Ashleigh Kitchiner

"My personality types are as below and I wholly agree!Communicator - this is in all aspects of my varied roles. I communicate with the general public and deliver educational lectures about whales and dolphins. I communicate with colleagues about the different projects I've got going on and ask for any ideas I may have missed. Finally, I must communicate well when onboard vessels offshore to ensure the protection of sound-sensitive marine mammals is adhered to.Influencer - I manage quite a few projects that are very new and not well heard of in the industry so I've had to overcome a few obstacles to obtain new partnerships.Investigator - This is at the core of what I'm all about. Investigating and learning more about these fascinating creatures so I can share this with who ever will listen!"

"I am currently a Senior Marine Mammal Consultant so this means I review all the knowledge we have to data about marine mammals and assess the impacts of new developments on them. This could be the installation of wind farms, dredging materials from the seabed or exploding old war bombs in the water!"

"I completed an internship with ORCA, called the Wildlife Officer Placement and learnt all about these fascinating creatures, from there I was hooked. I then went on to successfully complete a Masters of Research at the University of Chester. I have been involved in so much voluntary work, just to decide what I liked and what I wanted to do. I now work in an environmental consultancy which means they provide environment consultation on projects that may affect the environment. I still get out on voluntary surveys when I can!."

"This is going to sound really geeky....but most of all I enjoy doing as many courses, reading, nature watching and volunteering as much as I can. I have learnt so much from all of these things and been able to further progress in ecology because of the time I take to invest in myself. For example, in my second year of university, we had a placement for the summer and I wanted to be placed with a Wildlife Trust. I was, and from there I learnt all about ecology services that must be completed upon building homes, car parks, sheds, you name it! These were bat, newt, water, badger, dormice and more surveys, I loved them all and was able to get really hands-on. Since then, I now freelance as an ecology surveyor and am able to due to thorough training and ensuring I had the correct accreditations.Through volunteering I have learnt British tree species, plants and more birds than I ever could by staying and reading a book. It is well worth getting out if this is the field of work you want to get into. "

"At the moment, I am working remotely due to lockdown. My typical day is as follows:7 am - yoga with Mum (I've moved out but we still practice the same session at the same time together)9 am - 12 pm - Meetings and project work12 pm - DINNER1 pm - 5 pm - reading new research about marine mammals and working on proposals for more work"

"GCSEMaths B, Science AA, English, B, English Literature A*, Welsh C, Music D, Geography B, Technology B, French AA-Level Biology, Chemistry, Maths, English literatureBSc (Hons) Biology University of ChesterMaster by Research (MRes) Marine Mammal Genetics University of Chester "