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Santa Lucia Cloud Forest Reserve

Undergraduate research

In the tropical cloud forest of Ecuador, I learnt how to identify insects to the level of order and plants to the level of Family. I took part in seminars about tropical biodiversity and conservation, and attended guided tours about the surrounding flora and fauna. Furthermore, I conducted a Lepidoptera diversity project which involved collecting samples using the sweep netting method and comparing diversity differences between secondary forest and pasture.

 

 

Santa Lucia Cloudforest Reserve, © Kate Dey, 2011.

University Marine Biological Station Millport (UMBSM)

Undergraduate research

Project work consisted of surveying water quality of bathing beach water around the Isle of Cumbrae. This involved processing water samples in the lab to identify faecal coliforms and measuring salinity and oxygen levels. In the lab, micro-organismal identification was also carried out. Sampling activities included benthic, sandy and rocky shore sampling which supplemented lectures on sandy and rocky shore ecology.

 

 

Waterlilly House, Kew Gardens, © Kate Dey, 2012.

Scientific Volunteering

Amphibian and Reptile Conservation Trust
Redhill Common Conservation Group
Bournemouth Naturally
Brighton Science Festival

Conservation volunteering largely consisted of clearing scrub and pine in order to preserve heathland by preventing natural succession. Through Council led Bournemouth Naturally events, I gained experience using live mammal traps and took part in plant and animal species identification walks. At the Brighton Science Festival I also engaged the public in scientific experiments and acted as a steward.

 

 

Diving in Galapagos Islands, © Scuba Iguana, 2011.

Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew

Internship

The majority of my work at RBG Kew was undertaken in the herbarium where I helped with the reorganisation of specimens under the APG III gene system. I also helped prepare and catalogue dried specimens and consequently attended plant identification seminars. In return for my unpaid work, I was lucky enough to receive lectures by world-leading experts on plant family characteristics, conservation and policy. Specialists also gave us tours around RBG Kew's Millennium Seedbank and fungarium.

 

 

Italian Wall Lizard, Croatia, © Kate Dey, 2012.

Communications Roles

University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust (UHSFT)
Sanofi Pasteur MSD (SPMSD)
 

My Communications roles at these two healthcare establishments have developed my confidence and enhanced my verbal and written communications skills. At SPMSD I was a Communications Intern, and at UHSFT I was a Web Communications Officer after being promoted from Communications Assistant. I have gained experience using social media, event planning, organising campaigns, editing websites and writing content for various Communications collateral.

 

 

Galapagos Sea Lion, Santa Cruz, Ecuador, © Kate Dey, 2012.

Centre for Agriculture and Bioscience International

Content Editor roles

 

I worked in the Plantwise department, editing and processing content which extension workers use to advise farmers in Asia and Africa on how to deal with crop pests. Previous to this, I commissioned and edited datasheets for CABI's Invasive Species Compendium; "an encyclopaedic resource that brings together a wide range of different types of science-based information to support decision-making in invasive species management worldwide".

 

 

Dandelion, Public Domain image, obtained via Wikimedia Commons.

You can contact me for my full CV.

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