News from the School of Life Sciences

The vital role of bacteria during oil spills

An international team of scientists, led by Dr. Tony Gutierrez, has revealed the first evidence that certain species of bacteria…
Marine Biology graduate wins internship

Shanna Paterson, one of this year's BSc Applied Marine Biology graduates, has won a prestigious Internship from the Fisheries Society…
Kathryn competes at World Championship event

Swimmer and Heriot-Watt student, Kathryn Johnstone, recently competed in the British Gas World Championship Trials in Sheffield.
Students launch special edition beer

Four Heriot-Watt University students have created a special-edition brew which takes the best of brewing traditions from Scotland, the…
Ocean acidification report presented at United Nations

A report co-ordinated by Dr Sebastian Hennige and Professor Murray Roberts from the School of Life Sciences was presented at the United…
Deep-sea shark nursery found in Outer Hebrides coral reef

Marine biologists from Heriot-Watt have discovered a deep-sea shark spawning ground on Scotland’s only inshore coral reef.

Staff take part in European Conference

A large group of researchers from Heriot-Watt University's School of Life Sciences participated at the recent Conference of the Society…
Transatlantic Beer: Old World Traditions, New World Techniques

A team of brewing students will combine the best of old world and new world brewing in a specially created limited edition beer…
Mussels as big as size 9 shoes set to reveal their secrets

A diving expedition off the north coast of Scotland is set to discover the secrets of mussels as big as size 9 shoes.
Making a conservation conundrum add up

Scientists at Heriot-Watt are helping conservationists who are working in rare habitats.
Field work in the desert

Professor David Hopkins, Head of School of Life Sciences, joins an international research programme in the Namib Desert in Namibia.
Heriot-Watt scientists at the Dunbar Science Festival

Researchers from across Heriot-Watt brought some exciting interactive science to the annual Dunbar Science Festival, which took place…

Student wins medal at international swimming event

Kathryn Johnstone, a third year BSc Sport and Exercise student, has won a bronze medal at an international swimming competition.
Appointment to EC Scientific Committee

Professor Teresa Fernandes from Heriot-Watt University's School of Life Sciences has been appointed as a member of the Scientific…
Climate Change MSc students quiz Westminster parliamentarians

The students have had an opportunity to ask politicians and government scientists directly how the UK parliament was tackling the…
New funded postgraduate places at Heriot-Watt

Heriot-Watt University is pleased to announce a major new funding opportunity for postgraduate students domiciled in Scotland to study…
PhD student presents research at the House of Commons

School of Life Sciences PhD student Jen Loxton has been selected to make a presentation on her research work in Antarctica at the…
Do teens drive their parents to distraction?

A lecturer from Heriot-Watt University is seeking teenagers and their guardians to take part in a research project investigating what…

Heriot-Watt researchers in flame shell reef discovery

A huge colony of an elusive and brightly coloured shellfish species, possibly the largest of its kind in the world, has been mapped by…
Robots to rescue coral reefs

Researchers at Heriot-Watt are developing a swarm of intelligent robots to help save coral reefs.
Heriot-Watt students secure prestigious Saltire Foundation internships

10 Heriot-Watt undergraduate students have secured an eight-week placement offered by the prestigious Saltire Foundation Internship…
The Spirit of Heriot-Watt Award Winners Announced

The winners of the 2012 Spirit of Heriot-Watt Awards were announced at a special event hosted by the Principal on Tuesday 12 June.…
Changing Oceans Expedition

Heriot-Watt University's Changing Oceans Expedition is studying how deep-sea coral reefs will respond to future global climate change…
Changing Oceans expedition

With the oceans warming and moving towards acidity, will Scotland's cold-water corals die out within a hundred years as some predict,…

Success for BrewDog founder and Heriot-Watt Alumnus

BrewDog, a Fraserburgh-based manufacturer of hand crafted artisan beers co-founded by Heriot-Watt University brewing graduate Martin…
Research projects demonstrate interdisciplinary innovation

The first six collaborative research projects to be funded from the new Heriot-Watt Crucible Interdisciplinary Project Fund were…
Under the Antarctic Southern Sea

Jen Loxton, a Marine Biology PhD student at Heriot-Watt, is off on a two month expedition in the Antarctic, diving to gather samples…
Heriot-Watt University Honorary Graduates, November 2011

Politicians, the Team Principal of the Mercedes GP PETRONAS Formula One team, and the Chief Executive of the Edinburgh Chamber of…
Heriot-Watt athletes among scholarship Olympic hopefuls

Heriot-Watt students are among Scottish Olympic and Paralympic hopefuls selected for sports scholarships under the Winning Students scheme.
Alex Salmond opens Heriot-Watt's new purpose-built Dubai Campus

Heriot-Watt’s new £35m (ED200m) purpose-built campus has been opened by First Minister Alex Salmond at Dubai International Academic City.

