Have you ever dreamt about a career exploring the coral reefs of the south Pacific, diving in Fiji, Vanuatu, the Solomon Islands, and all the lost corners of Papua New Guinea? Perhaps you’d love to spend time with the local communities whose lives depend on the health of their forests and fisheries, working in partnership
Our planet’s seven species of sea turtle have captured the fascination of conservationists and concerned citizens the world over. In this post, we profile turtle conservation internships and volunteer opportunities around the world where you can help out. Maybe it’s the story of their against-all-odds journey from egg to open ocean and back, completing one
There are many times in our lives when we might find ourselves at crossroads looking for purpose and direction. At these times, we might feel stuck and confused and perhaps we don’t know what to do. And if we do have a sense of what we need to do, we might find ourselves lacking the courage
Conservation Careers sponsored Wildlife Blogger of the Year 2018, a competition run by our partner Terra Incognita to raise awareness about our planet’s incredible wildlife through the power of storytelling. This captivating story about tracking lions in Namibia won author Asiem Sanyal the title of Judges’ Choice First Runner Up. To the majority of the
If you’re looking for hands-on conservation experience but don’t know where to start or are feeling overwhelmed by choice; perhaps you’re mid-career looking to take a break from the grind and get back to nature whilst also exploring new career paths. Joining us this week to discuss these matters and more is Steve Gwenin, Chief
The Healthy Reefs for Healthy People Initiative encourages dialogue and collaboration to strengthen efforts to protect the Mesoamerican Reef. Ian Drysdale is the Honduras Coordinator of the Healthy Reefs for Healthy People Initiative, responsible for data collection and training, as well as partner relations, media and outreach efforts in Honduras. In this interview, Ian talks about
The Wildlife Blogger of the Year 2018 competition has opened for entries. We’re calling on bloggers from around the world to put their favourite wildlife moment into the spotlight, in 800 words or fewer. Sponsored by SWAROVSKI OPTIK, organised by Terra Incognita and with prizes from Conservation Careers, the competition aims to celebrate storytelling for
In this episode we’re speaking to Andrew Lewin, who’s the founder of Speak Up For Blue, a marine ecologist and an Ocean-preneur. He also runs three podcasts of his own so we’ve got a real veteran on today. We talk about marine careers, what the different jobs in the marine environment are and how you
In this episode of the podcast we’re speaking to Justin Lennon – CEO of Conservation Guide and marine biologist at the National Marine Aquarium. In this podcast you’ll hear us talking about what to look for when searching for your next volunteering project, and we also discuss what it’s like to work in marine conservation and
Lexie Beach is the Communication Coordinator with Sea Turtle Conservancy, the world’s oldest sea turtle research and conservation group. For nearly 60 years, Sea Turtle Conservancy has worked to protect and conserve sea turtles and their habitats from extinction through research, education, and advocacy. Conservation Careers chats with Lexie about her role with Sea Turtle
This week Rachel Louise Gunn talks to Dr Dan Exton from Operation Wallacea (Opwall). Dan is currently Head of Research at Opwall and has worked in the marine conservation field for the past 15 years. Opwall is a network of academics who design and implement both biodiversity and conservation management research expeditions around the world. Rachel went
“After I’d left university I was sure of one thing,” says Christopher Beirne, “That I never wanted to do a PhD.” But career trajectories are an awful lot like jungles – wild and unpredictable – and nearly 10 years after first falling in love with the neotropics, Dr Chris Beirne landed back in Peru as
Helen Scales is a marine biologist, writer, broadcaster, explorer and all round polymath. Two of her greatest passions are the oceans and storytelling. Her love of the sea and academic background, and a flair for narrative, have led to several books, the most recent of which, Spirals in Time, was published last year. She also
Documentary films are not only entertaining to watch, they can also be eye opening and a great reminder of why it is that we should care about conservation, by showcasing the life around us and the threats it faces. Here, Conservation Careers blogger Hannah De Frond has whittled down a list of top 10 documentary
“When I was studying marine biology people told me, ‘You shouldn’t do that; there are no jobs,’” says Professor Peter Mumby. “And that’s absolute nonsense. When you reflect on all of the things that still need to be done to protect ecosystems, there are jobs for everybody for a long time to come.” Fortunately, Mumby
