Hi everyone!
I’m Nat, and I have recently joined CO2balance as a Carbon Projects Officer, Nature-Based Solutions.
My background is in Biological Sciences (BSc) and Risk (MSc) from St Chad’s College, Durham. I chose these programs based on a long-held passion for the natural world, and a desire to conserve and improve it.
During my Master’s study, I used cloud-based GIS technologies, such as Google Earth Engine, to monitor weather systems and investigate landscape change in a rocky desert ecosystem. I also developed applications to present my findings to a wide audience and allow interaction with data. I believe that public engagement is key to the fight against climate change, and I am excited to continue my research into new technologies within that sphere at CO2balance.
During my undergraduate study, I took part in the Fulbright Study of the US Institutes program on Environmental Issues based at the University of Oregon in Eugene. Here, I formed part of an international group of young people tasked with studying environmental management policy in the United States and developing projects to implement upon our return. This culminated in the creation of EcoSila, a refugee integration and environmental education initiative, which remains active. I also took part in a study tour to New Orleans and Washington D.C.
My time in the US was my first exposure to the UN Sustainable Development Goals, which will now form a key part of my work developing projects at CO2balance.
Post-graduation, I worked as a Business Intelligence Consultant at HSBC, a role which provided a solid foundation in data analysis within the financial sector. However, I quickly realised that banking was not the career for me! I am now looking to apply the skills I gained within the field of carbon finance, working to make the world a better place both for local communities and the natural world.
In my spare time, I am a keen follower of football and cricket. I also paint and draw when I can, primarily focussing on subjects in the natural world, such as British native birds. Art is one of my main passions, which allows me to be mindful, both in creating work myself and in visiting exhibitions.
I have received an incredibly friendly welcome from everyone I have met at CO2balance so far (including tea and cake within 5 minutes of arrival!). I am excited to learn about project development here and begin contributing to improving lives across the globe.
