Geography: Geohazards – Volcanoes, Earthquakes, Floods and Landslides with Professor Paul Nathanail from The University of Nottingham

Professor Paul Nathanail from The University of Nottingham has combined research, teaching and real world practice for over 30 years. He has worked across the UK and the rest of the world, including Nepal, Cyprus, China, Belize, Spitsbergen, Brazil, South Africa.

Outlining this interactive webinar session Paul explains, ‘Hurricanes are battering the Caribbean and a devastating earthquake has killed more than 200 people in Mexico as I write this.  Knowing where earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, landslides, hurricanes and floods can occur helps us plan. It is much harder to predict when such events will happen or their magnitude. We can avoid some locations; build structures that can withstand the effects of powerful natural forces or allow for some redundancy as long as human life is protected.’

This session will start with plate tectonics and end with a challenge: If we cannot manage what we do not understand, how can we understand the services our planet offers us and the ways it threatens us?

Professor Nathanail will share his passion for his science with students who will be able to discuss the concepts with him and ask questions related to the subject or, more generally, about studying at Nottingham.

Lecturer Biography: Professor Paul Nathanail

Suitable for: Year 12 and 13 students studying, or with an interest in studying, Environmental Geoscience; Geography; Physical Geography; Geology.

Preparation/Pre-Reading: Please ask students to follow news items on recent earthquakes, landslides, flooding, hurricanes and volcanic eruptions – the BBC website is a good source of such stories.

The IT Setup: The setup is similar to Skype, using a pc and webcam, although students take part as a group with the image projected on a whiteboard rather than as individuals in front of lots of pcs. Dedicated videoconferencing equipment is also compatible if available to the school. We will work with your IT department to ensure everything is set up and working prior to the event. The sessions are generally limited to 3 or 4 schools to maintain the interactive nature of the experience.

Booking a Place: Invitations to this event will be sent to schools by The University of Nottingham. Following an invitation, if you have a group of students that you think would benefit from taking part in this event, please contact us via email or via the contact form at the top right of this webpage (or at the bottom if you are using a mobile device). Subject to availability we will then book your place.