Croy

My name is
Croy Langlands

I'm an enthusiastic and hard-working PhD researcher, qualified with an MSc Distinction in Environmental Sustainability from the University of Glasgow, and a first class in BSc (Hons) Geography from the University of Aberdeen, Scotland. My interests centre around researching environmental change and seeking a more sustainable future. My Geographical skills include gaining A grades in GIS mapping and data analysis modules at university. I've also developed field research skills while living and studying in Iceland, the Alps, Malta, and Scotland.
In October 2025 I will begin an IAPETUS DTP PhD, involving three 2 month-long fieldwork trips to remote parts of the Amazon rainforest. While in the jungle, I will use drones and ecological methods to survey biodiversity, and generate 3D models for estimating the carbon stored in these forests. Using machine learning (AI), estimations will be scaled over large areas. Knowledge exchange with rural traditional communities will be central to all stages of this project, to understand the role that local people play in nature conservation. 
In September 2024, two days after submitting my masters dissertation I travelled to Shanghai to start my 2-month journey across the entire Silk Road over land, officially starting in Xi-An, China, finishing my journey in Istanbul.
  • China
    My adventure started in the mega city, Shanghai. I was lucky to be shown around by my cousin, seeing ancient temples and giant skyscrapers in the day and DJing with him at the bustling multicultural bars in the evening. My next stop in China was a stark contrast to the vast crowds in Shanghai. After an 8-hour journey, my train emerged from the rolling jungle hills into Enshi City. Here I visited a friend who took me to China's version of the grand canyon. Feeling like I was in Jurassic Park, we trekked up huge cliffs and explored the second largest cave in the world (it was freezing!). Further west I visited the most populated city in the world, Chongqing. This gigantic city even had people living in caves underground! Next up was Chengdu, a charming city perched on the edge of Tibet. They were obsessed with pandas, even the busses were shaped like pandas. From here I travelled to China's ancient capital, Xi-An. A short distance away from here I visited the Terracotta Warriors, marveling at the scale and intricacy. Also in Xi-An, I visited a pagoda holding the scripts which first brought Buddhism to China and a waypoint marking the official beginning of the Silk Road! After a 16hr bullet train crossing the black sands of the Gobi desert I arrived in the northwestern corner of China and the most inland place on earth, Urumqi. Here I saw fascinating desert mummies over 4000 years old. These were so well preserved in the desert, even the people's tattoos were intact!
  • Kazakhstan
    My five days in Kazakhstan were based in Almaty, one of my favourite cities in the world! Almaty translates to origin of the apple. This means that you'll never be peckish in the city because every street is full of juicy apples free to snack on, if you manage to get there before the wild horses. Asides from the local cuisine and horses, the city is also full of young people, who come to study in some of the best universities in Central Asia. Because of this young population, swanky cafes, bars, and live music line the streets, making a really friendly atmosphere. Finally, to put you in context, if you ride the city's cable car and look north you'll see a vast expanse of Steppe terrain, feeling like your in the final city before Siberia. Swivel around, looking south, and your hurt your neck looking up at the snowcapped peaks over 7000m high. 
  • Kyrgyzstan
    The 94% mountainous country of Kyrgyzstan is unsurprisingly nicknamed the 'Switzerland' of Central Asia. Bumpy minibuses trundled us along a circumference tour of the country, first visiting a charming village on the northern sandy shores of Issyk Kul, which is the second largest mountain lake in the world and also believed to be the origin of Europe's Black Death plague. We stayed in a wooden lodge and I found my version of heaven, having a sunset swim in the calm lake. The highlight of Kyrgyztan was a 3 day trek up to the surreal blue mountain lake, Ala-Kul. The scenery felt so pristine, with valleys full of alpine trees and braded rivers, overlooked by gigantic glaciers on the edge of the Tien Shan mountains. Accommodation on the treks involved crawling into a yurt and sleeping under six duvets! The next valley along was a stark contrast to the huge forests in the trek, as it felt like Arizona, with rainbow coloured wacky sandstone formations, home to little more than lizards and cacti. 
  • Uzbekistan
    After a 16hr overnight bus I arrived in another world. Uzbekistan was full of turquoise temples and madrasas (Islamic schools), the most friendly folk I've ever met, and 90% of the cars are Chevrolet! An architectural highlight was Registan Square in the heart of Samarkand. From the outside, the square's turquoise temples glistened in the sun, and on the interior, light danced around the mosaics. Something I'll never forget about Uzbekistan is the hospitality of locals. On my last evening in Samarkand I made a pal in a restaurant and we went on a mission to find a bar, which unsurprisingly led to a dead end in a Muslim country. Just as we were about to give up, we peek our heads through a door into a bustling sounding party. We immediately get ushered inside and directed to the head table. Food was staked on plates three stories high, waiters poured us an endless stream of vodka, and we exchanged Uzbekistanian and Scottish dance moves. 
  • Georgia
    Tbilisi was a charming wee city. Vineyards, alongside Ukrainian and EU flags lined most of the streets. From here I ventured north to Stepantsminda, a small village next to the Russian border and underneath a 5000m snow capped volcano. I luckily timed my visit one week before their 8 month winter, and managed to climb to Georgia's most iconic landmark, a 14th century church plonked on top of a mountain, with 360 views of the breathtaking surroundings. 
  • Turkey
    The finishing line of my Silk Road adventure culminated in the thriving city of Istanbul. Once again I had to strain my neck looking up, not at mountains this time, but at the marvellous Blue Mosque. Alongside huge attractions like this, Istanbul had so much to offer. A northern district, known as Balat, was a wonderful visit. This area offered some calm away from the crowds, with plenty of narrow lanes, markets and live music to get lost in. 

