Core team

Kathryn Arnold
Project Lead
Professor of Ecology and Environmental Management at the University of York with over 20 years’ experience spanning academia, policy, and applied research. She leads the YCEDE consortium’s work on inclusive doctoral education and has a strong track record in mentoring, interdisciplinary collaboration, and developing pathways into environmental research.
Alison Dyke
Project Co-Lead
Research Fellow at the Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) York, specialising in political ecology, citizen science evaluation, and the integration of social values into environmental governance. Her work bridges research, policy, and practice, with a focus on strengthening public participation in biodiversity monitoring and environmental decision-making.
Sarah Veale
Project Manager / Research Associate
With expertise in food, health, inequality, and sustainability, she specialises in qualitative research and plays a central role in project management, administration, and logistics to ensure effective collaboration and delivery across the project.
Luqman Muraina
Research Associate
With a background in critical qualitative research and decolonisation studies, his work examines alternative development epistemologies in Nigerian universities to rethink teaching and learning beyond Eurocentric frames. Within the project, he specialises in qualitative methods and contributes to analysis and delivery across activities.

Specialist Fieldwork Leads

Our Specialist Fieldwork Leads are experts from charities, government agencies, and research organisations who design and deliver hands-on fieldwork opportunities for CAREERS students. They bring specialist knowledge, training, and real-world insight into environmental and conservation careers, helping students to build skills, confidence, and sector connections.

Dawn Balmer
British Trust for Ornithology (BTO)
Dawn will introduce students to waterbird monitoring through the national Wetland Bird Survey (WeBS). Using binoculars and telescopes, participants will learn to identify and count species, with the option to explore wider bird identification and recording using BirdTrack and auto-ID tools. Field sessions will be held at Roundhay Park in Leeds.
Rachel Murphy
Plantlife – National Plant Monitoring Scheme (NPMS)
Dr Murphy will deliver an introduction to plant recording, beginning with an indoor overview of why plant data is collected and how it informs conservation. This will be followed by fieldwork at Three Hagges Woodmeadow Nature Reserve in York, where students will set up NPMS plots and record species using a condensed wildflower list, supported by mobile ID apps.
Philip Briggs
Bat Conservation Trust (BCT) – Bat Walks & Acoustic Monitoring
Philip will guide students through an evening bat walk at Endcliffe Park in Sheffield, introducing bat detector technology and leading practical recording sessions. On a follow-up day, participants will learn the basics of sound analysis, reviewing their own recordings to identify species. This activity forms part of BCT’s “Training the Next Generation” initiative.
Catherine Burton
Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC) – Bioblitz & Multi-Protocol Ecological Survey
Catherine will lead a “Bioblitz” — a fast-paced biodiversity survey combining mini citizen science and biomonitoring protocols at the Sun Lane Nature Reserve in Bradford. Students will record wildlife across multiple habitats, from urban green spaces to rewilding estates, at sites including Chevin Forest Park, Ilkley Moor, Gallows Hill Local Nature Reserve, and Three Hagges Woodmeadow. Some sites will offer indoor facilities for briefings and data entry.

Leadership

Ayo Barley
EDI Specialist
Leading race equity strategy and inclusive hiring practices.
Gemma Harper
Chief Executive at JNCC
Overseeing national environmental policy and biodiversity evidence.
Laura Harrison
Early Career Researcher
Focused on ecosystem services and wellbeing across social and environmental systems.
Niki Newton
Senior Biodiversity Evidence Specialist
Part of the JNCC’s Ecosystem Analysis team.
Donald Palmer
Associate Professor at Royal Veterinary College
Co-founded Reach Society & Minoritised in Life Sciences
Michael Pocock
UKCEH’s Public Engagement lead
Expert in citizen science campaign design.
Francisca Rockey
Geographer and Founder of Black Geographers
Championing representation in environmental academia.
Parvathy Venugopal
Bat Conservation Trust Coordinator
Specialising in biomonitoring, community science and citizen science.
Yash Wilson
Undergraduate Environmental Geography Student
Member of the Yorkshire Dales National Park Board.

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Department of Environment and Geography
University of York
Heslington
York
YO10 5NG

Funded by

This project is supported by the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) as part of its commitment to advancing diversity and inclusion in environmental research.

Note: We use the terms People of Colour and Students of Colour respectfully, while recognising the limitations and complexities of these terms. We value the importance of acknowledging, respecting, and celebrating the cultural and ethnic identities of individuals within the broad categories they describe.