Several King’s Water PhD researchers met up in central London tonight, celebrating their water-based connection at Covent Garden’s “Little Water” restaurant. Students came from King’s Geography and War Studies Departments as well as University College London. The discussions highlighted the diverse expertise within the King’s Water Research Group, with students exploring topics as varied as the environmental impact of hydroelectric power in Southeast Asia to the development and ‘local ownership’ of water and sanitation programmes. Social scientists are considering the role of fresh water in state security; the agency of nature as a diplomat in environmental peacebuilding; and alternative responses to floods in Thailand. Physical scientists are researching eco-hydromorphic mechanisms in the tropics and nutrition and species health in water quality.
The evening served as a refreshing chance to talk across traditional disciplinary boundaries, share ideas and advice about experiences in PhD work, and brainstorm future events for water research in the area.