David Bell Email & Phone Number

Gloucester, Gb

Cirencester

Cirencester

I teach mainly AS Biology with some A2 Biology and some AS Applied Science.

Cirencester College

I am currently teaching on a Level 3 BTEC Animal Management course at Cirencester College. I teach units in the following subject areas; animal behaviour and communication, animal anatomy and physiology, zoo husbandry and management, aquatic husbandry and management, animal welfare and breed development, and animal handling, feeding and accommodation.

Responsible for the day-to-day care of around 50 different species at Cirencester College, and providing students on a BTEC Animal Management course with instruction and support during practical sessions. The animal collection includes; rodents, ferrets, lizards, snakes, amphibians, insects, arachnids and fish. Other duties include; monitoring and recording the health of all the animals, taking animals to the vets, buying in supplies, keeping a record of expenditure and providing any additional support to the lecturers. Also responsible for creating and managing a Facebook page ('Cirencester College, Animal & Horse Management') to help keep the students informed of any developments in the collection, keep them up-to-date with any relevant and interesting stories in the media, and to help promote the course.

Working in a busy centre office keeping an efficient booking and diary system for all groups and schools visiting WWT Slimbridge, and all events run by the centre. Responsibilities including: dealing quickly and effectively with emails; providing a friendly and helpful telephone service; showing around group organisers/teachers on familiarization visits; producing daily and weekly rotas; reception duties; and providing support to the Centre Office Manager, Education Team, Catering Managers, Marketing Manager and Volunteer Coordinator..

Managing the day-to-day running of meerkat research and field site operations. Responsibilities including: organising and co-ordinating training for new volunteers in research protocols; standardising scientific data collection; error checking databases; capturing meerkats for blood sampling and radio-collaring; organising weekly rotas; working closely with PhD students, MSc students, film crews, Earthwatch Volunteers and other visitors; running supply/food trips; giving PowerPoint presentations to Earthwatch volunteers; regular habituation of wild meerkats. Skills gained including: managing both meerkat research and a variety of different people; organising logistics of working at an isolated field site; being able to adapt to any unexpected eventualities.

Studying the behavioural ecology of a number of habituated meerkat groups as a volunteer for Cambridge University. Work involving twice daily observation in the field with adlib data collection, radio tracking, GPS tracking, collecting sound recordings, assisting with captures and post-doctoral experiments. Responsibilities including: accompanying Earthwatch volunteers in the field, database management of GPS files, error checking of long term adlib databases. Skills gained including: habituating meerkats, data entry and analysis, small mammal handling, mammal, bird and reptile species identification, use of Microsoft Access, Microsoft Excel, Cool Edit and Map Source programmes.

Working as part of a small team to provide customers with technical support and advice on running shoes and apparel. Responsibilities including; organising orders from other Sweatshop branches, providing customers with ‘Adidas Footscans’, stock taking, being involved in the organisation of events such as the ‘Robin Hood Half Marathon’ and ‘Runner’s Day’. Skills gained including; good customer service and phone manner, working a till, basic understanding of biomechanics.

Two months working in a remote rainforest on an isolated island off Sulawesi, Indonesia. Field research conducted on the Malay Civet (Viverra tangalunga) for final year degree project. Responsibilities including; establishing and walking transects, carrying, setting and checking traps, setting up radio-tracking stations, tracking animals at night, helping set up camp in remote parts of the forest, organising catering for local wedding. Skills gained including; radio-tracking using a triangulation method, working with local Indonesian guides, living in basic conditions, sleeping in a hammock, leech and other parasite removal, further developing rainforest survival techniques, organising fund raising activities and helping people prepare before the expeditions.

One month working in Honduras on a variety of different scientific research projects in a rainforest environment. Animals studied including small mammals (incl. bats), birds, reptiles and butterflies. Responsibilites including; checking pitfall traps and mist nests, identifying species, camp maintenance. Skills gained including; experience with a number of different capture techniques for different species, working in small teams through challenging conditions, developing basic survival techniques including building shelters, making fires and orienteering through dense forest.

Bsc Hons, Zoology

Activities and Societies: Athletics Club Three year Bachelors degree with modules including; Animal Behaviour, Behavioural Ecology.

A-Levels, Psychology (A), Geography (A), Biology (B), Mathematics (C)

Gcses, 4 A*, 4 A, 2 B

Education record