Two masters students in the Coastal Communities and Regional Development program have been awarded a grant for their master’s thesis from the Icelandic Regional Development Institute (Byggðastofnun).

Frances Simmons was awarded a grant for her thesis research about how place attachment relates to perception of climate change-related hazards. “My thesis looks into place attachment and perceptions of the landscape, through a case study in Patreksfjörður in the southern Westfjords,” she explains. “The aim of the project is to examine the importance of people's emotional connections to place, in connection with the impacts on communities from natural disasters, climate change, and the construction of adaptation or protective measures, driven by an interest in rural community resilience.” Studying a community in pandemic times can be challenging, but Frances found an innovative way to engage with the local community. “The study is also testing virtual walking tours as a research method, in an attempt to find ways to conduct meaningful participatory research and community consultation during the pandemic,” she explains.

Tyler Wacker is also a Coastal Communities and Regional Development student who was awarded a grant. His thesis is on how Unconditional Basic Income (UBI) could foster innovation and enhance resilience in the outlying communities of Iceland. “The thesis research will examine how unconditional basic income in Iceland could foster innovation throughout Iceland and enhance resilience in outlying communities,” says Tyler. Although UBI could be used as a means to create an environment for innovation for all industries in Iceland the research will particularly focus on one sector in particular. “The research will aim to follow the creative industry since they are more likely to be the first to innovate if UBI was implemented,” Tyler explains and adds that he is also seeking to determine how much money is determined to be a livable wage, as well as what types of innovation could be expected. “This research will finally focus on migration motivations from outlying communities to the capital area and how UBI could influence these decisions.”