We are looking back on some of our MSc graduates who have excelled in scientific research, ecology and conservation around the world since studying with us.
Today we meet Jessica graduated from MSc Conservation Science and Policy in 2015 and is now a Programme Officer at Fauna & Flora International.
Hi Jessica, it’s been a few years since you studied with us, why don’t you tell us a bit about your career in that time that led you to where you are now?
Following graduation, I took up a short-term maternity cover as a Marine Advisor at Natural England, mainly supporting the Dorset, Hants and Isle of Wight team with their work to designate Marine Conservation Zones (MCZs). I then wanted to gain some international experience, so took up a 6-month internship as a Development Officer for a marine conservation NGO based in southern Belize, called the Toledo Institute of Development and Environment (TIDE). My role focused on designing project proposals and fundraising; a key achievement was winning 1 million Euro from the European Commission to support the national roll-out of ‘Managed Access’ fisheries – a spatial management/ zoning system based on traditional user rights, and a world first for a developing country.
When the time came to return to the UK, I settled on Cambridge; it has a hub of nine international conservation NGOs working together with the University of Cambridge under the umbrella of the ‘Cambridge Conservation Initiative (‘CCI’)’. I secured a job working as an assistant for the Executive Director’s Office, which was a broad role supporting communications, events management, governance processes, funding administration and so on. I am now with Fauna & Flora International (a floor down in the CCI’s ’David Attenborough Building’!), where after 3 years I have moved from Programme Assistant to Programme Officer for the Conservation Science and Design Team. I support programme coordination and grant management, and also provide technical input on issues such as marine plastics and fisheries.
We are glad you have had such great opportunities, how do you think the MSc helped to prepare you for your career?
Working for an international conservation NGO that works through strategic partnerships with organisations on the ground, I can tell you that an understanding of the ‘human side’ of conservation is absolutely vital. This was a key focus of the policy course and I am really glad I choose that specialism. The ability to think critically has also been very useful in my subsequent career, for example when reviewing project proposals and critiquing project logic. More generally, transferable skills such as proposal writing, time management and online literature research skills have been useful for me in the workplace.
What made you choose to study your MSc with us at the University of Exeter Cornwall Campus?
I thought Cornwall would be a lovely place to study for a year being by the sea. Being up in dry Cambridge now…I miss it! The course was my primary reason, but being based in Cornwall was an added bonus (hello Cornish pasties!)
What are your highlights from studying at the University of Exeter?
I really liked the interdisciplinary nature of the course; having come from a purely biological sciences background this was my first real exposure to the more social side of conservation. Exploring policy angles and topical conservation debates was also something I enjoyed from an academic interest point of view. I also enjoyed getting stuck into my thesis, which investigated the media portrayal of the Cayman Turtle farm, and I even managed to publish a paper from it later on down the line (with significant support and encouragement from my supervisors Brendan and Dr Ana Nuno!).
Being taught by experts who are really passionate about their subject. For me in particular it was great that the school has a strong skillset in marine science, as during the course I confirmed that I wanted to focus on marine issues. The field trip to Kenya was another highlight of course – although it was 6 years ago for me now so I’m a bit hazy on the specifics!
What do you think makes the University of Exeter, Penryn Campus such a special place to study?
I lived in Falmouth with some other girls doing a mix of bioscience master courses and we had a lot of fun. There was a strong social aspect and enough pubs/bars in Falmouth to go out for drinks together. The Sea Shanty festival was awesome, I hope it’s still going! Being walking distance from the sea was amazing and I’ve honestly never visited as many fancy botanic gardens as when I lived in Cornwall. It can be useful to have access to a car if you want to explore Cornwall more broadly…as the public transport isn’t always amazing. I mainly travelled into campus for lectures/ meeting my thesis supervisor, but also enjoyed using the library and having lunch with my course mates.
Why did you choose your career path? Is there anything in particular you most enjoy about it?
I love to travel and am always inspired by the natural beauty that exists all around us. I got hooked on marine conservation when I learnt to dive off a Cambodian island, and on my first dive saw 3 baby seahorses – a sure sign the reef was rebuilding. When you realise how great the threats facing the planet are, but that there are some great organisations out there who are striving, and in some cases succeeding, in their efforts to fix it, then I cant see why you would want to do anything else! In terms of my current work, I will always love learning, so I do enjoy the desk-research aspects of my role which are feeding into development of FFI’s fisheries programme. Another motivating part of my work is a fund I manage called the Rapid Response Facility – it supports emergencies in UNESCO Natural World Heritage sites and is one of the world’s fastest conservation funds. This means the work can be quite exciting, as it responds to real emergency situations and can have a swift impact on direct threats to conservation.
Do you have any advice for those looking to pursue something similar?
Don’t give up. It feels like it has taken me a long time to get to where am now, but any experience along the way is valid – so try to enjoy the journey. You may need to invest in yourself at points. Overseas experience is often a benefit, but if you do travel, try to directly support local conservation initiatives on the ground rather than big middlemen organisations. Specialising will help make you more money more quickly, but if you are a bit more generalist in your skillset that may help keep your options open – to a bit of a toss up! Ultimately, hard work and persistence should pay off, but theres also something to be said for being in the right place at the right time. I knew when I took a job in admin at CCI that it wasn’t what I wanted to do long term, but being physically in the same building as many other conservationists was a great place to hear about what was going on in each of the organisations.
Finally, do you have any plans for the future?
I’m not entirely sure yet, but I am keen to keep learning from the wealth of experience within the sector and see where it takes me. I am keen to keep using my research and writing skills for the benefit of conservation, but I am also hoping to one day be in a position to make decisions which affect biodiversity, so perhaps working with decision-makers or to influence organisational change.
Thank you Jessica!
If you want to read more profiles from MSc Conservation Science & Policy graduates follow this link or explore our Graduate in Focus homepage to learn more about the degree programmes we have on offer!