Calling all John Muir Award recipients

Did you do one of our Awards when you were young? Has it helped you make a lasting connection to nature? Please get in touch

Dr Ria Dunkley is a lecturer and researcher from the School of Education at the University of Glasgow who wants to find out if building a connection to nature during childhood and youth can lead to a life-long interest in the natural world. She explains how you can help...

"I’ve just begun a new research project exploring the effects of involvement in the John Muir Award. I’m keen to speak to people who took part in the John Muir Award as a child or young person to find out about what it’s meant to them in the longer-term.

"If you would be happy to give up an hour or so of your time for a conversation, please get in touch Ria.Dunkley@glasgow.ac.uk. The interview would be by telephone, or online using Skype or Zoom.

"I’ve chosen the John Muir Trust’s Award scheme as a case study for this research because it feels like a popular and established approach to building nature connection. The John Muir Award asks people to focus on everyday wild places and that’s interesting to me because it offers everyone the opportunity to enjoy nature and to undertake local environmental action. 

"I have been a lecturer and researcher at the University of Glasgow since 2017. In my research, I explore the fascinating topic of how people are connected to their surroundings, but I am driven by a desire to see change in relation to biodiversity loss and other environmental issues.

"As an environmental education researcher, I’m always seeking insights into whether experiencing the outdoors nurtures environmental awareness and influences how people feel about the environment. I seek to explore whether being in nature influences how we act and whether it encourages us to behave in more sustainable ways, or to get involved in supporting initiatives that prioritise the environment.

"If you would like to take part, or need further information, please get in touch. It doesn’t matter how long ago you participated in your John Muir Award, nor where or what level you achieved it. Whatever your experience in gaining your John Muir Award, I would be delighted to speak to you!"

Email: Ria Dunkley (Lecturer) Ria.Dunkley@glasgow.ac.uk

Profile: https://www.gla.ac.uk/schools/education/staff/riadunkley/

Photo: Fritillary by Toby Clark