In order for conservation to be effective, we need to engage audiences by using as many tools as we can. This includes writing, photography, and videography. While the written word and still images are extremely powerful, as we continue to move into this new technological age, creative videography will become more important in capturing the
While he is probably best known for his research with marine turtles, Brendan Godley is also the Course Director for the Biodiversity and Conservation MSc at the University of Exeter Penryn campus. Brendan co-coordinates two modules on that course (Africa field-course and marine biodiversity and conservation), as well as one module on the undergraduate level. Conservation
Conservation biologist Joshua Elves-Powell and co-authors have recently released ground-breaking new work on the poorly known wildlife trade in badgers in South Korea. They concluded that increased monitoring of the trade and more targeted research would improve the availability of information and thus enhance the quality of future policy approaches. Moreover, the conservation risks of
“I think empowerment to protect what we have, often comes from celebrating what we’ve got”. Leanne Cullen-Unsworth is the CEO of Project Seagrass, an amazing charity working in the UK and across the globe to celebrate, protect and restore ecologically important seagrass meadows. This incredibly valuable ecosystem was often overlooked in planning and management policies,
In the realm of nature conservation, few individuals possess the dedication and passion exhibited by Maggie Muurmans, a lecturer that teaches on the Master of Conservation Biology at the University of Queensland, Australia. Aside from teaching and pursuing a PhD in community engagement, Maggie is also the co-founder of the NGO Ocean Connect based on
Stella Diamant is a passionate conservation biologist who founded the Madagascar Whale Shark Project, introduced a code of conduct for Whale Shark tourism, initiated an environmental education programme for Malagasy youth, and has identified almost 500 individual Whale Sharks. She’s now working in collaboration with other NGOs and has helped ensure the code of conduct
Internships can help rising conservationists kick start their careers, develop vital skills, boost their networks, and make a lasting impact on both society and biodiversity. These insights come directly from Conservation Leadership Programme (CLP) interns, who shared their stories and experiences in interviews and surveys. CLP is a partnership of three of the world’s leading
After combining his love of surfing and science to study marine biology, Oliver Clements trained in computer programming, and now works as a GIS expert on remotely sensed Earth observation data. He looks at the planet’s oceans from satellite data to detect patterns in everything from plankton volumes to sea surface temperature. The main barrier
Does the idea of working on coral reef conservation using cutting edge science excite you? How about living on an island helping tourists to participate and learn about coral conservation? Conservation Careers Blogger Bill Boteler interviewed Simon Dixon to learn about his work restoring damaged coral reefs. Simon is the Marine Discovery Centre Manager at
How do you grow a conservation organisation from 5 staff to over 500 in just over two decades? Why might Greta Thunberg be wrong to avoid air travel, and how is the conservation industry changing the way it hires staff in the 21st century? I discuss these issues and many more with today’s guest Mark Rose – Chief Executive Officer – Fauna &
Anik Maxine Levac is a 28 year old conservation biologist from Canada. However, her experiences have taken her all around the world and she has not lived at home for the last 8 years. She has a bachelors degree with honours in Ecology and right now she is working as a research coordinator for Crees
Have you ever considered doing a conservation science master’s course to kick-start your career in conservation? What would completing a masters course (degree) achieve? Is it right for you and would it lead to a conservation job? These are some of the topics covered in a wide-ranging discussion with Brendan Godley, Professor of Conservation Science
Perhaps the ultimate way we recognise our dependence on nature is when we see biodiversity as the foundation for the food we eat, the water we drink and the air we breathe. That’s precisely the theme of this year’s International Day for Biological Diversity, which recognises the power of biodiversity to transform global food systems,
For more than two decades Dr Iain Staniland has worked for the British Antarctic Survey (BAS), carrying out research on Antarctic wildlife and producing numerous scientific publications. He created the blog – Antarctic Dad and has spent a combined total of four years living in the great white south… Keep reading, we may be some
Amelie Knapp is a Policy Officer at European Commission Directorate-General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries. Here she tells us what it’s like to work on fisheries policy within the European Union, and she shares her career secrets. What work do you do? I work to ensure that EU Member States collect scientific data on their fisheries.