 

In November 2024 I began working as a Research Assistant at the University of Glasgow.  
  • I contributed maps and writing to two coastal-related projects. For one of these I mapped the changes in extent and health of salt marsh habitats in south east Scotland, and the assets at risk of inundation from sea level rise. These results were presented at conferences attended by regional and parliamentary policymakers, with the hope that this informs actions to make the coastline more resilient to flooding. The other research project I worked on was part of an initiative to restore the dune system at Montrose beach (Angus, Scotland), so this natural defence had a better ability to protect the town from coastal flooding. I was first tasked with mapping flood corridors (gaps) in the sand dunes. I then calculated the volumes of sand required to rebuild the dune. Results from both projects were incorporated into reports and papers, put forward for publication by our research team at Glasgow University.
In September 2023 I moved to Glasgow to start a Masters degree in Environmental Sustainability. 
  • During my first semester I worked on Paleoclimatology, a policy brief, public information posters, and research papers including river restoration and global challenges.
  • In my second semester I learnt advanced mapping skills, including modelling morphological changes to rivers, writing code to create interacting map websites, and using Python to create custom mapping tools and display data.
  • Over the summer of 2024 I worked on my MSc dissertation, which involved lone fieldwork to a mountainous coastal region in northwestern Italy, Cinque Terre, to survey the landscape with my drone. Using these images back in Glasgow I generated maps showing the most landslide prone areas at 5cm resolution. This helped inform local authorities about the areas most at needing stabilisation netting, and the importance of maintaining abandoned farming terraces to reduce the risk of landslides on coastal communities and tourism.

 

 

During my final undergraduate year, I worked as a University Go Abroad Ambassador, involving leading campus tours, working at open days and fairs, and being the Administrator of the incoming students Instagram account.
In May I was contracted by the University of Aberdeen to help rewrite the Geography Degree Course, by creating a new assessment for a 2nd year module.
In June I went on a research expedition to the Italian Alps. I assessed plant colonization around receding glaciers, in a landscape rapidly changing as a result of climate change.
During July and August I worked as an assistant Kayak Tour Guide in Malta. I took up to 26 guests on various routes around the islands, exploring sea caves, and diving to see shipwrecks and wildlife.
Since July 2021 I’ve also been working as a Geography tutor. One of my students with Dyslexia recently received an A grade which got them into St Andrews University.
Since September 2021 I’ve been enjoying working in my local foodbank in Aberdeen.
For the academic year 2021/22 I was elected as the Geosciences Convenor, representing students in my department at student council and University senate.
In 2021, I represented my University at COP26 in Glasgow, being involved in networking, pavilions, and panel
During early 2022 I started work as a freelance photographer at various University events and showcases.