 6th February at 7:30pm.

Carnegie Hall, East Port, Dunfermline, KY12 7JA

Edinburgh: Thursday 7th FEbruary at 7:30pm.

Appleton Tower, 11 Crichton Street, Edinburgh, EH8 9LE

Tickets are £8 for adults, (redeemable if buying membership) and free for students, under 18s and for RSGS members. Tickets are available on the day from the venue. For more information about any of our talks this season please visit www.rsgs.org/events/

Swimming on Top of the World: Lewis Gordon Pugh shares his endurance swimming stories.

Lewis Gordon Pugh is an environmental campaigner, a maritime lawyer and an endurance swimmer. He always wanted to be a pioneer swimmer and was the first person to complete a long distance swim in every ocean of the world. Much of his inspiration has come from explorers such as Roald Amundsen, Robert Scott and Edmund Hillary.  Through his swims he has gained a unique perspective on climate change.  By swimming in vulnerable ecosystems he wants to draw attention to their plight.  He has given up everything to dedicate his life to this purpose.

Now, he’ll join audiences in Edinburgh and Glasgow on January 23rd to discuss undertaking the first long distance swim across the North Pole in 2007, how did he prepare himself? And why did he carry on, when everything went so badly wrong? 

Lewis Gordon Pugh braved icy waters to highlight climate change.

This talk is part of the Royal Scottish Geographical Society’s Inspiring People talks programme.

He undertook this death defying swim to highlight the melting of the Arctic sea ice, he also swam across a glacial lake under the summit of Mount Everest in 2010 to draw attention to the melting glaciers in the Himalayas, and the impact the reduced water supply will have on world peace.

In 2010 he was named a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum for his "potential to contribute to shaping the future of the world through inspiring leadership."

Discussing his swims Lewis has said “I am often asked why I do it. At a simplistic level, I am passionate about swimming and I enjoy pushing boundaries. But there's a lot more to it than that. Through my swims I have had a unique perspective on climate change. I have witnessed retreating glaciers, decreasing sea ice, coral bleaching, severe droughts, and the migration of animals to colder climates. It's as a result of these experiences that I am determined to draw attention to the fragility of our environment and to encourage everyone to take action.”

Lewis Gordon Pugh prepares to dive into Arctic waters.

Not always in his swimming trunks, Lewis studied law at the University of Cape Town and the University of Cambridge, and then went on to work as a maritime lawyer in London. He now spends my time public speaking and campaigning to world leaders to protect the environment.

Lewis’s talk will take place on Wednesday 23^rd January:

Edinburgh: Appleton Tower, 11 Crichton Street, Edinburgh, EH8 9LE at 2:15pm

Glasgow: Boyd Orr Building, University of Glasgow, University Avenue, Glasgow, G12 8QQ at 7:30pm. 

£8 for adults, (redeemable if buying membership) and free students, under 18s and for RSGS members. Tickets are available on the day from the venue. For more information about any of our talks this season please visit www.rsgs.org/events/
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Our Dynamic Earth Founder Explores Tectonics in Kirkcaldy Talk

Professor Stuart Monro, a celebrated geologist, science communicator and currently Scientific Director of Our Dynamic Earth, will be giving a presentation in Kirkcaldy on 21^st January as part of this seasons Royal Scottish Geographical Society’s Inspiring People talks programme.

Stuart was instrumental in establishing Our Dynamic Earth in Edinburgh, the science centre and visitor attraction opened in 1999, that aims to give a better public understanding of the processes that have shaped the earth.

In this talk, Stuart explores, as part of a personal journey, the evidence from various parts of the world for what we call plate tectonics, a scientific theory which describes the large scale motions of Earth's lithosphere or, for those of us without a science degree, the rigid outermost shell of a rocky planet. Although seemingly complicated Stuart is passionate about bringing science and understanding to the masses so this is a talk that all can enjoy.

