Can you tell us about your Natural Sciences journey and how you gained your current position?

During the second year of my undergraduate degree in Zoology, I went on an expedition to Honduras with Operation Wallacea where I learned to dive. This is when I fell in love with the ocean and this experience turned my career pathway away from a focus on terrestrial ecology and towards marine ecology, specifically coral reef ecology. 

After graduating from my postgraduate degree, I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do next. My thesis what about invasive lionfish on the Cayman Islands and it was my first experience of ‘doing research’. and this was when I decided I wanted to continue working in scientific research in some form. 

In December 2017, I went to the European Coral Symposium to present my postgraduate thesis - just after graduating in the summer. It was a huge conference with people traveling to attend from all over the world. On the conference app, researchers could advertise available jobs and PhD positions and this is how I found my current PhD position. I saw the project advertised on the app and then went home and applied. I got an interview and now I’m in the third year of my PhD! 

I currently work in the Lancaster Environment Centre (LEC) as part of the Coral Reefs Team. I have completed fieldwork in Indonesia investigating how butterflyfish behaviour varies across areas of high and low coral cover and I am hoping to head out to the Bay Islands in the Caribbean for a second round of fieldwork too. I have also presented my PhD research at various conferences over the past three years, both through short presentations and posters. 

 As well as carrying out research for my PhD, I have also taken on teaching responsibilities. I have also been responsible for leading  online workshops as part of a third year Coral Reef Ecology module. The workshops covered a range of topics from learning how to identity reef fish to collecting data on fish behavior from videos. I have also enrolled on a teaching course where I will qualify as an Associate Fellow of Higher Education 

Outside of the course teaching, what other opportunities did you get involved in during your time at University?   

I am passionate about scientific outreach and communication have been fortunate enough to have been involved in some great outreach projects throughout my PhD. I have given multiple presentations in schools about my research and working in Marine Ecology. 

I was also invited to speak at the British Ecological Society (BES) Undergraduate Conference to talk about my experiences working in academia. I also run a website and blog. I have had the opportunity to interview some amazing people including John Aitchinson, a Wildlife Photographer and Filmmaker. 

During the first COVID-19 lockdown in the UK, I did a YouTube livestream where I was interviewed about my research by BBC Wildlife Presenter Patrick Ayree, as part of his ‘Wild and Live’ series which aimed at virtually engaging people in the natural world. 

What are your greatest achievements so far?   

I have been fortunate enough to go on some amazing fieldwork expeditions during my PhD. As well as collecting data for my own project, I have also worked as a Research Assistant on expeditions to the Scattered Islands around Madagascar and the Chagos Archipelago. In addition, I have been able to develop some great research collaborations. 

Between my MSc and the start of my PHD, I worked as a Reef Ecology Lecturer for Operation Wallacea in Honduras where I taught Marine Ecology courses consisting of lectures and in-water practicals. I was then able to collaborate with Operation Wallacea for my PhD fieldwork where I collaborated with an Indonesian University and was also responsible for supervising undergraduate students collecting data for their dissertations. 

What advice would you give to students who aspire to a career in Natural Sciences?   

When it comes to working in Natural Sciences, experience is key. Get involved with any volunteer or placement opportunities that you can. The experience and skills you have are just as important as the degree you hold.

The fieldwork, diving and data collection skills I developed during my MSc and through volunteer opportunities are the main reason I was able to work as a Research Assistant on additional projects during my PhD. 

Why do you feel it is important to have a diverse Natural Sciences industry? 

Natural Sciences study the natural world and we, as human beings, are part of that world. Unless the Natural Sciences are diverse in every sense, how can we fully encapsulate and understand what is going on in the world around us? 

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