Beth Brockett (Natural England)

Name: Beth Brockett

Subject: Interdisciplinary PhD in Soil-Plant Ecology and Human/Critical Geography. Doctoral thesis: ‘An interdisciplinary approach to mapping soil carbon’

Year Graduated: 2016

College: Graduate

Where are you now and what are you doing?
I have just started a job as a Lead Land Management Adviser at Natural England. My ‘patch’ is in the SW Peak District.

What would you like to do next?
Happy where I am. I’d like to publish some papers from my thesis.

Why did you choose to study at Lancaster?
I was keen to work with a particular academic.

What was your favourite part of your degree and why?
I both loved, and occasionally loathed, the challenge of doing an interdisciplinary PhD. I don’t think that academia has made space for truly interdisciplinary research – but overall I really enjoyed the intellectual and practical challenges of creating a coherent piece of work which drew from different disciplinary traditions.

How do you think your time at Lancaster prepared you for what you’re currently doing?
I took quite an independent approach to researching my doctoral thesis – this developed my confidence working in upland environments and with farmers and other land management professionals. Being taught about the National Vegetation Classification system by John Rodwell was a highlight and provided me with a solid foundation in vegetation surveying, which I developed through my fieldwork.

What did you enjoy most about your time at Lancaster? (Including extra-curricular activities and beyond?
Working alongside and getting to know my peers – a supportive, interesting, intellectually curious and fun group of people.

 

You can connect with Beth through LinkedIn here