1. When you were at Brighton College, what did you want to be when you grew up?
To be honest, I had no idea – to have a job which would take me outside, not stuck in an office with some freedom and travel. My main aim was to do better in my A'levels than I did in my O'levels (which I did!)
2. What are you now you've grown up?
I am an Environmental Scientist by profession and extrapolated those skills into Project Management. For me it is a perfect fit – I love the spectrum of opportunities that both professions offer, no one day is the same. I have moved from managing the environmental side of projects, to managing large scale regeneration projects and am now involved in supporting the development of offshore renewable energy projects.
3. What is your best memory of school?
The freedom, trust and a LOT of laughter. When I left I remember thinking that I had had the best two years of my life so far!
From an academic perspective a fundamental influence was Mrs Fielding, our Geology Teacher, I really appreciated her belief in me and her encouragement to apply to university, which I may not have done otherwise.
4. What was the best piece of advice you were given
To learn something new every day.
5. What do you do /did you do as a career
As an Environmental Scientist I have been involved in a broad number of things, including the Environmental Management of Legoland Windsor, the Millennium Dome (now the O2 Arena), managing the Environmental Assessment of the Lahore Ring Road, the Environmental Management of Newhaven Port during the development of their Port Masterplan, running Environmental Management training courses in Peru and setting up a Joint Venture Environmental Consultancy in Madrid. I have also investigated many sites of contaminated land in range of countries – I have seen some of the best and some of the worst places imaginable.
6. What does your job involve?
One aspect of my current job involves developing an innovative offshore wind measuring device, which I hope will one day offer a low risk and cost effective alternative to the traditional meteorological masts, to support offshore wind developers in defining the optimum design of their wind farms. I feel quite privileged that having worked for the over 25 years, I am still able to be working in challenging new industries.
7. What are the most challenging parts of your job?
Communication I think is one of the hardest parts of any job, there are many different levels of communication and it is important to find the right balance.
8. What have you done that you are most proud of?
I walked to Everest Base Camp in Tibet in 1987 and (more recently, completed the Brighton Half Marathon)
9. What is the single thing that would most improve the quality of your life?
A little more sunshine...
10. What are the three objects you would take with you to a desert island?
Toast&Marmite, pen&paper and a piano (if read quickly it sounds like three things...)
11. How would you like to be remembered?
I would be delighted to be remembered at all!