Ali Tarbun (Law Conversion)
Name: Alexandra Tarbun
Subject: BSc Biological Sciences
Year Graduated: 2016
College: Pendle
Where are you now and what are you doing?
I am now completing a Graduate Law Diploma at the University of Law in Leeds.
What would you like to do next?
I would like to complete the Bar Professional Training Course and become a barrister specialising in either Clinical Negligence or Environmental Law.
Why did you choose to study at Lancaster?
I loved the University as a whole, the college system and its location. I thought it was wonderful to be so close to so many areas of natural beauty, especially the Lake District, while also being close to big cities such as Manchester and Liverpool.
What was your favourite part of your degree and why?
I loved everything about Lancaster and studying Biological Sciences, so it’s really difficult to choose a favourite part. I think one of the best things about my degree was that I was able to study such a variety of completely different things; one moment I was looking at insects and plants, the next I was studying human diseases. The variety kept me on my toes and meant that there was never a dull day. I was privileged to visit so many beautiful areas surrounding Lancaster, on LEC field trips, and while the weather wasn’t always great it was brilliant to go out into the countryside, to experience nature and to get some fresh air. I also really enjoyed the experience of doing my own research for my dissertation which was on low impact alternatives to pesticides, it was a great opportunity not only to see what it’s really like to work in a lab but also to see how new techniques are being developed to conquer environmental issues, for example current pesticides can be really damaging to invertebrates and to human health whereas the new alternatives aren’t so damaging.
How do you think your time at Lancaster prepared you for what you’re currently doing?
My time at Lancaster has prepared me both for my law diploma and for life in general. I learnt so much from my time at Lancaster, not just in terms of academic knowledge but also important life skills which will probably stay with me for the rest of my life. Believe it or not, my academic knowledge of both ecology and human biology have helped me with aspects of my law diploma, for example a couple of weeks ago we were studying the thalidomide case in tort. Law requires many analytical skills and my Biological Sciences degree has provided me with these, in abundance.
What did you enjoy most about your time at Lancaster? (Including extra-curricular activities and beyond?
I loved the balance between academic and social activities at Lancaster, and how friendly people always were. One of my favourite things to do was going to Fylde and Furness bars between lectures and playing pool with my friends, when I probably should have been in the library!
You can read more about Ali Tarbun on LinkedIn.
