PhD Students
Ralf Westphal
Email: WestphalRalf@hotmail.com
Current Research
Ralf is a recipient of scholarships from both the University of Edinburgh and the Norwegian Government. He is primarily based in the outdoor education section at the University of Edinburgh, and is affiliated with the outdoor department at the Norwegian School of Sport Science (NIH) in Oslo.
His research is of an international nature and is concerned with personal and social development through the use of the outdoors. In this context, he is carrying out a comparative study between the UK and Norway. This research aims are to advance knowledge on the historical and contemporary issues of personal and social development through the outdoors in both countries. Ralf's other research interests include ecotourism, Norwegian deep-ecology, environmental education in national parks, personal and social development and the historical and cultural antecedents of European outdoor education traditions, marketing campaigns for sustainable adventure-based expeditions.
Background
Ralf grew up close to the west-coast of northern Germany near the Danish border and began his career in outdoor education working as a teaching assistant at a Norwegian folk high school (Olavskolen, Folkehøgskole). Over the years he has practiced outdoor education in Germany, Norway, Scotland, Switzerland, Spain and Svalbard in diverse positions such as: National park ranger, Outward Bound instructor, sailing instructor at OB sea-school, programme director for winter outdoor schemes for schools (state and private schools), five seasons as trekking and seakajak guide on Svalbard including safety management systems for sea-kayaking. He has been a designated research associate for ethnographical research on the Norwegian sail training vessel M/S Statsraad Lehmkuhl conducted by University of Edinburgh (June 2007) on "Characteristics and Value of the Sail Training Experience" related to personal and social development. He is currently employed as a lecturer in the outdoor education department in the Norwegian School of Sport Science (NIH) in Oslo and board member of the European institute for outdoor adventure education and experiential learning.
Academic Qualifications
- M.Sc. Degree in Business and Human Resource Management, University of Flensburg, Germany
- B.Sc. Degree in "nordisk friluftsliv" (nordic outdoor nature life); University College of Telemark, Bø, Norway
- B.Sc. Degree in Economics and Business Administration, University of Southern Denmark
- Secondary Modern School/Teaching certificate (Physical education, Biology) at Staatsseminarium Haderslev, Denmark
Recent Publications
- Westphal, R. (2007) We have the fjells, but you have character? - Norway and Britain's divergent paths towards personal and social development through the use of the outdoors. In A. Kruse & P. Graves (Eds), Images and Imaginations: Perspectives on Britain and Scandinavia. Edinburgh, Lockharton Press
- M.Sc. thesis: "OD-Training as a Management-Traininig concept" (2001, University of Flensburg, unpublished)
- B.Sc. thesis: Personlig udvikling og Friluftsliv, (Personal development and outdoor nature life) University College of Telemark, Norway (prosjektopgave 2003)
- B.Sc thesis: "Direct Marketing aspects for CAT-trainings at OUTWARD BOUND in terms of ISO 9001-certification", Munich, Germany
Ralf's presentation from the IOL Research Forum that we hosted on 2 November 2007.
A video-clip of Ralf working as a trekking guide on Svalbard/Spitsbergen...
A video of Ralf presenting at the Climate Research Station in Ny Aalesund.
