17 July 2008 New centre to foster interdisciplinary research and knowledge growth

The Centre for Land, Environment and People (LEaP) will foster interdisciplinary Research, among Lincoln University academics and external partners, within five research "themes".

The five "themes" are:

• Changing landscape
• Climate change, peak oil and society
• Global justice and environmental policy
• Human dimensions of fisheries and aquaculture
• Tourism, business and community.

Each of these themes encompasses areas of existing or emerging expertise among Lincoln University researchers.

"We see LEaP as a network for sharing and creating knowledge and a way of enhancing the economic, environmental and social stability of communities in New Zealand and elsewhere," says the Director of the new centre, Associate Professor Susanne Becken.

"A particular focus will be to improve our understanding of local - global change interactions by motivating and engaging stakeholders to participate in 'making a difference."

"The success of the Centre will depend very much on what everyone makes of it," says Associate Professor Becken.

Associate Professor Becken is a tourism specialist with particular interests in the issues of oil consumption and international travel and the impact of climate change on tourism. The Deputy Director is Professor of Landscape Architecture, Simon Swaffield.

The Centre, which exists in virtual form, is accessible from http://www.leap.ac.nz/. The resources available on this website are of interest to academics, research users and others interested in the respective themes. The site is dynamic and will be updated regularly.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT

Associate Professor Susanne Becken, Environmental, Society and Design Division, Lincoln University 
Ian Collins, Communications Group, Lincoln University