Kathleen Drake
Throughout university, I explored conservation in practice, policy and academia, both as a volunteer for Sheffield City Council’s Ecology unit and as a student of Human Geography. Constantly drawn to the human element of conservation, I pursued that line of intrigue at Imperial, where I investigated multi-stakeholder perspectives on issues of escalating violence and human rights abuses in the context of law enforcement practices in Virunga National Park (VNP).
Ivan de Klee
Farm Group Facilitator, Wilding Consultant and Natural Capital lead at Knepp Wildland
In 2014 I bicycled solo 10,000kms in 90 days between Cape Town and Nairobi to fundraise for Save the Rhino; since which I have worked as part of the conservation team at Borana Conservancy, spent two years as General Manager and naturalist at the amazing Kipling Camp in India, whilst spending my off seasons working at Knepp Rewilding Project. I spent 2017-2018 as a consultant for Fauna and Flora International’s programme in South Sudan, running the operations on the ground and reestablishing a full time presence in the country.
Holly Paget-Brown
After studying zoology in my undergrad at Exeter I went on to work at the Isles of Scilly Seabird Recovery Project. Here I learnt how rewarding it was to work on a successful project that made a real difference as well as the challenges that come with it. One of these challenges was the vital inclusion and support of people and the local community. In order to work successfully in the conservation sector I realised I needed to learn more beyond ecology so chose to do the conservation science masters at Imperial as it takes a broader multidisciplinary approach to conservation.
Jack Murphy
Programme Assistant, Conservation Science & Design at Fauna & Flora International
I was born and raised in the suburbs of South London. Thankfully I moved on to study Geology and Biology at Bristol University. While there I learnt a great deal about landscape formation and animal behaviour. Eventually my studies made me realise that despite a fascination for our natural world, my real passion lay in how the human population was impacting it! I followed this passion by starting at Imperial. I am now looking at perceptions of Urban Green Spaces in London against an objective understanding of their provision, and evaluating these interactions.
Amy van Gelder
Marketing Officer at Cats Protection
Originally coming from a business/ marketing background with experience teaching I am a keen advocate for the importance of building relationships, networks and communicating effectively. I have established experience in the fields of animal welfare, dog population management, charity fundraising, in situ wildlife crime action, community engagement, educational outreach and charity development across a variety of countries. A practical do'er and problem solver I am now in the business of upskilling through this MSc programme ensuring my future actions are grounded in robust theory.
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Lisa Kopsieker
Policy Analyst in the Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services Programme at IEEP
I did a BSc in Environmental Science & Management at the University of Edinburgh. I missed the warmth so went to work in Ghana at the West African Primate Conservation Action (WAPCA), an NGO that is working both in-situ and ex-situ to protect the critically endangered primates of Ghana and Ivory Coast. I then spent a year at the International Sustainability and Carbon Certification (ISCC) scheme in Cologne, Germany. I realised I need a Masters degree to evolve in the sector and joined the ConSci course. I would like to one day work at the policy/science interface and support effective policy-making that is founded on strong scientific knowledge.
Henry Rees
Programme Officer - Conservation Leadership Programme at Fauna & Flora International
I studied a BSc in Zoology at the University of Bristol where, in my final year, I was able to travel to Malawi to assist both African Bat Conservation (ABC) and Carnivore Research Malawi (CRM), two NGOs working to protect vulnerable bat and carnivore species in central Malawi. Following my degree, I worked as a project development intern for half a year at the Amphibian and Reptile Conservation Trust (ARC) and worked the rest of the year as a full-time ecological project officer. I began to see the importance of both social and ecological knowledge in effective conservation practice and sought a well-rounded education through a Masters degree.
Chris Lucas
I grew up in Hertfordshire, then did a BSc in Maths and Physics, now I'm doing an MSc in Conservation Science. But is conservation REALLY a science?! What does MSc stand for?! What am I doing for my dissertation/life? I don't know the answer to any of these, but tune in to my blog anyway, one day I might!
Cassy Flint
I'm South African/Austrian and have had the privilege of growing up around the world. After I got my BSc in Wildlife Conservation with DICE at University of Kent, I flew back home to South Africa for three years. I ran after caracal scat in Namaqualand, earned my guiding qualifications, ran a wildlife rehabilitation soft release program, worked with chimpanzees at the Jane Goodall Institute SA, and cared for the most trafficked animals in the world: the pangolin. I continue to work closely with the African Pangolin Working Group and the Johannesburg Wildlife Veterinary Hospital. Currently my project is looking into CITES non-detriment findings.
Alice Lawrence
Research Assistant at University of Cambridge
Having grown up in beautiful Cornwall I was out and about, roaming the cliffs, beaches and fields from a young age. Coupled with the values of my mother, and the scientific enquiring mind of another significant other, I was naturally set on the path of a conservation scientist. These experiences, and many others, have enabled me to see the true beauty of the natural world. Why wouldn't you want to save it?! Previous experience includes research involving ecological and social science data collection, methods and analysis; community and public engagement; project management; and environmental education.
Grace Nolan
PhD Student at University College Dublin investigating the media portrayal of human-wildlife conflict.
