Our world-leading environment and sustainability research underpins a wide range of postgraduate programmes. In our Meet our Students series we look at the journeys taken by those studying MSc courses within the Graduate School of Environment and Sustainability, explore why they have chosen to study with us and learn about their experiences at the University of Exeter, Cornwall. Today we hear from Abby, an MSc Evolutionary and Behavioural Ecology student.
Name: Abby McCartney
What course are you studying? Evolutionary and Behavioural Ecology
Where do you call home? Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
Where did you complete your undergraduate course? Virginia Tech (Go Hokies!)
What was your undergraduate course? Biological Sciences (Ecology, Evolution, and Behaviour concentration) with a minor in Entomology
Did you work or volunteer before starting your MSc programme? If so, in what roles?
I took a year off in between undergrad and grad school to travel, work, and volunteer.
During the fall and summer, I worked at an apple and peach orchard in my hometown to fund my travel which ended up being so much fun. I gave tours of the orchard, gave apple/peach tastings, and ran the orchard’s stand at our local farmer’s market on the weekends.
During the winter/spring I volunteered/interned with an anti sex-trafficking organization. I spent a month in Phnom Penh, Cambodia learning Khmer and helping Khmer staff to run kids’ clubs (first aid, food delivery, protected play). I then spent a month volunteering at a sister plant of the same organization in Antananarivo, Madagascar in the same intern role.
What attracted you to your MSc course? Why did you choose the University of Exeter?
I knew that I wanted to study abroad, and coastal England seemed like the perfect place to study ecology. By my junior year of undergrad, I knew I wanted to continue my studies and found myself attracted to Master’s programs that focused on research projects. The University of Exeter had everything I wanted, and I’m super confident I made the right decision.
What do you like about living and studying in Cornwall?
I absolutely love being about 20 minutes from the beach, and the coastal cliffs and rocky beaches of Cornwall are like nothing I’ve ever seen before. I come from the Blue Ridge Mountains in Virginia (like the song Take Me Home, Country Roads) which are so beautiful, but I’ve very much enjoyed these new coastal landscapes. I also think that the Penryn/Falmouth area is the perfect size for me. It’s small enough to see people you know when walking down the street which I love, but it’s large enough to be able to keep meeting new people and to try new cafés or pubs.
What are you looking forward to most about your course?
I’m looking forward to my research project! My project focuses on coastal bats and I’ll be conducting acoustic surveys with a couple other MSc students. Our data collection starts in May, and I’m so excited to go out in the field. We’ll be surveying the bats on the beach at night under the moonlight which is going to be so much fun.
What skills and experiences are you hoping to gain from your course?
I already feel like I’ve learned so much from my statistics course I completed last semester. I’ve learned how to design posters and write research papers at a professional level. In the following months, I look forward to learning how to collect and organize data, and I am genuinely excited to put my new statistic skills to use with my own datasets.
What have been the highlights so far?
In all honesty, the highlights of my time here so far have been the people that I’ve met and the friends that I’ve made. I live in campus housing, and I absolutely adore my flatmates. My course mates are absolutely lovely as well, and I’ve felt so supported and encouraged by them throughout our academic journeys together. Another highlight would be getting to explore Cornwall. There are so many different beaches to discover, and the coastal path is so gorgeous.
What are your career aspirations?
My plan for after graduation is to return home to the United States and find a research position in academia. I’m keeping my mind open to new opportunities and maybe eventually a PhD, but I already know I enjoy university research from past experiences, and would love to continue my career in lab/field research back home.
The Graduate School of Environment and Sustainability brings together experts from across the spectrum of earth and life sciences, engineering, humanities, social sciences and business. Our programmes are all designed with a focus on developing solutions to global challenges and creating a better future for our planet and its people. Help lead a global Greener, Healthier and Fairer revolution by studying one of our world-leading, interdisciplinary Masters degrees here at the University of Exeter, Cornwall. See our Masters programmes here.