Exeter Research Collaboration Explores Human Perspective and Awe in Nature

Detail of Thomas Wright, An Original Theory or New Hypothesis of the Universe (London: 1750)’.

(IN BRIEF) Launching on Earth Day 2025, Perspective Shifts is a new creative research collaboration between the University of Exeter and Falmouth University. Dr Emmylou Rahtz and illustrator Phyllida Bluemel will explore how human perception of scale and awe in nature shapes environmental connectedness. Over several months, they will engage other researchers to reflect on the idea of perspective and co-produce an illustrated publication. Supported by the FX Creative Exchange, the project bridges art and science to spark new ways of understanding ecology, creativity, and sustainability.

(PRESS RELEASE) EXETER, 23-Apr-2025 — /EuropaWire/ — Launching on Earth Day 2025, a new cross-disciplinary collaboration is set to unfold at the University of Exeter and Falmouth University’s Penryn campus in Cornwall. Titled Perspective Shifts, the project brings together Dr Emmylou Rahtz, a Research Fellow at the University of Exeter’s European Centre for Environment and Human Health, and Phyllida Bluemel, Lecturer in Illustration at Falmouth University.

Spanning from April through July, Perspective Shifts explores the role of awe and scale in shaping human perception of the natural world. At its core, the project seeks to investigate how individuals orient themselves in relation to their environment, and how these perceptions influence their emotional and cognitive connection to nature.

The collaboration will be enriched through conversations with researchers from both universities and other experts whose work engages with the concept of scale—from the microscopic to the vast. These multidisciplinary dialogues will form the basis for a co-produced, illustrated publication designed by Bluemel. The publication aims to creatively capture the essence of these exchanges and invite readers to reflect on their own place within the larger ecological system.

Phyllida Bluemel shared her excitement: “There’s something wonderful about discovering common ground across disciplines. This opportunity has opened up space for ideas that don’t quite belong to any one field. I’m particularly excited to see how other voices will shape our evolving conversation.”

Dr Emmylou Rahtz echoed the sentiment: “From our very first meeting, Phyllida and I uncovered fascinating overlaps in our thinking. It’s inspiring to now expand that dialogue to include other researchers and gain new perspectives on shared themes around perception, scale, and connectedness.”

The project is part of the FX Creative Exchange—an initiative supporting emerging researchers at the University of Exeter and Falmouth University. Designed to foster collaborative research culture, the programme supports inquiry into creativity, ecology, sustainability, and the environment.

Dr Elze Hesse, Exeter lead for the initiative, said: “When artistic and scientific thinking combine, transformative ideas emerge. This project shows how early-career researchers can innovate across traditional boundaries.”

Dr Hue Lewis-Jones, representing Falmouth University, added: “Curiosity is at the centre of this programme. The FX Creative Exchange celebrates the act of beginning something—a new idea, a new collaboration, a new way of seeing.”

Jointly funded by the University of Exeter’s Environment and Sustainability Institute (ESI), Falmouth University, and Arts and Culture at Exeter, the FX Creative Exchange is building bridges between disciplines—and people.

For more information and updates, visit the FX Creative Exchange online.

Media contact:
pressoffice@exeter.ac.uk

SOURCE: University of Exeter