Research often starts long before it’s visible. At this year’s RGS-IBG Mid-Term Conference, I had the chance to present on a concept that’s becoming central to my work: preparatory participation.
This approach invites us to treat the pre-fieldwork phase not just as admin or planning — but as a relational, sensory, and ethical space. For research involving people with visual impairment in blue spaces, this early stage is vital. It’s where we build trust, adjust timelines, learn new skills, and co-shape what participation can look like.
The conference was filled with powerful, thoughtful work — and I was honoured to chair the “Watery Worlds” panel, which explored more-than-human geographies, sensory methods, and embodied research.
The experience affirmed that the way we begin matters just as much as what we find. Being slow, present, and reflexive in those early stages helps build research that is truly collaborative — and truly inclusive.
