"My stay at Durham University was a great experience. I applied for this fellowship with the aim of running high-resolution trace element analyses on speleothems using the facility lead by Prof. Baldini", says Dr. Gabriella Koltai about her research visit to Durham University in September 2022.
Dr. Koltai from the Department of Geology at the University of Innsbruck spent five days at the Department of Earth Sciences at Durham University, working on cave deposits in the laboratory.
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She and her research colleagues analysed a stalagmite from an Austrian cave that was deposited at during the last deglaciation, a very interesting period characterized by large climate swings. They were interested in whether this stalagmite retains a volcanic signal related to the Laacher See volcanic eruption. Furthermore, they performed high-resolution trace element analyses of cave deposits, cryogenic cave carbonates to gain further insight into their formation mechanisms.

Moreover, Dr. Koltai gave a public lecture about her ongoing research on cryogenic cave carbonates that was followed by inspiring discussions with other members of the faculty which may lead to future collaborations. They will present these results at a conference (EGU 2023) and continue this research collaboration.

Dr. Koltai summed up her research visit by saying: "Prof. Baldini was extremely helpful and supportive; I had a very inspiring time at the University of Durham. I appreciate the financial support provided by the BritInn, the Faculty of Geology and Atmospheric Sciences, and the Research Center Geodynamics and Geomaterials."

Read the full report here:
BritInn Fellow Report

On 8 - 9 September 2022, the conference "Gender, Society, and Networks between 1750 and 1820: Maria Carolina of Naples-Sicily, a Prism of her Times?" took place at the University of Innsbruck.

"In this conference, we saw Queen Maria Carolina of Naples-Sicily as a prism, or more precisely as an intersection of overlapping crossovers that enables us to contextualise broadly defined social, economic, and political developments of the late-eighteenth and early-nineteenth centuries. This crossover was to be analysed both vertically – through social hierarchies – as well as horizontally across geographic regions throughout Europe in this period. In this context, Maria Carolina of Naples-Sicily served as a primary starting point and as a model for wider considerations of rulership, gender, societal change, familial status, and political participation as well as geopolitical shifts and dynastic integration and competition." says Dr. Ellinor Forster about the event.
Dr. Forster works at the Department of History and European Ethnology at the University of Innsbruck and co-organized the conference. BritInn was pleased to contribute with a fund.

Read the full report by Dr. Forster here:
Conference „Gender, Society, and Networks between 1750 and 1820: Maria Carolina of Naples-Sicily, a Prism of her Times?“, 8th/9th September 2022

Supported by "Förderkreis 1669"