Events & Courses

Geological issues are increasingly intruding on the everyday lives of ordinary people. Whether it’s onshore exploration and extraction of oil and gas, carbon capture and storage (CCS) or underground storage of radioactive waste, many communities are being confronted with contested geological interventions under their backyard. As well as being able to communicate the technical aspects of such work, geoscience professionals also need to appreciate that for most people the subsurface is an unfamiliar and invisible realm.

In order to engage communities and individuals in effective dialogue about geological activities, an appreciation of what ‘the public’ know is needed, but this is a subject in its infancy. In an attempt to provide insight into these key issues, this study uses the psychological method of ‘Mental Models’ to explore people’s perceptions of the subsurface. By working with three villages in the South West of England, a general model of public perceptions of the geological subsurface has been constructed and the concepts it reveals are interesting and often unexpected.

In this talk I will present the initial results of this interdisciplinary study and discuss the implications of this work for geoscience communication.

Time

7pm start with refreshments available from 6.30pm

Speaker

Hazel Gibson, PhD research student, Plymouth University

Further information

Please let the East Midlands Regional Group know if you plan to attend so we can judge refreshments

Please note: the date above (14 July) is the correct date for this event. The date of 24 July listed in the recent Society newsletter - Issue 261 is incorrect.