Graduate story: Andrew Barrett

My name is Andrew Barrett and I graduated with BSc (Hons) Wildlife Conservation in 2018. This time last year, I was in Manchester at the annual Autumn conference of the Chartered Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management (CIEEM).

The title of the conference was: Mitigation Monitoring and Effectiveness.

This conference, was an extremely positive experience and beneficial in my professional development. Topics of the talks included a novel approach to reptile mitigation, a review of the Great Crested Newt mitigation on the HS2 project and an introduction to a new bat competency licensing system.

My favourite talk was by Mr Johnny Birks on Pine Martens in Scotland and the use of artificial nest boxes to supplement tree top cavities which they use as dens.

Through being a member of learned societies, I was selected to go on the British Ecological Society (BES) Summer School in my first year at HAU. From this I have become more involved in the BES and I am now part of the team organising the next annual BES Undergraduate Career Conference.

HAU’s Wildlife Conservation course has CIEEM accreditation; this means we get cheaper Student Membership, plus the accreditation is a recognised stamp of approval of the course content.

I feel HAU is the best university in our sector because of its competitive mentality to work at the cutting edge of environmental science, connect with industry and support students through the compulsory placement year. Having graduated, I am at Uppsala University in Sweden doing an MSc in Ecology & Conservation.