PERCAT Rep for the School of GEES.
What is your academic background and your current research field?
I am currently a Marie Curie Global Fellow in in GEES in collaboration with the School of Public Health at the University of Sao Paulo, Brazil. I use participatory research methods to explore young people’s everyday experiences and adaptive practices related to resource insecurity and disaster risk in the urban periphery of Sao Paulo, Brazil. I hold a PhD in political sciences with a focus on environmental justice and community participation in response to environmental pollution. I also have several years of experience in environmental and development consulting with a focus on climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction.
What is your role as a PERCAT Rep and how can postdocs in your school contact you?
As a PERCAT rep, I am keen to promote PERCAT activities and to create connections between the post-docs between the different Schools. I can be reached by email (s.borner@bham.ac.uk) or Twitter (BornerSusanne). I am also happy to grab a coffee when I am on campus or to meet remotely over Zoom when I am in Brazil for fieldwork. Feel free to reach out if you have any questions or would just like a friendly chat to learn more about PERCAT.
What do you feel are the benefits of the PERCAT programme for postdocs and what do you feel have been the benefits to you from being a postdoc rep?
PERCAT offers a significant support to career development and skills training. Moreover, it offers an (in)formal platform to connect with fellow researchers and to create new networks. I have found the support from PERCAT immensely beneficial myself and I have participated in a range of trainings ranging from funding applications and career development to time management and the informal “Potluck café”. Thanks to the growing offer of virtual events, PERCAT has helped me feel connected to the research community in GEES and at UoB while in Brazil.