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Dear EdCMA Community 

Welcome back! We hope you all had a restful break and are ready for another exciting semester. With the new year upon us, we’re thrilled to kick off this spring with a packed calendar of events, new faces, and important updates to keep you in the loop. As always, we’re here to foster a vibrant and engaged community, and we can’t wait to share what’s coming up!

Mark Your Calendars: Not-to-Miss Events:

Our Annual Lecture on April 28th will feature Bharat Venkat, a leading scholar in the anthropology of climate change and environmental health, at UCLA. Bharat will be speaking about his new research examining the intersections of heat, vulnerability, and the social dimensions of climate crises, with insights into how environmental change reshapes everyday experience and health outcomes. His work draws on both contemporary and historical perspectives, shedding light on the anthropological complexities of adaptation, survival, and resilience in the face of a warming planet. This lecture promises to be a significant contribution to the ongoing conversations around medical and environmental anthropology, climate justice, and the ethical challenges of living in an increasingly hot world. We look forward to his thought-provoking presentation. Further details of the annual lecture time & place will be shared shortly.  

On June 27th, we’re excited to host ‘How to Think in a World on Fire’, a special event with Professor Sandra Laugier (Sorbonne) and Professor Richard Recthman (EHESS), organised by Lotte Segal. This lecture will explore the ethical dimensions of thinking and knowledge production in times of ecological and social crisis. It promises to be a powerful discussion. 

I would also like to welcome Suvi Jaakkola, our new ‘Science Journalist in Residence’. Suvi will be with EdCMA from January 13th to June 13th, supported by a prestigious scholarship from the European Research Council’s FRONTIERS program. We’re so excited to have her on board, and she’ll be offering some incredible insights into the world of science journalism & medical anthropology. 

Student-Led Initiatives

Our students continue to drive some of the most exciting initiatives at EdCMA. The Society for Medical Anthropology (SOMA) is running a weekly reading group and a writing group, both of which are open to all students interested in deepening their academic practice and connecting with others. They are also busy organising our annual Edinburgh-Durham workshop, an event for UG and PG students to present their work & research, hosted this year in Edinburgh. Details of the event coming soon. If you’re interested in any SOMA events, be sure to get in touch and join in. Please email Hugo Edgoose (H.Edgoose@sms.ed.ac.uk) or Marie Louise Wöhrle  (M.A.R.Wohrle@sms.ed.ac.uk) for details & meeting times. 

Stay Connected!

There’s always something going on at EdCMA, and we want to make sure you’re never out of the loop. For the latest updates, upcoming events, and more, be sure to check out our News & Events page regularly. And don’t forget—if you have news to share, we’d love to hear from you! Whether you’re organizing an event, presenting your research, or just want to connect, feel free to reach out. 

As we dive into this new semester, we are reminded of how lucky we are to have such a dynamic, creative, and passionate community. We look forward to seeing all of you—whether here in Edinburgh or from afar—at the events and projects we have lined up for the months ahead. 

Thank you for being part of the EdCMA community. 

Warmly,

Laurie