My research during my six-week internship at the University of Oxford was based on conducting a scoping review on the impacts of major volcanic eruptions which are documented in academic literature. During my time at Oxford I also investigated the crystal size distribution (CSD) of plagioclase crystals in pumice samples from Montserrat. I also learnt a lot about post-graduate study from a number of talks and meeting PhD students as well as having the opportunity to attend a DTP Student Conference. I was fascinated by the range of topics covered from predicting the magnitude of earthquakes to penguins! I really enjoyed my experience and has fostered my interest in pursuing a career in academia.

Croatia - Operation Wallacea 2022After a two-year wait due to Covid, I finally made it to Croatia with Operation Wallacea, spending two weeks as a Research Assistant there. The first week was spent at Krka National Park. During my stay I conducted a number of surveys which were supervised by the inspirational Opwall team members. I gained a real appreciation of the amazing biodiversity present in Croatia as well as its history and landscape. It was a tiring first week in temperatures of over 40°C and involved multiple early morning starts but so worth it! At the end of the terrestrial week we had a day trip out to Visovac Island, Roski Slap which had a great viewpoint despite the steep climb on the limestone karst as well as exploring Skradinski Buk. The second week involved travelling to Silba Island, just one of the many islands along the Dalmatian Coastline. This was our marine week where we snorkelled in the Adriatic Sea, assisting in Sea Urchin surveys, habitat mapping and investigating invertebrates living in algae. Lectures on the Mediterranean and Adriatic Sea, biodiversity and marine protected areas were thoroughly fascinating and have fostered my enthusiasm and interest in conservation and research.

Studied and researched the 2021 eruptions of La Soufriere volcano on St Vincent. GIS and ash thickness observations were used to plot the distribution of ash plumes using AshCalc in order to estimate characteristics of the eruption, such as VEI score using different statistical models and presenting and reporting on results.

Duties included:• Serving customers in a polite and professional manner• Maintaining high level of service• Ability to work under pressure, as part of a team• Demonstrating an in-depth knowledge of key health and safety standards used within the industry.

Required to work as part of a team, responsible for the supervision of pupils throughout the school during the lunch break. The ability to form good working relationships with pupils and staff has been essential in this role.