K Gow
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kgjura.bsky.social
K Gow
@kgjura.bsky.social
Island dweller / accidental academic studying island connections & return migration at the University of Aberdeen / James Hutton Inst. Funding: Macaulay Devt Trust. Co-convenor of SICRI New Voices in Island Studies network.

#IslandStudies #IslandsResearch
Pinned
I figure I should post some things to give y'all some background in the hope of finding like-minded folk.

1) I live in a small island community in Scotland where I research from an island-centred perspective. Which means I feel very strongly about the 'R' word. So strongly I made a sign.

#Remote
Obsessed with this website I have found which lets you track
#StormAmy.

zoom.earth/maps/wind-sp...

#Weather #StormTracker #WindSpeed
Wind Speed Forecast Map | Zoom Earth
Interactive wind speed map. ICON and GFS models. Shows global forecasted surface winds.
zoom.earth
October 4, 2025 at 8:49 AM
Looks like I am going to be teaching in Iceland this November!

Really looking forward to being probably the only tutor ever to turn up in Ísafjörður and think 'wow - the big smoke!' 🤣

#Ísafjörður #Iceland
September 29, 2025 at 8:10 PM
Considering a move to an island? Forget worrying about how you will handle everyone knowing your business. The real question is how will you handle everyone having a vocal opinion on your business...

#IslandLife
September 29, 2025 at 8:00 PM
Reposted by K Gow
Done responsibly, tourism can be beneficial. But we need people to live in the region more than we need tourists.

We need vibrant, thriving communities, with families, young people, and skilled workers making the Highlands their home.

✍️ My latest blog: emmaroddick.scot/202...
September 18, 2025 at 4:23 PM
The thing about the proposed T plates which folk can put on their cars to show they are tourists in the islands is that we're already pretty good at spotting cars driven by tourists.
September 17, 2025 at 8:02 AM
The stags are roaring. That'll be autumn then. 🍁

#Autumn #Scotland #RedDeer #Fall
September 13, 2025 at 4:11 PM
I have long thought that the hum I hear is to do with my proximity to the submarine base.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

#TheHum
Islanders believe 'Hebridean hum' is submarine-tracking sonar
The persistent low frequency noise has reportedly caused health problems for people who can hear it.
www.bbc.co.uk
September 2, 2025 at 7:38 PM
Feeling miserable? Here is a photo of my happy dog on a beach with a rainbow to cheer you up.

#Dog #BorderCollie #BeachDog #Rainbow #MondayBlues
August 31, 2025 at 7:17 PM
Throwback to that time (1987) when the good folk of Whitehall thought that Jura would be the perfect location to dump nuclear waste and my grandad wrote a booklet about why this was a bad idea. Kinda puts those offshore windfarms into perspective.

#Jura #IsleOfJura #NuclearWaste #LocalHistory
August 31, 2025 at 6:32 PM
Back home after passing my PhD viva with (very) minor corrections. Still can't quite believe I got to do a PhD!

Thanks to everyone who has supported my work in big ways and small. I am v grateful!

#AcademicChatter #PhDLife #VivaSurvivor
August 21, 2025 at 6:18 AM
Return migration. An under-explored but potentially important way to tackle issues of island depopulation.

www.heraldscotland.com/news/2538932...

@heraldscotland.bsky.social
Singer issues rallying call for islanders to return home
A Scottish singer-songwriters has issued a rallying call for fellow islanders to return home to stem the declining population across the Outer…
www.heraldscotland.com
August 15, 2025 at 1:04 PM
Practicing for my imminent (Human Geography) viva using some fairly typical example questions.

Those of you who have been there already: what were the most interesting / curve ball questions you were asked? I'd like to get my brain thinking from different angles.

#Viva #PhDLife #AcademicChatter
August 10, 2025 at 8:17 PM
Strict rules on Copenhagen's boat bus (aka Ferry).

#Copenhagen #Ferry
July 3, 2025 at 10:02 PM
Surely this is an excellent opportunity for a good ol' public vote to name @orkneylibrary.bsky.social's new trollies?

My starter for 10 is Trolley Parton. Not only a great pun but v apt for all her book giving!

#OrkneyLibrary #PublicLibrary #DollyParton
Stop what you're doing and look at our lovely new book trolleys. ❤️
June 28, 2025 at 8:49 AM
Join us in Copenhagen or online on Wednesday to hear more about some of the latest islands research.

#Islands #Migration #Diaspora #Depopulation #YouthMigration #DanishIslands #ScottishIslands
How can Island Studies research support your work with communities, policy development & advocacy? Join us for an islands research briefing discussing
youth migration trajectories from Scottish & Danish islands, and the potential of the diaspora to support islands affected by depopulation.

#Islands
June 28, 2025 at 7:15 AM
That's the PhD thesIs submitted. It was hard work and only possible with the support of many, many people. Not least of all my participants & the wider Scottish island community. You're the reason I do this research, and I am so grateful for the support you have shown me these last 4 yrs. Thank you.
June 26, 2025 at 5:45 PM
Reposted by K Gow
📢 We’re #hiring: Graduate #ResearchAssistants (x4)

Our @huttonsegs.bsky.social department is looking to appoint four Graduate Research Assistants to support a wide range of ongoing interdisciplinary projects #GraduateJobs

📅 Deadline: 18 July 2025

Apply now: ow.ly/eZC350WfwEG
June 25, 2025 at 11:46 AM
I *think* I might have finished writing my thesis😲

#PhDLife #AcademicChatter #Thesis
June 25, 2025 at 6:56 PM
14 pages short... Had to go and nick some off my housemate.
I am about to print out the full draft of my thesis for final proofing.

The questions is, do I actually have 365 pages of printer paper? Time to take a gamble!

#PhDLife #AcademicChatter
June 20, 2025 at 6:30 PM
I am about to print out the full draft of my thesis for final proofing.

The questions is, do I actually have 365 pages of printer paper? Time to take a gamble!

#PhDLife #AcademicChatter
June 20, 2025 at 2:20 PM
How can Island Studies research support your work with communities, policy development & advocacy? Join us for an islands research briefing discussing
youth migration trajectories from Scottish & Danish islands, and the potential of the diaspora to support islands affected by depopulation.

#Islands
June 17, 2025 at 8:05 PM
Ahh, grumpy bear. If only this were true.

#Gàidhlig #Gaelic
June 16, 2025 at 8:25 AM
I love that I live in a world where folk still advertise a really big box on a community FB group. And, as an islander, I am immediately thinking 'that could be useful' even though it's not even on my island 😂

#BigBox
June 14, 2025 at 10:10 AM
Not sure what's next for me career-wise but I hope it includes this bunch of brilliant minds & lovely humans.

I'm so grateful to have found a supportive global community of #IslandResearchers over the last 3+ years & their research, stories & passion have greatly impacted my work.

Thank you all ♥️
June 7, 2025 at 6:12 PM
The thing about studying islands is that you get to go island conferences.

Hello Jersey!

#Jersey #StHelier #StreetArt #Mural #PublicArt #IslandLife
June 1, 2025 at 7:38 PM