Fieldwork in action: Jennah Green (left) and Roz Evans (right)

Truro Cathedral hosts University of Exeter graduations

Celebration is in the air as 478 University of Exeter students graduate at Truro Cathedral on Monday 21 July. The University’s Chancellor, Baroness Floella Benjamin OBE DL, will be presiding over three ceremonies for students who have studied at the Penryn Campus.

Among those graduating will be Adam Rogers, whose research hit the headlines during his zoology course. His ‘feral pigeon’ project was showcased on BBC Winterwatch, which provided valuable data and led to him working with BBC’s the One Show and Breakfast news. Adam, 31, is staying in Penryn to work on a Masters by Research degree investigating the dispersal and homing behaviour of the common garden snail.

Field work with turtles in the Bahamas is among the highlights for Jennah Green, 21, who studied BSc Conservation Biology and Ecology. She was an ambassador for the Monkey Sanctuary in Looe and also surveyed the North Cornish coast, and now has a PhD studentship furthering her research on sleep behaviour in captive primates.

Alice Bayfield, 22, is already working in environmental consultancy following an internship while studying for her BSc in Geography with Environmental Management. She led the University’s Enactus team which won Rookie Champion of the Year in the national competition in 2013 and got to the Semi Finals this year. Alice loved living by the sea and joined the Nankersey Gig Rowing Club, even rowing for their ladies ‘A’ crew at the World Pilot Gig Championships.

Bethany Cuffe-Fuller, 22, is graduating in BA Politics and International Studies. She has funding from the ESRC for postgraduate study with the University of Exeter researching the role of Mumsnet in the 2015 election, and aspires for a career in academia.

Inspired by her First in BSc Conservation Biology and Ecology, Roz Evans, 25, is launching a popular science magazine called BIOSPHERE, based on the latest discoveries from animal behaviour, evolution, conservation and biodiversity. She was a key member of EcoSoc and organised the Penryn Campus’s first ever BioBlitz - a 24-hour public survey of all of the biodiversity on campus - which is now an annual event.

Also graduating with a First, BSC Zoology student Hannah Walker, 22, hopes to work in British bird conservation. Hannah has Crohn’s Disease, a debilitating condition that has meant spending extended periods in hospital. She extended her degree and is very grateful to the staff who helped her study and complete exams at home and even in hospital.

Baroness Floella Benjamin OBE DL, Chancellor of the University of Exeter, says: “The Graduation ceremonies are an uplifting and joyful celebration of our students’ achievements. It is an opportunity for friends and family to join me in congratulating each and every graduand. It is my privilege to award degrees to these remarkable people. They join a family of more than 92,000 Exeter alumni and we hope they keep in touch with us, as well as to go out and make a difference in the world with their qualification gained at our top ten University.”

Date: 19 July 2014