MSc Biodiversity and Conservation

What made you decide to study MSc Biodiversity and Conservation in Sheffield?

I was looking for a masters programme at university with an established record of world-leading scientific output because I wanted to be taught by academics who are passionate about their work. I was also looking for a course where I could develop a broad knowledge of biodiversity and conservation topics, because this is a relatively new field for me. One major benefit of the MSc Biodiversity and Conservation course is that I am able to cover topics I find interesting in greater depth.

What are you doing for your MSc project?

My MSc project involves comparing land-sparing and land-sharing scenarios to determine which strategy is better for biodiversity outcomes. For this project, I am predominantly working alongside Professor David Edwards. My project included two fascinating weeks of wildlife surveying in the Peak District National Park, meaning that my analysis will now include geospatial mapping and modelling techniques. I am delighted to have the opportunity to apply the field and analytical skills, which I have developed in other areas of the course, into this final piece of work.

What have you enjoyed most about the course?

I have thoroughly enjoyed the experience of learning about topics I am passionate about from academics who share these passions. I have also really enjoyed learning the coding language, R, as well as modules where I have had to analyse biodiversity in space and time. At the beginning of the course, I was terrified of coding and now I couldn’t imagine working without it! I was really impressed by how coding classes were structured to accommodate all levels of ability, which enabled me to learn at my own pace. This means that I am now capable of writing code for some fairly sophisticated statistical tests, which I have utilised in my MSc project. Lastly, I have enjoyed getting to know my coursemates, who are some of the most caring, interesting and down-to-earth people I’ve ever met.