Name
Jess Stevens
Which institution did you attend?
University of Cumbria
Which campus did you study at?
Fusehill Street
What years did you study with us?
2017 to 2021
What did you study and why did you pick this course?
I studied BSc (Hons) Zoology with placement. When I was 10 years old, I watched a documentary about a group of scientists who went to Bhutan to find tigers and document as many species as they could find. I was enthralled and wanted to follow in their footsteps! When it came to deciding on a university course, zoology was the obvious choice!
Do you remember any tutors? Did you have any favourites, if so, what made them special?
I loved and learned so much from many of my tutors, particularly Mic Mayhew and Ian Convery, but the most influential in my life was our original course leader Roy Armstrong. Roy always made fieldtrips fascinating by pointing out little quirks of nature I would have otherwise walked past, particularly making our trip to The Gambia absolutely unforgettable! He fuelled my love of birds and always motivated me to achieve great things!
Who were your friends, have you stayed in touch?
My friend, Beth, was studying at the Brampton Road campus while I was at Fusehill Street. We became firm friends and, despite moving to different sides of the country, we still catch up every week over video call and spend long weekends together when we can!
What did you do in your spare time as a student?
Whenever I could, I'd go out to the local nature reserves, the Solway coast, or the Lake District, to walk, birdwatch, and enjoy the incredible scenery I was so privileged to live nearby. My favourite spot was out at Campfield Marsh watching the sun set over the Solway Firth.
Do you have any amusing stories you are willing to share?
One of our assignments involved designing and completing a small research project in a group. We chose to compare the number of bats found inside and outside the city by walking transects at dusk with a bat detector. We found out the hard way that the map of our chosen reserve outside the city was significantly out of date when we got horribly lost in the Cumbrian countryside! Five hours, 11 miles, and several jump-scares from cows later, we found the car!
What is your fondest memory of your time as a student?
Our field trip to The Gambia stands out as one of the best times on my course. Having the opportunity to learn by playing an active role in real-world conservation while fostering international partnerships was invaluable in preparing for life beyond uni. Spending the days researching wild animals and the evenings immersed in Gambian culture really brought our cohort together as friends and left us with life-long memories!
Job title
PTES Chough Release Assistant
Current Employer
Wildwood Trust
Briefly explain what your job entails
The People's Trust for Endangered Species funded me to assist the Wildwood Trust with their red-billed chough (pronounced 'chuff') reintroduction to Kent after a 200-year absence. My role involves helping to rear the chough chicks, release them to the wild, and tag the birds with three different types of trackers (GPS, VHF, and 'Daily Diaries') to find out their movement patterns and behaviour after release.
Find out more here.
What is the most satisfying aspect of your job?
Being out on the White Cliffs of Dover and seeing the flock of choughs flying free fills me pride at what's been achieved in restoring some of Britain's native wildlife! The birds have successfully adapted to the wild and will go on to have new generations of choughs.
What were your career ambitions when you started studying and do you think that you have achieved them?
I always wanted to work with animals and watching wildlife documentaries growing up cemented my dream to research wild animals in the field. Between working on a private game reserve in Namibia for my placement year, completing a Master of Research degree, and now helping to reintroduce red-billed choughs to the UK, I feel I've achieved that dream, and will continue living it out!
How did going to university influence your life?
Moving out and going to university boosted my confidence and independence and is easily one of the best decisions I've ever made! Through my zoology course, I learnt so much about wildlife, the industry, and what opportunities are open to me, helping me to decide exactly what career path I wanted to follow.
What are your ambitions for the future?
I aim to complete a PhD in avian movement and behavioral ecology in the near future, to then continue in international avian research and conservation.
Do you have any advice or words of wisdom for students today?
Feed your passion for your chosen subject, talk to your tutors about their work, get to know the technicians, and ask for opportunities to get involved in projects related to your course. Uni is a rare opportunity where you have so many resources freely available to you - make the most of it!
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