Shixin Zhao reflects on how support from the RMetS Legacies Fund enabled him to attend and present his research at the RMetS Early Career and Student Conference.

My Experience at the 2026 RMetS Early Career and Student Conference, Supported by the Legacies Fund
I am very grateful to the RMetS Legacies Fund for supporting my attendance at the 2026 RMetS Early Career and Student Conference, held at the University of Exeter from 6 to 8 July. The funding made the journey possible for me, while the generous arrangements for accommodation and food made the whole experience comfortable and welcoming. The University of Exeter was also a wonderful venue, with a pleasant environment in which to meet, learn and exchange ideas.

I gave an oral presentation, “Attributing Climate Hazards at UNESCO World Heritage Sites”, in the Attribution and Drivers session on July 8th. I shared my research on how attribution science can help identify the human influence on climate hazards affecting cultural World Heritage Sites and support more informed risk management. Presenting this heritage-focused work to a meteorology and climate audience was a valuable opportunity to communicate across disciplines and receive thoughtful questions and feedback.

One of the highlights was learning from other researchers in my session. Their work introduced me to technical methods and approaches that I had encountered before but had not yet applied myself. Hearing how they used these tools in different types of attribution studies made the ideas much more concrete and gave me useful directions for strengthening my own research.

I also learned a great deal from the wider programme and the large range of posters. The Climate Impacts and Resilience session was especially relevant, offering perspectives I can draw on when connecting climate hazards with risk assessment, adaptation and decision-making in heritage context.

As an RMetS member coming from a cultural heritage background, I found the community exceptionally friendly and open. The conference showed me that there is a real place for interdisciplinary researchers like me to share our work. I left Exeter with new ideas, new connections and greater confidence in contributing to this community.

My sincere thanks go to the RMetS Legacies Fund, the organisers and the hosts for making this experience possible.

Find out more about the RMetS Legacies Fund