…and I love what we do at For The Love Of Mapping!
My highlight of the week was delivering three days of tailored GIS training to the CENTA (Central England NERC Training Alliance) DTP, supported by Jamie MacManaway (a doctoral researcher based at Loughborough University, and all round good egg).
It’s been a lot of fun – and a lot more preparation. I’ve enjoyed it all.
Obviously I like maps and it’s always a joy sharing that passion, but I’ve also relished spending time with PhD researchers after a while away from the lab. If you want a handle on the state of the world, it’s always worth taking the time to talk to those working at the forefront of R&D. Great chats were had, and I left my own training course feeling like I’d learned lots, too.
Behind the scenes, Nick and I are planning some big things. Naturally, maps are involved. You’ll have to sit tight before I can share much more, though…
I’ve also held the first interview for a book I’m co-writing, and got the ball rolling on a potential work placement I hope to host this summer. I even managed to find the time to catch-up on those more urgent emails, which is NEVER a sentence I expected to type 🤣
I’m back in Shrewsbury for a week or two, now, and looking forward to a couple of events at the Croud Meadow and the Abbey, networking with fellow SMEs. You know the score by now: I love getting to know you all and if you fancy a chat over a cuppa, I’m always keen.
Thanks for reading and, if you celebrate, have a great weekend. Don’t forget to check in with your friendly local cartographer!
– Tom