Leah Kelly (Wetlands)
I am so glad that I had the opportunity to do my placement with the Wetlands Research team at the GWCT. It has been incredibly rewarding being able to assist with data collection, helping towards the conservation of two declining UK bird species, the Eurasian woodcock and the northern lapwing. Exciting experiences definitely haven’t been in short supply either! From a 4x4 off-road driving course to catching woodcock in the middle of the night in winter to searching for lapwing nests and chicks in the spring and summer! The countless skills that I have learnt and developed throughout the year will be invaluable in the future and I couldn’t recommend the placement more highly to anyone that is interested in an ecological career.
Laura James (Farmland Ecology)
The skills I have gained this year have been invaluable. From long-term training in insect and plant identification to running my own research project, the heterogeneous nature of the placement has ensured that it has been an exciting year with never a dull moment. The lab atmosphere and fieldwork have allowed me to truly feel part of a research team. The setting is beautiful and the staff are wonderful; I couldn’t have asked for more for my year in industry.
David Stevenson (Farmland Ecology)
I’ve spent my placement year working in the Farmland Ecology Unit of the GWCT and I’ve gained all sorts of useful skills both in research and more general applications. I’ve enjoyed working on real research projects such as QuESSA and I’ve had the chance to do so many different things. With the experiences I’ve now had I’ve thought about a career in agricultural science, a sector I would have never considered before commencing this placement. The experience of being away from university, working in a research organisation and gaining so much experience has significantly improved my confidence for the future post-graduation.
Sophie Watts (GIS/Predation)
During my time at the GWCT I have been involved in a number of projects across the GIS and Predation departments. The fieldwork included tagging hedgehogs, collaring squirrels, monitoring mink rafts in my particularly fetching waders, and GPS collaring foxes. My skills in ArcGIS have increased and I was involved in mapping for the new Farmer Cluster initiative and assisted in the subsequent report writing. I spent time in the Wetlands department to carry out dissections, learn basic radio-tracking techniques and observe woodcock ringing. The research staff at GWCT are at the forefront of their field and have been keen to share their knowledge with all the students and will likely help us well into the future.