This talk is part of the Royal Scottish Geographical Society’s Inspiring People talks programme. This talk has been kindly sponsored by Scottish Power.

Stuart Monro is passionate about bringing science and understanding to the masses.

Stuart also holds and has held numerous high profile scientific roles including President of the Royal Scottish Society of Arts, President of the Westmorland Geological Society and of the Edinburgh Geological Society. He has been co-Convenor of the Scottish Earth Science Education Forum since 2003, a voluntary group he helped establish to support a greater understanding of earth sciences in Scottish schools and colleges. In 2003 he was also appointed by Scottish Ministers to serve on the Scottish Science Advisory Council, a national forum which provides strategic advice to the Scottish Government on scientific issues.

Stuart’s presentation will take place on Monday 21^st January, at 7.30pm in the School of Midwifery, University of Dundee Fife Campus, 5 Forth Avenue, Kirkcaldy, KY2 5YS. £8 for adults, free for under 18s, students and RSGS members. Tickets are available on the night from the venue. To find out more about the RSGS visit www.rsgs.org.

John Pilkington Shares His Journey from Georgia to Afghanistan this January

A BBC Journalist, writer and speaker who has been called “one of Britain’s greatest tellers of travellers’ tales” will speak in Aberdeen, Dundee, Dunfermline and Edinburgh from the 7th-10th January.

John Pilkington will share the story of a trip from Georgia to Afghanistan following a less-travelled branch of the Silk Road.

This talk is part of the Royal Scottish Geographical Society’s Inspiring People talks programme.

John Pilkington, a journalist and broadcaster with the BBC World Service and Radio 4, followed a spectacular branch of the Silk Road from the Caucasus across the Caspian Sea to Samarkand. He then turned south-east to explore the High Pamirs of Tajikistan and Afghanistan – a region well-known to Marco Polo – before finishing in Kashgar, China’s so-called ‘Crossroads of Asia’.

John Pilkington.

Take a Trip up Highway 89 at RSGS Talk

TAKE A TRIP UP HIGHWAY 89 AT RSGS TALK

Mountaineer Ian Mitchell shares his stories of Cowboys, Indians, Mormons and Mineworkers.

Ian Mitchell will take audiences a journey along Highway 89 in his talks in Edinburgh, Glasgow and Perth next week. His illustrated lecture features his most recent trip in the Rocky Mountain region.  along Highway 89 from the Mexican to the Canadian borders, through Arizona, Utah, Wyoming, Idaho and Montana, in search of Cowboys and Indians, Pre-Columbian civilizations, Mormons and Mineworkers.

Ian's journey took him through some of the USA's most staggering National Parks including Zion, Yellowstone and Glacier, and also ventured into the backwoods of mountain America, to the Hanksvilles and Pinedales where a tourist is hardly seen. This is portrait of Mountain America at a time of crisis and change in US society.

Ian R Mitchell is a successful writer and mountaineer.  He co-wrote the classic Scottish mountaineering book Mountain Days and Bothy Nights  and A View from the Ridge which won the prestigious Boardman-Tasker Prize for Mountain Literature.  He has been published widely in newspapers and journals and has appeared on radio and television programmes on travel and the outdoors, such as BBC’s Landward, Country File and Country Trax programmes. 

This talk is part of the Royal Scottish Geographical Society’s Inspiring People talks programme.  

Ian Mitchell’s Talk ‘Up the Rocky Mountain Spine’ will take place at the following venues

November 6th:  

Perth: Perth Concert Hall, Mill Street, Perth, PH1 5HZ at 7.30pm.

November 8th:

Glasgow: Renfield St Stephens Church Centre, 260 Bath Street, Glasgow, G2 4JP at 2.15pm 

Edinburgh: Appleton Tower, 11 Crichton Street, Edinburgh, EH8 9LE  at 7.30pm. 

Tickets are £8 for adults, and free for students, under 18s and RSGS members.  Tickets are available on the day from the venue. For more information about any of our talks this season please visit www.rsgs.org/events/