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Ms Hazel Reddington

I am a research assistant in the Department of Botany working with Dr Marcus Collier on the EU-funded GoGreen Routes initiative (outlined below). I am also assisting the EU-funded project ReNature which seeks to establish and implement a nature-based solutions research strategy in urban areas in Malta.

Previously, I graduated with a degree in Biomedical Science from Maynooth University (2019) where I studied the role of cell death in enhancing the efficacy of stem cell therapies. In the summer of 2019, I undertook an internship at the Royal Botanic Gardens Edinburgh where I assisted the Senior Tropical Horticulturist in the maintenance of the research and public-display tropical greenhouses. Following this, I obtained my MSc in Biodiversity and Conservation at Trinity College Dublin. My MSc research project examined the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on human-nature interactions in Ireland.

The interdisciplinary nature of my academic background reflects my deep-rooted interests in biodiversity conservation and human health. I am thus increasingly interested in nature-based solutions, as they focus on both of these topics.

Broad areas of interest include: Biodiversity conservation in human-dominated landscapes; Human-nature interactions in urban environments; Ecologically informed urban design; Nature-based solutions and Urban greening.

GoGreen Routes
How can nature-based solutions contribute to health? The GoGreen Routes project will answer this question. Its transdisciplinary consortium, comprising 39-partners, will pioneer a unique approach to nature-based solutions by creating green corridors and cultivating a positive human-nature relationship. The project’s goal is to position European citizens as world ambassadors of urban sustainability. Advancing mental health and well-being, the project's components will focus on nature-based enterprise, sustainable physical activity and digital, cultural and knowledge innovation. A knowledge ecosystem with urban communities will raise awareness about links between human and environmental health.

Funding Agency: European Commission Horizon 2020
Start Date: September 1st 2020
End Date: August 31st 2024