Meet the Global Challenges pathway leaders
As part of your degree you will study across the ‘core spine’ of Global Challenges, which is compulsory for all students. Here you’ll use creative thinking and research to look at the overarching theme of Global Challenges and the key questions of how the people of tomorrow will face, analyse, and manage the changing world. Creativity takes courage so we’ll challenge you to look at the world through different lenses and you’ll learn about innovators whose ideas were once seen as radical but have made a lasting impact on our world.
You’ll also have the opportunity to follow one of the four pathways of Global Challenges – Global Innovation, Planetary Health, Social Cohesion or Security. These four key areas have been specially selected not only as they are pressing issues faced by the international community, but also because of Brunel’s existing and emerging specialisms in these fields.
We’ve drawn on knowledge from across Brunel to inform the course so regardless of where you’d like to specialise you’ll benefit from our lecturers who really have a passion for their pathway.
Taught by experts across the arts, sciences and engineering
Core Spine
Led by Mandekh Hussein, Dr Enrique Castro-Sanchez, Dr Ian Farquharson and Dr Mary Richards who have wealth of experience in the natural and social sciences, technology and beyond. As the leaders of the compulsory section of the course, you’ll work closely with them on a week-by-week basis and they'll serve as the touchpoint for your studies, particularly in Year 1 and 2.
Global innovation
This pathway is led by Dr, Oytun Babacan who is a Senior Lecturer in Computer Science. Choose Global Innovation and you’ll be looking holistically at the various elements of marketing and design that will inform the sustainable development goals for products of today and the future.
Planetary Health
Dr Enrique Castro-Sanchez and Dr Ian Farquharson lead this pathway aiming to broaden current knowledge of how changes in our environment impact human health and what we can do influence this.
With work that has gone on to advise governments and industry on the risks of environmental chemicals, you’ll benefit from their expert knowledge of climate change and health. Their research has helped shape this strand into the three distinct perspectives of Planetary Health that you’ll learn; environmental, health impacts and socio-cultural and economic contexts.
Social Cohesion
Dr Matilde Rosina, leads this pathway for Global Challenges, where you’ll learn about the rise in the influence of media, as well as the growing social issues that we face in the globalised world of today.
Security
Dr Iain Farquharson heads up the security pathway of the degree. He’s well equipped to support this strand with a wealth of experience in military culture, security services and related fields.
Specialise your undergraduate degree on our pathways