University of Edinburgh - Welcome Week Reflections

Despite COVID-19 restrictions, I was still able to attend a socially distanced outdoors Palaeontology and Geobiology induction on King's Buildings Campus (above).

On the afternoon of Tuesday, 15th September I met my course coordinators Professor's Steve Brusatte and Rachel Wood outside the School of GeoSciences Grant Institute Building (above). Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, research is carefully continuing under the new government guidelines, with fossil preparation of a new pterosaur specimen from the Isle of Skye seen taking place through the bottom right hand window. Despite a majority of my taught classing now online, I have found Edinburgh's interactive online platforms very engaging during this Welcome Week experience.

Views from Blackford Hill

The induction moved to a socially distanced walk up Blackford Hill (a short walk from the Grant Institute). There we were met with terrific views of Edinburgh, and were given an introduction to the local geology and geomorphology of the cityscape (see below):

View from Blackford Hill #1- Arthur's Seat (extinct Carboniferous Volcanic vent) to the right with the impressive Salisbury Crags (an igneous sill) to the left.

View from Blackford Hill #2- Edinburgh Castle sitting upon castle rock (extinct Carboniferous Volcanic plug) to the centre with the Royal Mile (a crag and tail glacial feature) sloping off to the right.

I hope to visit the campus more this semester, fingers crossed the pandemic is under control by then.

Kind Regards

Matthew Staitis