MSc Global Sustainability Solutions alumni profiles
Our MSc graduates will go on to work in various environmental sustainability roles across the private and public sectors. Browse the profiles below to see what some of them are doing now.
Name: Zach Clarke
Year of graduation: 2023
Employer: CO2balance
Current role: Carbon Projects Officer
Brief description of your current job role: My role as a Carbon Projects Officer involves developing high-impact community-focused carbon projects which aim to achieve additional benefits to the local communities through their implementation. Specifically, I consult on projects in Ethiopia which provide safe water and clean cooking technologies for local communities. I'm also involved in some nature-based mangrove and terrestrial afforestation projects.
How have the experiences from your GSS MSc helped you in your job role: The MSc was a pivotal year for allowing me to gain insightful knowledge into the complexities of sustainable development. Most notably, as part of my dissertation, I was fortunate enough to gain sector-specific experience working with Mike Allen, professor and CEO of Seaweed Generation. Through engaging with local stakeholders in Antigua and Barbuda, I attempted to unravel the complexities of developing a carbon project alongside understanding the social dynamics of those living within the project area. This research identified the importance of having a rigorous and inclusive stakeholder engagement process for maximising a project's success. Culminating my year with this experience, I was able to draw on topics learnt on the course such as systems thinking, natural capital and environmental justice. Being able to apply a sustainability lens to real-world challenges is something this MSc has hugely helped me with.
What did you enjoy most on the GSS MSc course? The course brought students from a diverse range of backgrounds and skill sets together. I particularly enjoyed engaging with this unique group of people, and learning from one another in the process.
Any ambitions for the future/career: Blue Carbon is a passion of mine which I would like to explore more in the future. I see huge potential in Blue Carbon as a method for combatting climate change.
Name: Jen Guy
Year of graduation: 2022
Employer: Galapagos Conservation Trust
Current role: Finance & Operations Officer
Brief description of your current job role: Co-ordinating and supporting the operations, administration & financial bookkeeping of a ~£1.5m charity, overseeing the charity's volunteer programme, IT support.
How have the experiences from your GSS MSc helped you in your job role: The internship dissertation programme allowed me to carry out research with Galapagos Conservation Trust and resulted in a paid research internship and then a full-time job. In addition to this the coursework and group projects prepared me for a realistic collaborative working environment. I felt really confident and prepared going into my role.
What did you enjoy most on the GSS MSc course? The GSS programme was so varied and diverse so that I was able to pursue multiple interests concurrently. I also really valued the interpersonal relations between staff and students, help felt easily accessible and readily available. The whole cohort felt like such a community, and we still see each other and organise events two years on. On the academic side of things, I really enjoyed the way that the course was mapped out and the modules run, I felt I was far better suited to this approach than in my undergraduate degree and it prepared me better for the role I am currently in.
Any ambitions for the future/career: Continue working in conservation, PhD, research & fieldwork.
Name: Tom Doidge
Year of graduation: 2023
Employer: ITV
Current role: Sustainability Analyst
Brief description of your current job role: My current role is to produce research and conduct data analysis to support ITV's climate transition programme, developed from the recent publication of ITV's Climate Transition Plan. I take ownership of ITV's internal climate content tracker and engagement, BAFTA albert certification reporting, our internal advertiser sustainability scoring methodology, and the CDP disclosure process.
How have the experiences from your GSS MSc helped you in your job role: Within my role, I am continually trusted with undertaking climate science and policy research to inform our climate transition workstreams and conversations with commissioners/producers around effective climate content. The knowledge that I have gained from the GSS MSc has been invaluable to inform that research, and the degree itself was an expressed reason for my initial interview.
What did you enjoy most on the GSS MSc course? In terms of course content, I really enjoyed learning about the policy landscape within the Innovation and the Science-Policy Interface module, particularly the group work aspect of creating a report on a new policy proposal. I also gained valuable business knowledge from the CSR and Sustainable Tourism modules. But candidly, one of the most enjoyable parts of the course was meeting the variety of people that shared the same passion for climate change solutions as I did.
Any ambitions for the future/career: I hope to maintain my climate science knowledge as the sustainability landscape becomes ever-more complex. Within ITV, I want to continue to produce meaningful research and insights to inform sustainability initiatives. The influence that ITV has in terms of behaviour change is something that can be harnessed to create effective solutions to the climate crisis, and I'm so grateful that the GSS MSc course has given me the foundations to support that progress.
