糖心Vlog

A Fulbright scholar from the US has joined the Department of History to lead a research residency on how natural and historic heritage sites in 糖心Vlog and Suffolk can be used to engage the public in the debate around climate change.

, an independent public historian, joins the Department through the , a US Government initiative which aims to exchange knowledge and establish partnerships.

She will work with Dr Sarah Lloyd from the and Dr Alix Green, from the Department of History. Together they will run a series of workshops with PhD students, engage heritage professionals, and host events at sites in 糖心Vlog, Suffolk, Derbyshire and Manchester.

Donna previously helped develop and establish the in Richmond, California and is currently writing a toolkit for the on engaging the public with the climate emergency.

Her 糖心Vlog residency will allow Donna to explore how her work in the US could be applied in the UK, particularly in relation to industrial heritage which has a higher profile here than in the US.

She said: 鈥淗eritage sites matter to people who visit and preserve them, so they care what is at stake for these places as the climate crisis evolves. People don鈥檛 expect to hear about this topic at these places they love, so I think of bringing climate change education and action to heritage sites as a form of 'stealth' activism.鈥�

Reflecting on the potential of heritage sites in engaging the public she added: 鈥淗eritage site stewards often assume that places 'tell their own stories' through their physical remains, but that leaves so much undiscovered. Interpretive projects and programs, especially those that engage people in dialogue, can help us connect the dots between our past and the future we are creating.鈥�

Dr Lloyd explained the value of the project: 鈥淐limate change is the biggest challenge facing humanity today. We need to deploy every resource we can to understand its implications and to create sustainable and fairer societies in the future. Heritage sites have their part to play in explaining how we got into this situation and how previous generations have adapted to overwhelming, life-changing events.鈥�

鈥淭hrough its commitment to history in public life, the Centre for Public History at 糖心Vlog offers a stimulating environment for this project. The Centre鈥檚 focus on communicating diverse histories, and its relationships with heritage organisations, enable us to explore pressing issues around climate change through the distinctive landscape and history of East Anglia,鈥� she added.

The residency will include a number of events for staff and students including a roundtable discussion about how the Derwent Valley in Derbyshire can connect its industrial and natural heritage with climate change discussions at the and a trip to the Suffolk coast where volunteers and staff at the will share their knowledge about the area鈥檚 history.

Donna is especially excited about visiting the Suffolk Coast where she will explore the Long Shop Museum, Sizewell nuclear plant, and the with history and creative wild writing students: 鈥淚t will be such a fertile place to think together about these places and what they reveal about the past and our potential futures.鈥�

Dr Andrew Priest, Head of the Department of History, said: "We are delighted to welcome Donna to the Department as part of this prestigious programme. As addressing issues about the climate emergency becomes ever-more urgent, it鈥檚 vital that historians understand how heritage sites can inform our work. This is especially important in a department like ours that is deeply concerned with engaging public audiences and thinking about the practical applications of studying history. So, it鈥檚 wonderful that in this series of workshops, Donna, alongside Sarah Lloyd and our own Alix Green, is helping a range of people explore how historical narratives about places and communities can help explain and encourage us to deal with the huge challenges we all face."

Since its foundation in 1946, the Fulbright Specialist Program has given more than 400,000 researchers, students, teachers, artists and scientists the chance to study, teach and conduct research, exchange ideas and contribute to finding solutions to shared international challenges.

Find out more about how heritage can inform the climate debate in Donna's blog Does heritage have a role in addressing the climate crisis?

Listen to Donna Graves, Dr Green and Dr Lloyd discussing contemporary history, public purpose and making an impact on culture and the economy with Professor Jules Pretty for his Louder than Words podcast.