Dr Victoria Pattison-Willits Email & Phone Number

Essex, Vt, Us

Birmingham, England, United Kingdom

I recently handed in my PhD thesis titled "Understanding the dual impacts of urbanisation and climate change on breeding in one of the UK's most common city birds, the Blue Tits (Cyanistes caeruleus)". My research is cross-interdisciplinary encompassing ornithology, urban ecology, and climate change. I am particularly interested in understanding the impacts of multiple environmental stressors on species and ecosystems and how future development can be balanced with sustainability and the natural world. As a passionate science educator and communicator, during my time as a PhD student I have continued to be heavily involved in public engagement and promoting better access and support in STEM subjects. I have been involved in a variety of outreach activities, primarily with local schools and colleges to promote STEM subjects and foster engagement with the local environment. I also actively advocate for improving and promoting mental health and wellbeing and supportwomen pursuing further education and careers in STEM both within and outside of academia through a variety of different mentorship programmes.

Drumlin Farm

Delivery of award winning nature based programs to children of all ages, adults, families and interest groups at Mass Audubon's Drumlin Farm Wilildlife Sanctuary and through external visits to schools and local community groups. Experienced in the delivery of hands on education programs which fit in to the Massachusetts Department of Education Curriculum Frameworks and with a focus on STEM. Through practical teaching I cover a diverse range of different important local environmental and science themed topics both farm and nature based. I deliver practical talks, lessons and activities illustrating the working life of the farm, organic/sustainable farming practices, farm animal husbandry and crops, native wildlife and habitats including demonstrations with the animals of our wildlife sanctuary, local environmental subjects including soils, geology, weather, climate, watersheds, forests and wetlands, and various conservation topics. All have a practical element and bring both children and adults closer to the natural world and bring the sciences to life.

Boston, Massachusetts, United States

Appalachian Trail

I successfully completed hiking/backpacking a mentally and physically challenging 600 mile section of the Appalachian Trail, USA raising over $5000 for the UK organisation "Help for Heroes" and the USA organisation "Wounded Warrior Project". I hiked across 7 states from New Jersey to the Maine border.

Part of a team of dedicated, trained volunteers and employees documenting the numbers and species' of migrating song birds. I assisted in the opening and closing of mist nets for each session; regularly checked nets and assisted in the careful removal of caught birds; Developed my song bird identification skills and assessing and recording of data including sexing and ageing of individuals, general health, weight, fat storage and wing length. Volunteer work provided me with the opportunity to improve and continue my banding, ornithology and biology skills whilst working with a locally and nationally important preserve.

Gulfport, Mississippi, United States

I worked during the 2011 field season with Conservian/Coastal Bird Conservation as an intern for their annual censusing of beach nesting birds along the Gulf Coast, USA. I was employed as part of a team to locate and census breeding beach nesting birds including Snowy and Wilsons Plovers, American Oyster Catchers and Black Skimmers as well as secondary censusing of colonial species’ including Terns and Gulls. Working in arduous conditions, often involving long boat trips in rough seas to the islands on which we were working, walking up to 11 miles a day on beach and dune terrain in high humidity and high temperatures my role pushed my mental and physical capabilities, providing me with an opportunity to engage in extreme field work, whilst enabling me to improve my coastal bird species identification and behavioural study skills and microhabitat assessment skills. Having been brought into an already well-established team at very short notice for work being undertaken along the shorelines of Alabama, Louisana and Mississippi my quick assimilation and ability to work well with others in a dynamic and stressful environment demonstrated my ‘can do’ work ethic; my capacity to adapt quickly and effectively to new working situations and with new people.

Doctor Of Philosophy - Phd, Urban Ecology, Phd

PhD in ornithology/urban ecology/climate change.

Msc, Conservation And Wildlife Management, Distinction

Independent Project: “The re-establishment of a Sooty tern (Onychoprion fuscata) colony on Denis Island, Seychelles using auditory stimuli.

Bachelor Of Science (Bsc), Environmental Science, First

Activities and Societies: Student Representative, Conservation VolunteerStudent Representative on the Environmental Science Staff Student.

Education record

Doctor Of Philosophy - Phd, Environmental Science, Urban Ecology, Climate Change, Tbd

Activities and Societies: Women in STEM Ambassador Environmental Education Bird Ringing (Banding)