Name: Eloise Conley
Year of graduation: 2022
Employer: PwC UK
Current role: Senior Sustainability Consultant
Brief description of your current job role: Within my role I support various clients in meeting their sustainability reporting commitments, in addition to developing their ESG strategies. I have a particular specialism in the Carbon Markets, where I help organisations set carbon offsetting policies, advise on the quality of different carbon credits and also develop new thought leadership pieces for the wider market.
How have the experiences from your GSS MSc helped you in your job role: The GSS MSc gave me a great knowledge base from which to start my career, building my understanding of concepts such as systems thinking, ESG policy and sustainability consulting. In particular, the placement I undertook at an environmental consultancy and focusing my dissertation topic on carbon markets has led to many opportunities within my current role that may have otherwise been unavailable - so pick wisely!
What did you enjoy most on the GSS MSc course? I especially enjoyed the variety of modules within the GSS MSc. There was something for everyone and the tutors made the topics really engaging and encouraged a lot of participation. Additionally, after graduating, the network you gain with your fellow alumni is really valuable and many of us are still in contact now.
Any ambitions for the future/career: Over the next few years I’d like to continue working with clients to develop new and innovative sustainability strategies on a range of topics, and also continue my work in the Carbon Markets space, to support efforts towards higher integrity carbon credits in the market.
Name: Cameron Brown
Year of graduation: 2022
Employer: JLL
Current role: Sustainability Consultant
Brief description of your current job role: Working with clients across the real estate sector, my role primarily revolves around developing and setting decarbonisation strategies, assessing physical and transitional risks that may impact the client and reporting on sustainability related performance, often through the means of emissions calculations, aligning to compliance schemes and writing ESG reports.
How have the experiences from your GSS MSc helped you in your job role: With the GSS MSc covering a wide range of sustainability issues through both the module led teaching but also through giving free reign when conducting assessments, you have to be quick to get your knowledge up to speed. This process has helped me in my current role where sometimes I’ll be working on things I have not come across before - this flexibility and ability to learn a topic quickly can be a consultants best friend! With the MSc course providing various opportunities for real world work experience, these skills can be developed and put into practice early on and can set you apart when coming to apply for roles post University.
What did you enjoy most on the GSS MSc course? During the GSS MSc course I really enjoyed viewing sustainability topics through a systems approach and seeing how wide reaching sustainability issues can be. Often many stakeholders will be involved when considering both sustainability problems and solutions with the ability to approach them from a range of perspectives being fundamental when trying to achieve the most optimal outcome. This was also promoted by some great discussions with my cohort during lecture and seminar teaching, considering things you perhaps wouldn’t have done ordinarily. I also enjoyed the variety in assessments. They provided great opportunities to learn more about specific interest areas and apply that knowledge to a variety of outputs, producing them for a range of audiences. This was also great experience for my current role.
Any ambitions for the future/career: At the moment I’m really enjoying working with some big clients on all things sustainability. With my dissertation being based around embodied carbon and starting to have discussions around building uses, I would like to work in the future on how we can reimagine real estate, making best use of the building stock we currently have and trying to avoid assets from becoming stranded. Whilst new buildings often look great and can be incredibly operationally efficient, is there a way we can alter the buildings we currently have to future proof them, better serving us now and for the future?
Name: Sejal Agarwal
Year of graduation: 2023
Employer: EcoOnline
Current role: Sustainability Analyst
Brief description of your current job role: My job primarily involves assisting companies in their GHG accounting and meeting disclosure criteria for reporting standards and regulations like CDP and SECR. GHG accounting requires an in-depth understanding of GHG protocols and we aim to ensure a high level of accuracy in our calculations. So, my day-to-day involves lots of spreadsheets and data analysis. It is a client-facing role and requires a significant amount of client management and relationship building as well.
How have the experiences from your GSS MSc helped you in your job role: The GSS MSc introduced me to various interesting topics like climate science, climate justice, marine biodiversity, and systems thinking, to name a few. GSS organised some really interesting seminars and we had the opportunity to engage with people working in climate policy and think tanks. And while the day-to-day of my current job is quite different from what I studied in the course, as it is GHG accounting and emissions calculation oriented, GSS MSc has broadened and enhanced my understanding of sustainability issues and topics.
What did you enjoy most on the GSS MSc course? For me, the most enjoyable aspect of the course was the excellent quality of teaching. GSS has some of the best climate science researchers in the world and to be taught by them is indeed a privilege. It is also one of the major reasons I came to the University of Exeter. I thoroughly enjoyed the numerous thought-provoking discussions. Also, I had the opportunity to attend the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Bonn, which was so unexpected and was such an amazing experience!
Any ambitions for the future/career: It has always been my dream to work for the United Nations, and someday I'll get there.
