Abstract: 

This talk will provide an overview of current study and research opportunities at the University of Birmingham in the College of Life & Environmental Sciences.  The College incorporates the Schools of Biosciences, Geography, Earth & Environmental Sciences, Psychology and Sport, Exercise & Rehabilitation Sciences.
 

Professor Bloss will give an introduction to the University of Birmingham and to the Schools and subjects within the College.  This will include recent research highlights, including work in the Birmingham Institute for Forest Research (where CO2 is being added to a natural ecosystem to study forest response and carbon storage); in environmental sciences (ranging from air and water pollution to environmental nanosciences), and in biosciences and genetics.

The talk will also introduce postgraduate study at the University, including Masters (MSc) and PhD programmes, and give a brief overview of MSc programme structures, opportunities and what it is like to live and study at Birmingham.

Short Bio: 

Professor William Bloss is Pro-Vice-Chancellor and Head of College for Life & Environmental Sciences at the University of Birmingham.

Professor Bloss completed his BA and PhD degrees at the University of Cambridge, specialising in Natural Sciences (Chemistry), before working as a Caltech Postdoctoral Scholar at the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, and then at the University of Leeds.  He joined the University of Birmingham in 2007.  An atmospheric scientist by training, Bloss leads the £5m WM-Air programme, which works with eternal partners ranging from the West Midlands Combined Authority and Transport for West Midlands through to HS2 and individual SMEs, to improve air quality strategy in support of improved health and economic development; WM-Air encompasses a portfolio of ca. 30 partner-led user-focussed  projects.  He runs the Birmingham Air Quality Supersite, one of three state-of-the-science monitoring stations nationally, has led over 20 externally funded research projects, including with international atmospheric science research projects in India, China, Antarctica, the USA and Europe.  

As Pro-Vice-Chancellor and Head of College, Professor Bloss leads one of the five academic Colleges, Life & Environmental Sciences (LES), which incorporates the Schools of Geography, Earth & Environmental Sciences, Biosciences, Psychology and Sport, Exercise and Rehabilitation Sciences.  Research highlights include the BIFoR forest research facility, the Institute for Mental Health and Centre for Human Brain Health, Movewell initiative for healthy lifestyles and wellbeing, and strengths in environmental health sciences ranging from clean air and water to environmental nanoscience.  The College educates a thriving undergraduate and postgraduate population of around 5500 students across the Edgbaston and Dubai campuses, and through Distance Learning approaches online.