UHI staff and student research conference a resounding success
The University of the Highlands and Islands (UHI) launched the new year with a staff and student research conference. The theme, ‘Research Horizons and Trajectories,’ centred around community, collaboration, and innovation within UHI’s vast research landscape.
The biennial conference provides an opportunity for UHI's research community to come together to celebrate and showcase their research, and to form collaborations. The fully hybrid event attracted 170 attendees, from a wide range of disciplines and research stages, with some traveling from as far as Italy and Shetland. The event was hosted across three venues on the Inverness Campus – UHI Inverness, An Lòchran, and the Life Sciences Innovation Centre. Delegates also enjoyed social networking, and a conference dinner hosted by the Drumossie Hotel.
Over 60 presentations were delivered across a variety of fields, including titles such as:
- ‘It's a zap - research supporting the Scottish Government's scientific trial on electrofishing for razor clams’
- ‘Lessons from Building an Offline AI Chatbot’
- ‘The development of the distress brief intervention, the Scottish Government’s world-leading intervention for people experiencing distress’
- ‘Sexing sheep horn-cores.’
On the opening day, delegates were welcomed by Professor Chris O’Neil, Principal at UHI Inverness. Sessions were aimed at supporting postgraduate researchers and highlighted UHI’s research excellence. Topics included the ALPINE scheme for Advance HE Fellowships, and insights from UHI alumnus Alisdair Wiseman, who shared his postgraduate journey and strategies for successfully completing a Viva. Parallel sessions explored themes such as business engagement, knowledge exchange, entrepreneurial mindset, and mentoring opportunities within UHI.
UHI Principal and Vice Chancellor, Vicki Nairn, introduced a plenary session on the theme of ‘Water,’ showcasing UHI’s leading international research on topics including pharmaceuticals in drinking water, deep-sea oxygen and the origins of life, Viking maritime communications, and beaver reintroduction.
Day two focused on UHI’s research horizons. Professor Derek McGhee, Dean of Research and Innovation, introduced a session on UHI’s research clusters, exploring advancements in marine science, humanities, health, and social sciences. A panel discussion explored regional research opportunities, including the Inverness and Cromarty Firth Green Freeport, biodiversity strategies, and innovative transport models. Parallel showcases covered themes such as rural healthcare, artificial intelligence, and sustainable communities.
The final day celebrated research excellence and future collaborations. Professor Emeritus Martin Price delivered a keynote reflecting on his five-decade career in research and knowledge exchange. The conference concluded with an awards presentation for attendees’ research posters.
PhD student Amy Jones won first prize with her poster titled ‘Radar remote sensing: where seabird habitat mapping meets tidal hydrodynamic associations’. Runners-up were Kathrine Mae Dubla with ‘Positioning Vietnam as a key player in the global seaweed industry’, and Mairi Todd with ‘Intergenerational rowing: impact on shared social identity, connection to place, and wellbeing.’
The conference concluded with a vote of thanks from Professor Brian Williams, Deputy Principal (Academic and Research):
"This conference is incredibly valuable for the UHI research community, and everyone’s participation and energy make it a success every time. A huge thank you to the organisers, and everyone who contributed—for all the presentations, discussions, questions, networking, and the friendly humour that pervaded every session."
Attendees praised the conference’s organisation and impact:
“Congratulations for organising such a well-executed UHI conference this year despite the weather conditions. It was an amazing opportunity to network and collaborate with researchers from diverse fields.”
Kathrine Mae Dubla, student at the Scottish Association for Marine Science
“A very big thank-you for all the time and effort in delivering a really successful conference. It was a real boost to start 2025 – professionally rewarding and personally enjoyable – so many great people around the network!”
Professor Stuart Gibb, Director at UHI Environmental Research Institute
“Thanks for organising such an enjoyable conference. It was a great way to kickstart the year and rekindle the enthusiasm for more collaborative working.”
Dr Steve Taylor, Director, UHI Centre for Recreation and Tourism Research
“Thank you so much for putting on such a motivating and inspiring conference. It was all so well organised, clear and productive. It was my first attendance at a UHI conference and based on that experience, I hope it will be the first of many.”
Amy Jones, PhD student at UHI Environmental Research Institute