Sarah Morgan studied ecology at Cardiff University, now she is a free-lance science communicator running her own business; Eco-explore education. Her business provides science workshops to schools, community groups and for events, specialising in making science accessible for children with additional needs. I spoke to her about her experiences and what it’s like to be
In a world where a conservation career is coveted, and even entry-level roles require extensive experience, simply having a degree is no longer enough. Completing a placement year may be one way to bolster your chances in such a competitive field, as they present an opportunity to gain real-world experience and an insight into the
For many budding wildlife biologists, being paid to research a species as rare and elusive as the snow leopard is the dream. For Imogene Cancellare, a PhD student at the University of Delaware, this is her reality. Imogene kindly spoke with me about her journey to this position, and shared some advice for others starting
Scott Trageser is the Director and Co-founder of the Creative Conservation Alliance (CCA) and is a member of the Board of Directors for The Biodiversity Group. Having grown up in the United States but now living an itinerant lifestyle, Scott now calls the world his home. As a conservation biologist and photographer behind NatureStills, he
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
Hayley Blackwell is the Scientific Officer for Elephants for Africa (EfA), originally from the UK, but has been living and working in the Makgadikgadi Pans National Park, Botswana since 2016. Initially joining EfA as a volunteer research assistant for one year, Hayley was offered the position of Scientific Officer, an opportunity she couldn’t refuse… What
South Africa is home to an abundance of frogs and toads (~130 species) and Dr Jeanne Tarrant is taking a lead to be the saviour for these ‘little’ guys. As the manager of the Endangered Wildlife Trust’s Threatened Amphibian Programme (TAP), she and her team aim to address a growing need for the involvement of
Breaking into the field of Marine Biology as a recent grad can be daunting and you’ll likely encounter many rejections. “Sorry you don’t have enough experience” is an over-used phrase that will hold you back on getting your lucky first job. But how do you break the cycle of need experience to get a job, but need a job
As we walk through life we sometimes don’t know where our current path will take us. Will it be meaningful, and what steps could we take? Seeking out and talking to people who have walked far ahead of us in a line of work that we are interested in could help shape the next steps
Growing up as a young boy in South Africa, aspiring to be a game ranger, Robin Cook is now contributing to a cause that is bigger than he ever imagined. Working with the most charismatic animals of the world such as elephants, is a dream come true for many conservationists and for Robin it all
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
Oh My! Advice from Panthera’s Dr Wai-Ming Wong on producing a strong grant application. If you love your cats big (and small) then you’ll likely have heard of Panthera, an organization dedicated to the conservation of wild cats of the world. Panthera aims to secure a future for these majestic animals through scientific research and
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
In theory, the cut and thrust of the corporate world is a far cry from the ideal of the conservation industry. But, conservation is a business, and the skills that make a multi-national corporate thrive, can be utilised to boost conservation projects, too. Prior to 2014, Stuart Isham Fairbairns, the Kruger Business Manager for African
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.
A fascinating, freely available new film follows a dedicated team of local and international researchers as they study dwindling rainforest fragments in remote northern Madagascar. It showcases the team’s struggles against the elements in their efforts to gather data on habitat fragmentation and its impacts on reptiles and amphibians in one of the world’s hottest
Judith Lock is a teaching fellow at the University of Southampton. She specialises in the areas of ecology, evolution and animal behaviour. Her role also involves improving links with local organisations to promote opportunities to enhance student employ-ability within conservation careers and beyond. Why do you work in Ecology and Conservation? I grew in Somerset
Leila Fouda is a marine mammal conservation scientist. She is lucky enough to be able to travel to far flung and beautiful places studying whales, dolphins and other marine mammals for her job. She tells us what it’s like to work as a marine biologist, and provides advice for people looking to work in the
The human population is growing at an alarming rate – in April this year there was an estimated 7.5 billion people living on the planet, placing a substantial burden on the earth’s resources as they compete for land and food. As such, over population is having an increasingly detrimental impact on habitat and wildlife numbers
Julie Melrose is Assistant Director for the Conservation Council Australian Capital Territory. She is a passionate advocate for progressive social and environmental change with over seven years experience managing a variety of projects and campaigns like Earth Hour for WWF. WHY DO YOU HAVE A CONSERVATION JOB? I have been working for environmental NGOs for
It is no coincidence that conservation and conversation are anagrams. In our age of insta-information and digital decisions, it’s easy to mistake boardrooms and computer screens for the birthplaces of conservation projects. But spend 30 minutes speaking with Dr Alasdair Harris, Chief Executive of multi-award winning NGO Blue Ventures, and he’ll quickly remind you that
Nick Askew is the Fundraising and Communications Manager for BirdLife Pacific – a flourishing network of seven national conservation organisations based in Fiji, Palau, New Zealand, Australia, Cook Islands, New Caledonia and French Polynesia. They are supported by the BirdLife Pacific Secretariat which manages regional projects and assists in conservation planning, capacity development and fundraising. WHY
Conservation Careers has teamed up with Bushwise to provide professional Field Guide Training in South Africa. With over 10 years’ experience in training field guides for the lodge, safari and conservation industry in South Africa, Bushwise is a leading Field Guides Association of Southern Africa (FGASA) field guide training provider. “95% of Bushwise students are being
Do you have an active interest in conservation? The Endangered Species Recovery (ESR) Course may help you | 24 July – 4 August 2017 https://www.durrell.org/training/courses/endangered-species-recovery/ The Endangered Species Recovery (ESR) course is a two week introduction to the issues and practical skills involved in saving threatened species from extinction. You will develop a critical understanding of
Returning home in late 2014 after managing an Elephant Reintroduction Volunteer Programme for two years in a Karen hill tribe village in Northern Thailand, Gemma Annan and fellow intern Jade Clayson decided more needed to be done to educate tourists regarding captive elephant welfare in Thailand. Putting a team together comprising of childhood friend Claire
Given the tumultuous political events of the past few months it’s perhaps understandable if this Friday 13th we feel more than little anxious about the world around us. As we move into 2017, people around the world are celebrating what is working in conservation and why. Discover how every one of us can become more
“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
This week we spoke to Peter Cooper – a 22 year old postgraduate studying MSc Biodiversity & Conservation at the University of Exeter Penryn Campus – about the new online wildlife series Naturewatch. Peter is script editor on Naturewatch and committee member for the UK youth nature network, ‘A Focus on Nature’. He’s also life-long
As we approach the end of 2016, let us have some time to reflect on some of the most brilliant, awe-inspiring and dam right visually eclectic cult-conservation films, that have made it to our screens over the past two years. I won’t go into too much detail, and anyway the premise is often the same
What different short courses do you offer for ecologists and conservationists at the University of Oxford Continuing Professional Development Centre? We offer a range of short courses (or modules) which come under the umbrella of the Ecological Survey Techniques Programme. This part-time postgraduate-level programme is modular and highly flexible because it is mostly delivered online
