Hannah Ladd-Jones
Alumni in the spotlight: Hannah Ladd-Jones
Hannah Ladd-Jones hasn’t wasted any time since she graduated this summer with an MSc in Conservation and Biodiversity. Now Project Manager of the Scottish Inshore Fisheries Integrated Data System project at the University of St Andrews, Hannah is operating at the interface between fisheries science, policy and industry.
We spoke to her about his time at Exeter:
The highlights of this programme for me were the fantastic location of the Cornwall Campus, the breadth of research, the modern facilities and the Kenya field trip! I initially chose to study at the University of Exeter because of personal recommendations, the course content and the high-quality of the university.
After I graduated I took three months off and then secured the position of Project Manager of the Scottish Inshore Fisheries Integrated Database System project in the School of Biology at the University of St Andrews.
In this role I operate at the interface between fisheries science, policy and industry. SIFIDS is a £1.5m research project investigating the development of an integrated system for the collection, collation, analysis and interrogation of data from the Scottish inshore fishing fleet. I interact with many individuals in Marine Scotland, as well as the different Scottish university/research teams involved in the project. I love how no two days are the same and how I get to see policy, research and industry collaborating on a nationally important issue.
The Statistics module on the MSc was the most useful for my career, plus the independence and confidence I developed doing my own research thesis and learning when to ask for help. The whole university experience taught me how to manage people, time and money, and how to work independently.
The advice I would give any career-minded student is to obtain as much experience as possible, not just experience that relates to your degree but real-world experience. Strong management and administration skills have been essential for me as I manage not only my time but the costs of the project, other people’s time and the overall progress of the project.
My contract with SIFIDS and the University of St Andrews ends in May 2019, however I want to remain involved in inshore fisheries research and management. I would eventually like to do a PhD on fisheries management and sustainability.
I would advise anyone considering a similar career to obtain and develop your core competency skills. Academic knowledge is great and can be really useful but you must be able to efficiently manage your time and communicate effectively.
Date: 12 November 2018