Hannah Lacy - PhD Case Study
Hannah Lacy graduated from LJMU in 2021 with a degree in Wildlife Conservation, followed by an MSc in Wildlife Conservation Technology in 2022, and is now a PhD Researcher in Conservation Biology at the University of Leeds.
What does your PhD involve?
My PhD research focus is to determine optimal conservation outcomes for the common hippopotamus (Hippopotamus amphibius) across Southern Africa, in particular outside of Protected Areas. This involves three main aspects:
- determining past and present distribution of hippos
- identifying the drivers of spatial range retraction
- applying spatial prioritisation tools
My supervisory team involves a lead supervisor, and a secondary supervisor, both of which are academics at the University of Leeds.
My current work schedule follows a hybrid approach, I am usually on campus for three or four days, and I work from home for the remainder of the week. On campus, I share an office with other PhD researchers that are also working in the field of ecology, and I am part of a lab group formed by my second supervisor that meets once a week. My PhD is computer-based, so I am usually working on my laptop, but I often go to ecology-based seminars and talks held at the University and meet other PhD researchers to break up the day.
I love doing my PhD because not only am I passionate about African ecology and mammal conservation, but I am also driven by the notion that my work will eventually provide valuable solutions to real-world problems. To communicate my research, I plan to attend one conference in South Africa each year of my PhD to present my findings, learn about other research being conducted, and network with the wider research community. I’d say that the biggest learning curve that I’ve had to deal with since starting my PhD is that I work on my own timeline and so I must manage my time and organise my workload both effectively and independently, and I only had some experience of this from my BSc and MSc dissertation projects.
What did the application process involve for the programme?
The application process for my PhD involved submitting a CV, as well as attending an interview with a panel of academics from the University, including my supervisor. The outline of the project was already developed prior to my application, however, in my interview I suggested the inclusion of a social aspect which is now embedded in the projected plan of the PhD. My interest in the field, and suitability to the project was already known by my supervisor as I previously worked with them as my BSc dissertation supervisor.
The interview involved confirming and relaying my enthusiasm and ability to conduct the PhD project to the rest of the panel. To achieve this, I spoke about some relevant modules I had undertaken in both my BSc and MSc, both of my dissertation projects, and about my previous experience in Africa. To plan for my interview, I undertook a mock interview with Anja Heid, one of the careers and employability advisers at LJMU. This was massively helpful, as the feedback allowed me to formulate more refined answers to some potential questions, most of which I ended up answering in my interview.
What advice would you give to current students who are considering a PhD?
I would strongly advise to network with the academics in the University who work in similar fields to those you are interested in. The PhD opportunity that I applied for was not publicly available, and I only found out about the project by directly contacting my supervisor and enquiring about potential opportunities. The ability to build professional relationships is an important aspect when doing a PhD, and for future careers in academia or in research. I’d recommend using LinkedIn to find connections, as well as undertaking summer placements with academic staff to support their research. By connecting with like-minded individuals with similar interests, you are demonstrating your enthusiasm and passion for their research and showing your desire to work within that field in the future. For me, this was connecting with staff who work on mammal conservation and seeking to work with them at any given opportunity (for example work-based learning placement and dissertation projects). Also, transferable skills that I gained from part-time jobs unrelated to the conservation field, such as written and oral communication and problem-solving were useful to demonstrate when applying for my PhD.
Would you do anything differently in terms of career planning if you were a first-year undergraduate student again?
When I first started University, I didn’t know what I wanted to do as a career and it was only in the second-year of my BSc, when I first met my current PhD supervisor, that I recognised I wanted to go down the path of academia. In hindsight, if I’d have known this earlier, I could have engaged earlier with academic staff, or attended some student conferences in the conservation biology research field, but I don’t think that not knowing in my first year negatively impacted me in any way. Although, I definitely would have endeavoured to volunteer in Africa over summer after my first year.
Is there anything else you would like to add?
Doing a PhD is not as scary as it sounds, especially if you strive to find a solution to a real-world problem that interests you!
At LJMU, we have an employability skills and mind-set framework embedded within all our degrees. Which of the nine employability skills and seven mind-set traits have you found most important during your PhD?
Employability skills - My PhD involves these skills in the form of planning and organising my workload, analysing current scientific literature and other data sources, finding solutions to problems and making decisions when plans fail or unexpected issues arise, and communicating with my supervisory team. Further, the first aspect of my PhD involves communicating with a large network of professional personnel and establishments including academics across the world, conservation NGO’s, National Parks, Game Reserves, and other landowners.
Mind-set traits - During my PhD so far, I believe that keeping a positive attitude and being passionate about what I’m doing has massively helped me to be proactive and resilient. Furthermore, being adaptable and remaining in a mindset where I understand that there is always more to learn has enabled me to find solutions to potential problems and continue to be self-motivated. Lastly, I always ensure that my research and scientific communication is ethical, and that I am compassionate when dealing with real-world problems.
Support from the Student Futures team
If you want to talk about potential careers options with your degree, need help finding opportunities or want support with your CV, application forms or preparing for an interview, you can get advice and guidance by booking a 30-minute 1-2-1 careers meeting with a Careers and Employability Adviser from the LJMU Student Futures Team. You can also come along to a Careers drop-in or CV Café which take place weekly at the Careers Zones for quick careers queries.
If you are thinking about starting a business, freelancing, pursuing a side-hustle or have an idea that you want to explore further, email the Start-up Hub and a member of the team will be back in touch. For more information about the Bathgate Boost Award, visit the Start-up Hub website.
For help finding part-time, temporary or casual you can fit around your studies, email the Unitemps team or visit their website.