News, Jobs, Events, Opportunities and lots more...
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A quick round up of this week's news, jobs and opportunities
News
ACCESS Leadership College Project on Advancing Leadership in Environmental Social Science
Members of the ACCESS Leadership College have completed a project on Advancing Leadership in Environmental Social Science Through Reflective Practice.
The project, led by Jaya Gajparia (ACCESS, University of Exeter) and Richard Bridge (Defra), tested and explored what effective leadership development could look like within Environmental Social Science, creating space for new ideas, approaches, and practices to emerge through collaboration and reflection.
The project has developed two detailed theories of change, which set out clear pathways from activities to intended outcomes and longer-term impact and will be published shortly.
Learning to write grants, one step at a time
To succeed in the world of research, you need to become successful at grant writing. Regardless of whether you work in a university, NGO, consultancy, or public body, your time, your colleagues’ time, and the resources you want to use, all need to be funded.
In this blogpost, Sarah Golding (ACCESS Knowledge Exchange Fellow, University of Surrey) describes the steep learning curve she experienced when first navigating the grant writing process and shares the valuable lessons she learned along the way.
Events
Online launch – Travel Towards Net Zero: A Toolkit for Low Carbon Tourism Travel
Wednesday 7 October, 12.301.30pm, online
The Travel Towards Net Zero toolkit is a practical guide that helps tour operators support customers to move from plane to train and develop no-fly holiday travel habits.
This event will launch the toolkit, developed by Stewart Barr, Alex Gough, Gareth Shaw, Ewan Woodley of the University of Exeter in collaboration with Inghams and Inntravel.
CECAN Webinar: Place-Based Evaluation Is Missing the Point About Place
Thursday 15 October, 12–1pm, online
Join Matt Healey, CECAN Fellow and Co-Founder of First Person Consulting, for a webinar exploring what it really means to evaluate place.
Drawing on his CECAN Fellowship, Matt will introduce the Some of Place framework, offering practical ways to move beyond treating place simply as a geographic setting and towards more meaningful, complexity-informed evaluation.
Communicate Conference 2026
Tuesday 17 November, Manchester; Wednesday 18 November, London; Thursday 19 November, Bristol; & online
Communicate 2026 brings together the latest research, innovative approaches and inspirational voices. Expect new thinking, practical takeaways, networking and connection, learning, debate, inspiration, and – as ever – a chance to work together on impact and shared purpose.
The programme features sessions, field trips, networking and learning, with online attendees able to access 30+ hours of content for two weeks after the event.
Jobs
Project Manager - External Funding (Forestry England)
Forestry England is recruiting a Project Manager – External Funding to support its national Nature Recovery Programme and help develop sustainable funding for its Biodiversity Plan. The role will focus on identifying and assessing future grant and investment opportunities, developing funding strategies, and building partnerships across the public, private, philanthropic and environmental sectors.
The successful candidate will have experience in fundraising or external funding, stakeholder engagement and strategic project work, with an understanding of biodiversity, natural capital, ecosystem services or environmental markets. Experience of environmental finance, government or the public sector, and project management is desirable.
The role is full-time, fixed term until 31 March 2029, with the possibility of extension or permanency. It can be based at a Forestry England office with blended working and involves occasional travel across England.
Salary: £40,388 plus Civil Service pension
Location: Forestry England offices, with national travel
Closing date: Monday 21 September, 11.55 pm
Postdoctoral Impact Associate (University of Exeter)
The University of Exeter is recruiting a Postdoctoral Impact Associate to join the ESRC/UKRI-funded Governing Sustainable Futures project. The role will focus on building partnerships, supporting stakeholder research and translating research findings into practical impact, working with community groups, local authorities, public bodies and other partners.
The successful candidate will have a PhD or equivalent experience in Human Geography, Political Science or a related social science discipline, alongside experience of knowledge exchange, participatory research or generating research impact.
This is a full-time, fixed-term contract to 30 September 2028.
Salary: from £34,610
Location: Exeter/hybrid
Closing date: Friday 25 September
Research and Innovation Fellows (Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC))
Scotland's Rural College brings together biological, environmental, economic, social and data sciences with education, veterinary and diagnostic services, advisory work, farms and specialist facilities.