Professor Geoff Palmer to be made a freeman of Midlothian

Professor Geoff Palmer, Professor Emeritus in the School of Life Sciences, is to be made a freeman of Midlothian.
A 'time machine' to study the future of our oceans

A new laboratory that will simulate the changing conditions of the seas around Scotland over the next 100 years has opened at Heriot-Watt.
Heriot-Watt students awarded at marine conference

The first conference of the Marine Alliance for Science and Technology for Scotland, held at Heriot-Watt University, proved to be a success
Dr Porter elected to Council of Linnean Society

Dr Joanne Porter, Lecturer in Marine Biology in the School of Life Sciences, has been elected to the council for the Linnean Society.
Calum takes gold at Karate Championships

Heriot-Watt PhD student, Calum Robb, won a gold medal at the European Universities Karate Championships in Bosnia.
Edinburgh taste buds to inform future of brewing

Students at Heriot-Watt's International Centre for Brewing & Distilling are trying to find out if Edinburgh drinkers’ tastes are changing.

First recipient of Dr Maia Strachan prize announced

Life Sciences student Rebecca Grieve has become the first recipient of the Dr Maia Strachan prize.
2011 graduations at Heriot-Watt University

Heriot-Watt University's week-long celebration of 2011 graduations came to an end on Friday 24 June.
Academics go back to school to get serious about gaming

Heriot-Watt University hosts first pan-European Serious Gaming Week
Cruise to investigate impacts of ocean acidification

Three Heriot-Watt researchers are onboard an RSS Discovery research cruise to study ocean acidification in European waters.
Heriot-Watt leads new food and drink network

Heriot-Watt University is to be a key player in a Scotland-wide innovation network to support the Scottish food and drink industry.
Heriot-Watt's Chemistry and Economics programmes rated top in Scotland

Heriot-Watt’s Chemistry and Economics degrees have been ranked top in Scotland by the Guardian newspaper university league table.

Dr Murray Roberts invited to join Climate Change Panel

Dr Murray Roberts has been invited to become a Contributing Author to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).
Government appointment for Professor David Hopkins

Professor David Hopkins has been appointed to the UK Government's Advisory Committee on Releases to the Environment (ACRE).
Professor to join World Health Organisation group

Professor Vicki Stone has been invited to join the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) Nanohealth External Review Group.
New research shows MP3 playlist priorities

Research from Heriot-Watt University into how people populate their MP3 players has shown how users prioritise their music playlists.
Trade mission to Cuba helps develop renewable energy resources

Dr Wilf Mitchell, School of Life Sciences, participated in a trade mission to Cuba to help turn an invasive weed into a valuable energy…
Graduate student made Rubenstein Fellow

Heriot-Watt graduate Sally Rouse is one of sixteen early career scientists to be made an EOL Rubenstein Fellow.

New Head of the School of Life Sciences announced

Professor David Hopkins has been announced as the new Head of the School of Life Sciences at Heriot-Watt University.
Diving for a cause

A postgraduate research project will use the local community to collect information about whale sharks in the Arabian Gulf and Gulf of…
Heriot-Watt University students excel at Commonwealth Games

Students from Heriot-Watt University took part in the recent Commonwealth Games in New Delhi, India.
Psychology degree programme comes top

Heriot-Watt’s Psychology degree programme came top in a survey that measured student satisfaction with university courses.
Heriot-Watt experts explore seas around Ullapool

Heriot-Watt marine biologists are exploring the seas around Ullapool to produce a survey of the area’s wildlife.
Save Our Sponges . . . they could save us

Valuable marine organisms that could have a major impact on the development of new medicines are under threat from deep sea fishing.

Graduate wins global award for brewing and distilling research

A Heriot-Watt graduate, Dr. Michaela Miedl, has won the 2009 Cambridge Prize of the Institute of Brewing and Distilling (IBD).
New research on stalking may be able to identify 'at risk' celebrities

New research carried by the School of Life Sciences could help identify which celebrities may be most at risk of attracting stalkers.
Stalking research

A Senior Research fellow and forensic physiologist at Heriot-Watt University finds that the impact of stalking is not confined to victims.

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