I went on from UoB to study MSc Ecological Economics at the University of Leeds, which led me to a path of sustainable commodities. I specialised in methods to reduce the Carbon footprint of Palm Oil, where I worked with a Malaysian NGO Wild Asia to develop a Carbon Negative programme for smallholder farmers.
From this, I moved to consulting with an org called The Landscapes and Livelihoods Group to conduct technical tasks for the prefeasibility phase of prospective Voluntary Carbon Market (VCM) projects, including remotely sensing forest degradation and estimating potential ecosystem Carbon stocks.
There I made the natural jump to the implementation of Carbon projects in the Sahel region of West Africa in my current role at Tree Aid, involving frequent travel and technical oversight of Carbon projects in the region.
Why did you choose to study Geography at Birmingham?
BSc Environmental Sciences at Birmingham offered the opportunity to work abroad as a professional placement, and offered a truly holistic perspective on environmental studies which I observed to be a great way to tailor my courses to whichever career path I was beginning to lean towards.
What skills/knowledge did you develop at Birmingham the helped you to follow your career path?
Research and analytical skills such as navigating research sites for appropriate literature.
Geographic Information Systems (incredibly useful in most Geo careers)
R studio & statistical skills
What advice would you give to current students studying on your degree programme?
If you know that you are interested in the environment in any way; botany, atmospheric sciences, geology, carbon sequestration, biodiversity etc., but don’t yet know exactly what you would like to do in your career, this programme is perfect for that. My advice would be to keep an open mind, look for volunteering opportunities (e.g. with PhD students), summer internships, and just read! Time will present your future to you, your only task is to be open to it.