ID PhD Research and Travel fund - European Association of Social Anthropologists

Avery Newell, PhD student from the school of PAFS (and formerly GSIS Sustainable Development) spoke of her valuable time in Poland noting:

"Through the generous funding from the Graduate School at St. Leonard's College, I was able to travel to Poznan in Poland in July 2026 to the European Association of Social Anthropologists (EASA) to be a co-convenor on the panel Everyday Maintenance of Energy Infrastructure in a Polarised World in collaboration with researchers at the University of Fribourg, Switzerland. I met researchers from across the world studying energy infrastructure, from heat pumps, EV car batteries, small-scale hydropower, to national oil and gas companies. Each researcher postulated how infrastructure is maintained through community, social systems and through economics. 

I met researchers both within and outside of my panel, attended incredibly informative and interesting talks and discussions on energy and its transcendence across multiple disciplines. The theme of the EASA 2026 was polarisation, yet I found that scholarly unity and interdisciplinarity a strong focus, which allowed me to explore subject matter within geography, sustainability, anthropology, political science, education, medicine, and more. I gained numerous connections across the world that may lead to potential collaborations in the future. I am deeply grateful for receiving the Interdisciplinary PhD Research & Travel Fund and its impact on my future career has been irreplaceable!"