SRUC is recruiting 8–12 Research and Innovation Fellows to establish and lead distinctive programmes of research or innovation over appointments of up to five years. The opportunity spans areas including sustainable food and farming, environmental resilience, AI and technology, nature restoration, rural economies and behaviour change, with applications welcomed from academic and non-academic backgrounds.
Salary: £43,151–£51,018 per annum
Location: Flexible
Closing date: Monday 28 September
Funding
ESRC ReAct Awards (Pilot)
The ESRC is offering £1.5 million through its new ReAct Awards pilot, supporting time-critical research that can respond to emerging evidence needs in UK public services.
Awards of £50,000–£100,000 can support projects lasting up to six months, with applications requiring a confirmed partnership with a UK public-sector organisation able to act on the research findings.
Closing date: Thursday 8 October
Pre-announcement: ESRC Applicant-Led Challenge Awards
Apply for funding to bring people, expertise and ideas together in ambitious, larger-scale programmes. Challenge awards tackle major research, economic and societal challenges, generating impactful new knowledge and innovation.
You must be based at a UK research organisation eligible for ESRC funding.
The full economic cost (FEC) of your project can be between £2 million and £10 million. ESRC will fund 80% of the FEC. Projects can be up to five years in length.
Researchers interested in applying are encouraged to start developing ideas and partnerships now.
Opportunities
UKERC Inclusive Writing Retreat 2026
Tuesday 17 – Wednesday 18 November, Cardiff
Applications are now open for UK Energy Research Centre's (UKERC) Inclusive Writing Retreat.
The retreat is open to UK-based, energy-focused Early Career Researchers, with dedicated writing time, group sessions and networking opportunities.
Closing date: Saturday 26 September
Call for Evidence: Climate adaptation
The Environmental Audit Committee is examining whether the UK is doing enough to prepare for the impacts of climate change.
The inquiry will look at key risks including flooding, heat, water shortages and extreme weather, as well as the resilience of infrastructure, farming and public services. It will also consider how government should measure progress and coordinate adaptation efforts.
The Committee is currently inviting written evidence, with submissions due by
Closing date: Wednesday 21 October
Info
First pine marten kits recorded in Devon
A conservation project for Devon Wildlife Trust has captured camera-trap footage of the first pine marten kits born in Devon for more than a century. The young were born following the release of 15 pine martens on Dartmoor in 2024 as part of the Two Moors Pine Marten Project.
The successful breeding suggests that the reintroduced animals are settling and beginning to establish a population, providing an encouraging milestone for pine marten recovery in the South West.
Article: Why poetry matters for climate communication
An article in The Conversation explores how poetry can offer a different way of engaging with climate change, complementing scientific evidence with imagination, emotion and personal experience. Rather than simply communicating facts, poetry can help people picture what uncertain climate futures might feel and look like, making abstract environmental changes more tangible.
The author, Heena Dave (University of Stirling) suggests that speculative poetry can encourage us to notice changes in familiar places and consider how our communities might experience climate change. It also highlights research suggesting that poetry can evoke strong emotional and physical responses, helping people engage with complex issues that can be difficult to express through conventional forms of communication.
Video: Farming - Climate Conversations
The summer of 2026 will be remembered for extreme heat and drought. These extraordinary conditions hit every sector of the UK, but the farming community felt the sharpest edge.
In this Climate Conversation from the Met Office, we hear from Dorset farmer Ian Baggs about the daily challenges of too much winter rain and the lack of rain in the following months. Alex Burkill sits down with Professor Pete Falloon, Met Office Lead on Food Security, to explain why it’s more than just climate trends; it’s these violent climatic swings.
Join the ACCESS Expert Database of environmental social scientists
Join our growing Expert Database to connect with other environmental social scientists, share your research and find opportunities for collaboration.
Our database includes social scientists working in academia, the public sector, charities and businesses.
Joining takes only 15 to 20 minutes through our online form.
Send in your news
Thank you to all the contributors who sent items in for this week's newsletter.
Do get in touch if you have any events, job or funding opportunities or new research that you would like to share with the ACCESS Network.
And if you have any feedback on the newsletter, we'd love to hear it.
Email me (Kirstie) at: k.hatcher@surrey.ac.uk
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