Hello! My name is Aya El Samad, I am excited to be starting as a QUADRAT PhD student in October 2022 at the School of Geosciences at the University of Aberdeen. My project is titled ‘Understanding Social Values on Low Carbon Sub-surface Technologies in Scotland and Northern Ireland’. My project focuses on mapping the level of public understanding and social acceptance of CCUS and allied technologies in more than two contrasting UK regions.
In 2018, I completed my undergraduate degree in Environmental Sciences at the University of Balamand in Lebanon. Following that, I travelled to Scotland to complete my postgraduate degree in Environmental Partnership Management at the University of Aberdeen. In the past few years, I have held various positions working with low carbon and green tech start-ups. In my positions, I focused on outreach, engagement, and collaboration in the green tech field. The more I spoke to companies and people working in the field, the more I found myself interested in understanding how these different low carbon technologies impact communities and the value that they bring forward. This interest inspired me to apply for this PhD; it truly felt like a match made in heaven.
Having lived in Aberdeen before, I am very excited to be returning to the city and am excited for the opportunity to explore more of Scotland and the rest of the UK.
On a personal note, I have spent most of my life in Lebanon, a beautiful country on the Mediterranean Sea. In my free time, I love travelling and adventuring into new places. I enjoy reading about the real and fictional world and taking pictures of the places and people I love.
Always keen to grab a cup of coffee and have a chat! Please feel free to send me an email or reach me on Linkedin!
