REACH team wins Vice-Chancellor's Research Engagement Award

This year, the Vice-Chancellor’s Award for Research Engagement went to the REACH programme, a project based in the School of Geography and Environment and funded by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. Dr Callum Munday, Fellow by Special Election in Geography, was part of this team whose overall research aim was to improve water security for 10 million people in East Africa and Bangladesh.

As part of the programme, Callum led two climate field observational programmes in Kenya in 2021 and 2024, together with the University of Nairobi and Kenya Meteorological Department. The aim of the field projects was to improve understanding of societally damaging floods and droughts, which regularly affect East Africa. One of the latest projects also involved former Hall undergraduate Geographer Abi Jones, who is now a PhD student at the University of Bristol.

The projects have built an observational database of climate processes which can be used to test and to improve weather forecast and climate models. The hope is that by improving these models we can better understand how climate change will influence weather extremes in East Africa.

More information about the collaborations and photos from the project can be found at www.riftjet.com and https://reachwater.uk/.

The Vice-Chancellor’s Awards recognise the achievements and celebrate success across the collegiate University, from academics and researchers to professional, technical and support staff. In 2024, there were 250 award entries, with 1,500 individuals included in the nominations, from all parts of the University and colleges.

Many congratulations to Callum and the REACH team!