Having secured my PhD I took a friend's advice and took 2 months off to recharge and prepare for the ride which was in store for me. I flew out to Auckland, bought a brilliant banger and a tent before driving the length of New Zealand hiking steaming tropical forests, wild swimming in crystal mountain streams, searching for kea and (fruitlessly) for kiwis, getting snowed in (not as cold as you'd expect), scuba diving and more. 2 months was not enough and this was the firs time I have felt a physical wrench leaving a country. I will be back.

I worked with academic and industrial partners from The University of Nottingham and Monkfield Nutrition Ltd. to develop a comprehensive tool kit for the optimised growth of insects and will be applying this to build new markets within both the animal and human food chain.I developed an understanding of the insect market and legislation (current and emerging) surrounding it and reviewing the nutritional requirements of insects and lifecycle growth rates. Utilizing the knowledge of the University of Nottingham academics we developed a research programme to identify novel feed ingredients, nutritional and breeding strategies to maximise efficiency and sustainability of insect production. The ultimate aim of the project was to explore the potential expansion of the business into new markets including the production of insects for farm animal feed, use in aquaculture and as human food.

I worked with WildCRU on their Bornean Clouded Leopard Programme analysing camera trap data from the Bornean rainforest and identifying species, sex and life stage of the wildlife captured. I was lucky enough to see some of the world's most rare and charismatic animals, including clouded leopards, Sumatran rhino and orangutan, helping develop our knowledge and assisting in their conservation.

The majority of my work with Thomson Ecology revolved around protected species’ surveys and mitigation work. This included bat emergence surveys, reptile translocation projects and vegetation clearance watching briefs. Building on previous experience on bat surveys, I learnt to identify the common UK bat species from their calls and have been undertaking quality assurance work confirming species identification using BatExplorer. During translocation projects and watching briefs I oversaw people conduct clearance and construction work; ensuring that no protected species, nor other wildlife, were harmed.

My employment with Hertfordshire County Council involved the maintenance of the council’s interactive virtual learning environment, iLearn+. Working as part of a small team I gained experience in creating online training material including courses on Fire Safety and Welfare in the Workplace. I also handled high volumes of communication via email and telephone with the site’s users, as well as managing user accounts. I helped to run promotional stalls and workshops which raised awareness of recent updates and increased functionalities of iLearn+. I was part of a team that helped merge two of the Council’s websites, often working extended hours to ensure that deadlines were met to ensure a smooth transition.

Taking part in bat transect and emergence surveys.

Working as part of a diverse team in a busy and vibrant bar supplying food, drinks and conversation to customers in order to create a warm, welcoming environment that customers want to revisit.

Brooks Ecological was the first ecological consultancy that I worked for, gaining experience in great crested newt surveys and bat emergence surveys. I also recieved training in herpetological identification and handling.

Caring for elderly residents, ensuring that the home truly was the residents’ home and providing compassionate personalised care to everyone. The requirements of individuals varied, from simple conversation and entertainment to constant physical care including dressing, eating and drinking.