I have a BA in Geography and Archaeology from the University of Liverpool. The course placed an emphasis on human-environment interactions under long timescales. This kindled a substantial obsession in palaeoecology. My dissertation used fossil pollen to assess ancient anthropogenic impacts on the vegetation of the Clwydian Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, NE Wales.

I remained at Liverpool to take on a MSc in Conservation and Resource Management. I gained an appreciation for the philosophy of conservation as an applied discipline, tempered with an objective understanding of ecological science.

I am now studying a PhD in environmental science, funded by the NERC SCENARIO DTP. The project uses a combination of phytoliths, charcoal and carbon isotope analysis to assess the long-term stand-scale dynamics of ecotonal forests in Bolivia. Ecotones worldwide are acutely sensitive to climate change and were often attractive to prehistoric humans. As a result, the investigation raises questions relevant to climatology, archaeology, fire ecology, and forest management. I am eager to promote palaeoecology and build upon the flourishing conservation movement in Bolivia.

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