Like a true, proud Brit, I shall start my introduction to the PDX Wildlife family with where I am from: the mighty, yet tiny United Kingdom, England. I have grown up across the country within the beautiful countryside from Cornwall, to the Lake District. I am a recent graduate from Bangor University, found in North Wales which is situated just above the majestic hills of Snowdonia National Park. Whilst part of this institute I gained a 2:1 in a Masters of Zoology, which I will be relying on heavily throughout this project as the majority of my training comes from this degree.

However, I have previously been involved in a similar research based scientific expedition to British Guyana in 2015. This expedition was completed with the company Operation Wallacea and the mission was to continue long term ecosystem research in which we collected and collated continuous data on the local inhabitants. As part of this month long expedition we had to live within the jungle for the majority of the expedition. This was definitely one of the biggest challenges of the expedition, however, I thoroughly loved living within the jungle and being within the research. Getting to see the wild animals first hand within their natural habitat was one of the most rewarding things I have done within my career.

Throughout my degree I immersed myself within the experience taking every opportunity available to me, including completing two live animal experimental research projects, traveling to Florida for a field research based module, completing animal behaviour projects within a local zoo, competing and organising my university field hockey team and many more.

During the course of my life I have been a keen animal enthusiast and have always surrounded myself with them, be it pets (dogs, cats, horses), or during the 70+ weeks of work experience/volunteering I have completed in animal related facilities (stables, farms, veterinary practices, zoos. This has led to me completing my degree in Zoology and applying and securing a place at veterinary school come September 2018.

My passion for learning, for animals, for science has been my main drive throughout, however I am a strong believer in continually pushing my personal boundaries and have always found that the biggest challenges I have set myself have led to the biggest successes, and therefore I am very excited to be taking part in this amazing research project in which I will be living in China and immersing myself within the research and the culture that will surround us. I want to thank PDX Wildlife for this amazing opportunity and I cannot wait to begin!