Daniel Drage

I graduated from the University of Birmingham in the summer of 2009 with an offer to return in the Autumn to conduct a PhD in the persistent organic pollutants (POPs) group under the supervision of Prof. Stuart Harrad. In between I travelled around Australia exploring the vast array of different coastal, marine and inland environments it has to offer.

I applied for my PhD directly through the GEES, which had been awarded a NERC CASE studentship supported by Tata Steel. I studied for nearly 4 years focusing on the emissions of brominated micropollutants in the steel industry, and their potential impacts on human health and the environment. During this time I was able to develop crucial research and practical skills around sampling and chemical analysis. I was also fortunate enough to be offered a secondment to the University of Queensland where I was given the opportunity to work on samples from Sydney Harbour and visit the Great Barrier Reef. At the conclusion of my secondment I was offered a postdoctoral position, which I accepted upon receiving my PhD in 2013.

Here I was able to further progress my own research ideas and apply the skills I had developed to a number of different areas – looking at the levels of hazardous chemicals in humans, river systems, and even the waste stream. I gained hands-on experience in running, operating and maintaining state-of-the-art mass spectrometers and laboratory equipment. I also started to build my own portfolio of peer-reviewed research publications.

In 2016 I returned to the University of Birmingham as a Research Fellow in Persistent Organic Pollutants where I continued developing and conducting research, before being made a Lecturer in Environmental Health Sciences in 2021. Among other things I now contribute to the design and delivery of the very degree programme I studied on. I take great pleasure in watching the next generation of students study Environmental Science before embarking on an array of different and exciting careers inside and outside of academia.

Why did you choose to study Environmental Science at Birmingham?

There are a number of reasons as to why I chose to study Environmental Science at the University of Birmingham. Firstly I was in awe of the beautiful University campus and the facilities that it came with. Having sat A-levels in Biology, Chemistry and Physics I wanted to study something with an application where I felt I could do something meaningful. I spoke to staff that ran the programme, and they highlighted all the areas of teaching and research that I could be a part of where I would be able to work towards tackling real world issues that could have impact all over the world.

What skills/knowledge did you develop at Birmingham the helped you to follow your career path?

My career started on my first day at the University of Birmingham and has continued to develop ever since. I developed a number of different skills and knowledge that were crucial to my career. This includes social skills that I was able to develop by being immersed into a variety of diverse cultures and environments from the moment I arrived. My experience at Birmingham truly made me a better professional and person.

I learned crucial foundation knowledge in the broader areas of Environmental Science, before specialising into more specific skills aligned with my personal goals, such as various sampling methods in different terrestrial, aquatic, marine and atmospheric environments. I gained hands-on analytical skills working with various different tools and instruments. Alongside these practical skills I was taught theory and understanding of the fundamentals of science and scientific research, including statistical analysis, which made me capable to conduct my own research at the level that I can today.