← Back to Academia Sector

Julia Casperd

Senior Lecturer
What employment sector do you work in?

Academia Sector

How long have you had a green job for nature?

> 25 years

Salary Range

£40,001 – £50,000

Please describe the work that you do.

I am a Senior Lecturer at a land based Higher Educational establishment, Harper Adams University. I am a Course Tutor in Zoology and lecture across a number of disciplines which include Applied Zoology, Zoology with Entomology and land management and Wildlife Conservation and Sustainability. I lead public body funded research projects which aim to reduce Green House Gas emissions on lowland agricultural peat in support of farming at higher water tables and functioning landscapes.

What do you most like about your job? Any dislikes?

I enjoy research, teaching and Knowledge Exchange based activities and working with NGO’s, e.g. the Shropshire Mammal Group, the Shropshire Wildlife Trust and the local farmer cluster. I have an academic advisory role with these NGO’s to improve the scientific integrity of their work and support their grant applications/fund raising activity. This work is in key areas relating to biodiversity and climate change and involved flagship species such as the beaver, dormouse and pine marten. I also enjoy my Knowledge Exchange role organising workshops and conferences and my position as a Course Tutor helping students to make their ambition a reality. My job is mainly office based during the non-survey season. However, from April my focus is very much field based, conducting Breeding Bird Surveys and surveys of a variety of mammal species, e.g. Hazel Dormouse, and supporting undergraduate and post-graduate students. My main dislike is unnecessary use of emails and the replacement of face-to-face meetings with online ones.

What inspired you into this career? 

I was born in Uganda and spent the first few years of my life surrounded by animals, e.g. snakes, chimpanzees, mongooses etc. Both of my parents were my inspiration. My mother was a dedicated junior school teacher and my father was one of the early conservationists involved in in-situ projects in the 1960’s supporting various species including the Black and Northern White Rhino. In my early career, I was very much species focused and my PhD focused on the behavioural ecology and evolutionary biology of the Primate Order. However, on my return to academia, following a career break, I focused more on the conservation of these species. This required me to strip back my career objectives to what was required to support the populations of different species both in the UK and globally: effective and sustainable land management. It became clear to me that dealing with issues of climate change and resource management were absolutely key in promoting the essential function of landscapes and the ecosystem services they provide which supported the survival of the species I was so interested in.

Have you faced any challenges in progressing your career so far? 

Every career has challenges. Career progression is defined by the challenges that you successfully overcome and how this is achieved. In my early career, my challenges related to balancing my medical needs and the impact of this on my resilience and the expectations of my PhD supervisor. My mid-career challenges were dominated by the needs of my family and the realisation that I, personally, could not have the academic career I desired, and raise my family the way I wanted to. On my return to academia, having been Director of my own very successful business where I was also responsible for all aspects of managing this business, my challenges relate to (i) refreshing my academic skills; (ii) mixed perceptions of me as an ‘early careers researcher’ combined with that of an experienced and accomplished project manager/business woman with key competencies in digital marketing and Knowledge Exchange/teaching and (iii) being an older woman in fairly male dominated sector. Fortunately, my maturity has afforded me the luxury of embedded resilience to tackle these issues in a manner that has effectively allowed career progression.

What education/training did you have?

BSc Honours in Zoology, PGCE in Science, PhD on the evolution of reconciliation in the Primate Order. These formal qualifications are simply the foundation to my career. What has been important was and is the experience gained through engaging with key stakeholders, and the CPD courses, e.g. Biodiversity Net Gain, River Habitat Surveyors Course etc. which provided essential filed skills and the depth and breadth of knowledge essential to the skill set required to support my teaching, KE and research.

What advice would you give to someone coming into the profession? 

Talk to as many people in the profession as you can. Never be nervous about reaching out to anyone whom you think my be able to help you or provide you with the information you may need. I have never encountered someone who has not been willing to help in some way. If they cannot help you don’t be scared to ask them if they know who could help you. Maintain your key skills, ensure you are up to date with best practice & legislation/policy and support your industry stakeholders by volunteering.

—

Tags: England, Academia, Researcher, Lecturer

Date profile submitted: 28/12/2024

Related Job Profiles

Browse All Job Profiles