Eight years of Latin, three years of Classical Civilisations and a four year degree in Ancient History later … I’m trying to make it in the field of Conservation Science? Though an admittedly unusual route, I became involved in student demonstrations against shark culling measures whilst studying abroad and found myself writing essays focused on the illegal wildlife trade instead of the archaeological black markets. Whilst working in the PetTech market I became increasingly interested in wildlife tracking technologies and its applications for conservation. Still in the infancy of a conservation career, my current research interests centre using novel interdisciplinary approaches to solve previously ‘ecology-only’ problems.
James Raymond
Senior Environmental Land Management Consultant at Freedom
Starting out with a focus on chemistry at Lancaster uni, it wasn't until my study year abroad in Maine, USA, that I found conservation was the perfect mix of natural science and practical work for me. With experience as a site and project manager on ecological mitigation projects across the UK, I'm now on the ConSci MSc course to meet other conservationists and gain a deeper understanding of conservation as a practice. It may be I own the suburban environmentalist's starter pack, but long hair, a beard, vegetarian diet, collection of plaid shirts, and a hard copy of Rachel Carson's "Silent Spring" won't help solve the ecological problems we face, and so I'm in this for the long haul.
Emma Hearne
My interest lies in marine ecosystems and the socio-ecological systems that surround them. I'm originally from the Bay Area, California and did my undergraduate degree at New York University in NYC. At Imperial College London, my thesis is focused on trying to understand the factors that drive the spatial and temporal spread of community-managed marine reserves in the Philippines. This is a part of a larger working group looking at the diffusion of innovation theory and how it can be applied to conservation. After graduation, I hope to pursue a career in people-centered marine conservation and to eventually work towards a PhD.
Sarah Milligan
Post-production audio editing for The Citizen Farmer's Podcast.
Born and raised in San Diego, one could say that I am “stoked” on conservation. Beyond the meritocracy of degrees and qualifications, I am first and foremost a critical idealist who spends most of my time reflecting on and debating the intersection of environmental justice and social justice, and the ethical considerations of both. My research and interests in women empowerment, diffusion of innovation, and urban social (eco)systems weaves together transdisciplinary themes and practices. I hope to continue working towards combined development and conservation action.
Eleanor Stewart
Having been lucky enough to grow up in different countries around the world, I developed an understanding of the inextricable link between people and the environment. While working for an eco-diving project in Thailand I became fixated on all things aquatic. Some very unglamorous field experiences confirmed that it wasn’t just the beaches and beautiful fish that attracted me to marine conservation. Arguably more unglamorous was my undergraduate data-modelling project on marine spatial planning. But I can’t seem to get enough! It’s led me to my current MSc and exciting thesis project using the social-ecological context to explain the spread of locally managed marine areas in Fiji.
Luciano Simonetti
Scientific Collaborator Museo Cantonale di Storia Naturale
Born and raised in Lugano, Switzerland, I spent most of my younger life outdoors, hiking in the mountains and swimming in the lakes. I completed a BSc degree in Biology and Ethnology at the University of Neuchâtel, where I learned how paramount it is to adopt an interdisciplinary approach to understand conservation problems and address them successfully. My various interests include agroecological systems and sustainable management of natural resources, and my ambition is to follow a career path in this direction.
Tilda Dunn
PhD Student at Imperial College London, Centre for Environmental Policy
I’ve always been in awe of nature, encouraged by a childhood spent viewing its wonders from my living room on my TV screen. But it wasn’t until studying conservation that I began to realise there is a lot more to protecting the natural world than just looking at cool animals and beautiful landscapes. Human behaviour needs to be at the heart of conservation to make a difference. I’m now a visiting researcher to the University of Oxford working on evaluating behaviour change interventions for conservation outcomes, enjoying nature both on the TV and in the real world.
Marie Hardouin
After several years working in industry, I changed career path to pursue my passion for wildlife conservation. I am particularly interested in the study of large carnivores’ ecology and behaviour through camera trapping and collaring.
Aiko Leong
Assistant Conservation Scientist at Kadoorie farm and botanic garden
I grew up in a concrete forest - Hong Kong, but luckily I read a book about Jane Goodall when I was 11 years old, at that time I know I wanted to work with animals when I grew up. So I studied Life Science in my undergraduate, and I volunteered in SANCCOB, a seabird rehabilitation centre in Cape Town and Tenikwa Wildlife centre in Plettenberg Bay in summer 2015. Also, I worked in Ocean Park Hong Kong as Education Assistant for a year after I graduated, mainly focused on environmental education. I really enjoy working with animals and I’m particularly interested understanding animal’s behaviour to assist conservation work.
Anya Ermakova
I have a motley background and broad research interests combining nature conservation, ethnobotany, neuroscience and psychiatry, and somehow those diverse paths interweave and connect through psychedelic science. A deep love for nature and wildlife motivated me to study biology at the University of Edinburgh, while a quest to understand altered states of consciousness has prompted me to specialise in neuroscience which later continued during my PhD at Cambridge, where I investigated the origins of psychosis. Recently I decided to pursue my passion for nature, by studying Conservation Science at Imperial College London.
Andi Roy
I grew up on the outskirts of London as a nature-obsessed child, which led me to undertake a BSc in Zoology. Following graduation I spent 10 years as a veterinary microbiologist in the UK Civil Service before deciding my true passion lay elsewhere and joining ConSci. My interests lie in reptile conservation and the rewilding movement.