School of Social & Environmental Sustainability

Andrew's Story

Environmental Science and Sustainability gradaute, Andrew, shares his experiences studying on the programme and student life in Dumfries, and shares his journey to landing his dream job as a Consultant Ornithologist at Land Use Consultants.

"The Environmental Science and Sustainability programme stood out to me as a unique opportunity to study an environmentally related degree in a rural area. It’s taught at the University of Glasgow’s Dumfries Campus, which has beautiful views over the Solway Firth and is right in the countryside! The programme takes full advantage of its location and environmental setting, and students are taken on plenty of field trips into the local area to get practical fieldwork experience. This was definitely the biggest pull for me as an aspiring environmentalist who wanted to get hands on! Additionally, it meant I would be able to head straight out into nature after studying to practise birdwatching and plant identification.

I also loved the interdisciplinary aspect of the programme, with modules such as philosophy, history and Spanish all being available to pick from. This was a huge plus for me as I was very eager to broaden my skillset whilst at university. 

Its hard to pick one module out in particular as they were all thought-provoking and enjoyable, but if I had to chose one standout course it would be our university field trip to the Isle of Harris in 4^th year. You know you’ve chosen the right degree when you can spend a week watching eagles, hiking over hills, hacking at giant invasive plants with machetes, and surveying for dolphins along the coast!  

I got on with my classmates really well and everyone was incredibly supportive. There never seemed to be that hyper competitive atmosphere that you can find at university. Perhaps this is also a reflection on the type of degree we were doing; environmental issues require collective action and so it seems completely self-defeating to go at it alone!  

Because the class sizes are relatively small by university standards, it never felt intimidating to ask questions and contribute in class. This also meant we got to know the lecturers really well and you knew you could always reach out for help if you needed it!  

As I mentioned before, Dumfries and Galloway is the perfect setting for an environmentally focussed degree; you can hop on a bus and end up at a variety of wonderful places. There are plenty of nature reserves you can visit, huge hills such as Criffel or Merrick for those who like a good walk, huge forests, beautiful beaches and loads of interesting historical sites. Your field trips will take you all over and allow you to understand environmental science at a fundamental and practical level. I have fond memories of visiting the River Tweed to learn about flood management and restoration, going to Kirkconnell Flow to take >10m deep peat samples, and witnessing the mass migration of geese as they arrived from Iceland to spend the winter here on the Solway Firth.  

If you’re moving to Dumfries, especially when you’re coming from another country, it can be very daunting, however you won’t be alone! The campus has a diverse mix of international students and there are so many ways to get stuck into the welcoming community of Dumfries. The Stove Network is a good place to start if you’re looking to meet people and join a wide variety of events. There is also an art club, community cinema, and rowing club to name a few!  

If you’re into wildlife, you can also look for the fastest bird in the world, peregrine falcons, which nest on the church spires and if you’re lucky you’ll see otters swimming along the River Nith right through the heart of the town. Whilst I was studying in Dumfries, I went to the rowing club and remember sunny evenings on the water watching baby otters come right up to the boat to check us out! 

After graduating, I landed a seasonal job at an Environmental Consultancy, this involved carrying out bird surveys in the Cairngorms over the summer. In the following autumn I joined a master’s programme, which was a great course for bolstering the analytical and survey skills which ecological employers look for. 

After graduating from master’s, I juggled two supermarket jobs before landing my dream job working as a Consultant Ornithologist at Land Use Consultants (LUC).  

I have been in this role for almost three years now and absolutely love it. I work within a wider Ecology team that carries out a whole suite of ecological surveys, however, I am part of a smaller specialist team that focuses on all things bird related! 

In my role I primarily carry out bird surveys around Scotland. This means spending the majority of my working week outside, in often stunning remote areas looking for birds. My work has taken me all over Scotland and I have been privileged to see amazing birds such as hen harriers displaying, golden eagles soaring over my head and merlins hunting for prey! Although this occupies up a large amount of my time, I also do a variety of desk-based tasks such as managing and planning surveys, writing ecological reports, analysing data, and liaising with clients.  

If you want a job that involves being outside, whether it’s surveying for wildlife, mapping habitats, monitoring water quality, or assessing peat condition, then looking for roles in Environmental Consultancies might be the perfect choice. These consultancies have teams of subject specialists and provide advice on a range of environmental issues to a variety of clients, very often guiding developers through the planning process. 

The Environmental Science & Sustainability programme is fantastic for getting the skills needed to go into Environmental Consultancy, and I would recommend choosing the modules which give you the most practical environmental experience if you’re looking to work as a Consultant Ecologist/Ornithologist. Whilst studying you can look for volunteering opportunities such as contributing to the citizen science projects run by the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO), which are all free to join! I would recommend keeping an eye on job websites such as Environment Job UK as consultancies often offer Seasonal Ecologist contracts during the summer months and although these jobs usually only last a few months, they are the best way to get your foot in the door and land a permanent role."