Pictured above: Professor David Bailey
It is probably an ironic twist of fate that one of the leading
lights from Coventry University's Business School finds himself
stranded in the US with a bunch of volcano experts.
Economics and business expert, Professor David Bailey is
currently unable to get back to the UK because of the flight
restrictions imposed in the wake of the eruption of the Icelandic
volcano. He is in Washington DC in his capacity as Chair of the
Regional Studies Association where he was chairing a session at the
American Association of Geographers Annual Conference.
Professor Bailey said: "Imagine 7000 geographers in town
and a volcano blows, stranding lots of UK and European academics.
We looked in the bars for geology and volcano experts to tell us
how long it would all last. 'You cannot be serious' was the
answer!"
Although Professor Bailey is able to get on with some academic
papers, he is busy rearranging piles of work commitments but the
most frustrating thing for him is not being able to follow much of
what is happening back home.
Professor Bailey added: "What I am missing is the election
back home. As a self-certified political junkie I'm missing the
excitement of the TV debates and the wild poll swings.
"Indeed it all seems a very long way away... for the time being
at least the world is a much bigger place again. Higher education
in the UK is very much a global business these days and I know of
Business School colleagues that are currently stuck in China, Italy
and France.
"One possibility might be to fly into southern Europe and then
try to make our way home. Or, if the flights don't open up soon
we're even wondering whether we can hitch a ride on a cargo
ship!"
Coventry University has several hundred staff and students that
are affected by the air ban in cities all over the globe. There are
fifty students currently in China.