We are looking back on some of our BSc/MSci graduates who have excelled in scientific research, ecology and conservation around the world since studying with us.
Today we meet Francesco who graduated from MSci Conservation Biology & Ecology in 2018 and now works as a researcher in collaboration with MarAlliance, University of Exeter, and King Abdullah’s University of Science and Technology in Saudi Arabia.
Hi Francesco! We’re glad that you are still working with us at the University of Exeter, why don’t you tell us a bit about how you got to where you are now?
My undergraduate and master-level research projects were instrumental in getting me to where I am today. My third year project involved data that my supervisor (Dr. Lucy Hawkes) had originally worked on with Dr. Rachel Graham, the founder and executive director of MarAlliance.
Dr. Graham and her team liked the new angle I had brought to the analysis of the data and agreed to take me on for my masters thesis project. Working in close contact with the MarAlliance team in Belize lead to the opportunity to join the MarAlliance team as a research assistant in Cape Verde. Together with Dr. Graham, I conceptualised a research project aimed at understanding the distribution and movement of manta rays in the country; I then applied for and won an early career grant from the National Geographic Society to fund the project and, quite literally a week after graduating, I was on a plane flying to Cape Verde.
My first year in Cape Verde was mainly spent on my research project and also in getting trained by the local country coordinator (Zeddy Seymour) in a variety of fieldwork techniques for working with sharks, and I got involved in many other projects. In 2019, I became the research officer for the project, and I have led the research effort in the country until last summer. I left Cape Verde last summer, and with other fellow National Geographic explorers was invited to join a research expedition in the Northern Red Sea organised by the NEOM project and OceanX. This cruise has started collaborations with King Abdullah’s University of Science and Technology in Saudi Arabia.
We are pleased you have had such wonderful opportunities, how do you think your degree helped to prepare you for your next steps?
For my field (I am mostly interested in spatial and movement ecology), having 2 courses (one at undergraduate and one at master level) on statistics and the software R, as well as training in GIS software, has been crucial – I know they are perhaps not exactly the most popular, but my skills in data handling and analysis are perhaps the most important thing I learned and what has always given me an edge in getting internship or job opportunities. A close second are all the opportunities to conduct real research – from fieldtrips, to internships with academics and your own research projects – being able to demonstrate a range of skills in fieldwork, data analysis, and writing really helped me transition into “real-world” research positions.
What attracted you to study your degree at the University of Exeter, Penryn Campus?
Having searched for a biology course in Italy that reflected my passion with very little success, I turned my eye towards Europe and the University of Exeter’s biology curriculum really drew me in. The modules proposed were everything I had hoped to study, and I particularly liked the freedom of choosing so many of my modules in 2nd and especially 3rd year. When I then saw the fieldtrips offered by the course, I was officially sold.
What did you enjoy most about studying in Penryn?
I had never been to Cornwall when I first listed the University of Exeter as my first choice for undergraduate studies – I enjoyed the curriculum so much that the campus’ location really wasn’t something I thought much about at the time. However, when I first visited the campus on the open day I was ecstatic to find it surrounded in so much greenery and so close to the sea. I had always wanted to live by the sea, so this was a huge added bonus; and in retrospect I can say that the proximity to so many wild spaces gave us the opportunity to conduct many field-trips that really added to our experience.
The size of both the campus and town were ideal for me – coming from a small rural village I don’t think I would have enjoyed living in a big city, but at Penryn I found the perfect balance between active student life and the opportunity to build meaningful relationships that a small community affords. Cornwall is a stunning region, especially for someone like me that enjoys the outdoors a lot. I won’t lie though, some winters when the rain just wouldn’t stop and there wasn’t much to do around were not exactly “idyllic” – but they did force me to focus on academic work, which wasn’t a bad thing!
Do you have any stand out highlights from studying at the University of Exeter?
To be honest, I don’t think I exaggerate when I say that I really struggle to think of any part of the course I did not enjoy or benefit from! The lecturers are all incredible researchers but also very approachable and ready to really help their students succeed – I think the attention they give to delivering lectures, practicals, and especially the field trips of such high quality really speaks to this.
Another thing that I appreciate even more now, is all the attention that the course in general has put into teaching us what it means to be a scientist and how the world of research works – I enjoyed spending a large amount of time on my research projects, and as I said they are also what kickstarted my career.
What made you choose a career in conservation science? Is there anything particular you enjoy most?
To be honest, I wasn’t really sure what a career in science and conservation looked like when I started this course – all I knew was that I loved biology and wanted to work with animals. As I progressed, I realised just how much the natural world fascinates me and how much I enjoy the process of discovery. Being a researcher ultimately brings this wonder and curiosity together.
There are two aspects of doing the kind of research I do that I really enjoy and keep me motivated, which I guess once again reflect why I love this job: The first is the opportunity to spend time in the wild with incredible animals and to get to marvel at them – I will never forget the first time I have seen a whale shark or a manta ray and I will never get tired of seeing them either; The second is the thrill of finding things out – to me there is nothing quite like discovering new things about our world and how it works, or being the first to find something out, and to advance human’s understanding. As I said, I am a bit of a biology nerd, so perhaps it’s not too surprising my favourite part of the job is data wrangling and analysis!
Do you have any advice for those looking to pursue something similar?
So many skills are needed for the success of any research projects that you just can’t master all of them – that is why collaborations are so important. Although you should definitely try to learn as many as possible, I think the key is to understand what you are particularly good at or really enjoy doing, and then invest time and energy at becoming the best you can be at that. For me, this has meant (and I am definitely not finished yet) learning and teaching myself how to conduct a variety of analysis in many different pieces of software, and it has given me an edge in many cases. I don’t mean you should pigeon-hole yourself (I still love fieldwork and do lots of it), but you should know your strengths and foster them!
Lastly, do you have any plans for the future?
I have recently found out I have won a scholarship from the GW4+ doctoral training partnership to undertake a PhD at the University of Exeter. In September I’ll be joining Dr. Matthew Witt and Dr. Lucy Hawkes’ lab to begin a study on the impact of recreational catch and release fishing on sharks in the UK, and I couldn’t be more excited to begin!
Thank you Francesco, and Congratulations!
If you want to read more profiles from BSc/MSci Conservation Biology & Ecology graduates follow this link or explore our Graduate in Focus homepage to learn more about the degree programmes we have on offer!