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Who is Cabot Institute? Professor Guy Howard

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In conversation with Professor Guy Howard, Director of the Cabot Institute


Professor Guy Howard in the field


What is your role at Cabot Institute?

I am the Director of the Institute, providing overall strategic direction for the Institute, developing our external and internal partnerships, raising funds, and overseeing the Cabot team.

How long have you been part of Cabot?

An active member since joining the University of Bristol in 2019, taking part as a researcher. I was appointed Associate Director International in January 2021 and then became Interim Director in June and now Director from October.

What is your background?

I have a degree in Geology, a postgraduate diploma in soil and water engineering and a PhD on public health oversight of water supplies. I spent 12 years in Surrey and then Loughborough Universities at the start of my career, and then spent nearly 16 years working for the UK Department for International Development as a Climate & Environment Advisor, Infrastructure Advisor, and Policy Manager. I returned to academia as the Global Research Chair in Environmental and Infrastructure Resilience in the School of Civil Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering at Bristol.

What do you think is the biggest environmental challenge facing us today?

We have two: climate change, its impacts, and the loss of biodiversity. These are the defining challenges of the 21st century.

What is your favourite part of your job?

Working with the Cabot community to develop new proposals for research and impact and working with the fabulous Cabot team.

What are you most looking forward to over the next 10 years of Cabot?

I want Cabot to establish itself as a global leader on inter-disciplinary environmental research with a healthy portfolio of large and small research grants, a growing and active community, and strong partnerships with local, national, and global institutions. I am particularly excited about developing a new programme of work on climate change and heath over the next 3 years.

Anything else about who Cabot is and what you do that you would like to add?

Cabot’s a great example of how brining people together from different backgrounds and disciplines can lead to exciting new insights and projects – join us if you haven’t already!

Find out more about Guy here.

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