Luke Matthew Swindell

Current Employer/Organisation Name

Global Canopy

What have you been doing since leaving Exeter, and what are you doing now?

Since leaving Exeter with both an MSc and BSc, I went on to undertake a 6 month position initially as an Intern and then as an Associate Programme Officer with the World Conservation Monitoring Centre – United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP-WCMC) working on the TRADE Hub, a project focused on moving towards sustainable agricultural commodity and wildlife trade.

After this I volunteered on a research project in the Tien Shan mountains in Kyrgyzstan to help track snow leopards and other rare species using camera traps as well as hold interviews with the local nomadic farmers and community members on human-wildlife dynamics. The following year I undertook a Turing scheme Research Assistant role in Seville, Spain, conducting a literature review on potential wolf recolonisation of southern Spain through understanding wider wolf movement and potential barriers to colonisation across Europe.

Finally, I have been most recently employed as a Research Assistant with Global Canopy, primarily working on Forest 500, a project to annually assess the worlds’ largest companies on their deforestation, conversion, and human rights commitments and performance. I am now taking a short career break and aim to continue to work in the areas of corporate sustainability, deforestation, and human rights.

Why did you choose this career? And what do you enjoy most about your work?

I chose after leaving university to try various different paths that interested me as my main goal was to work in high impact roles that I felt made a real and tangible difference to the world whilst also enjoying what I do. I have discovered along the way that research is what engages me and interests me the most as i enjoy really getting stuck in to a topic to understand the nuances and complexity of it. I relish any opportunity to continue to learn and research focused roles have allowed me to do this.

Please tell us if you were a member of any societies, groups or sports clubs?

I was the publicity officer for Marine Watch Society in my first year of my BSc. I also volunteered at a local rewilding project that frequently works with the University, helping to restore farmland through practical conservation work.

What did you enjoy most about your programme and what was the biggest highlight?

I learnt a huge amount during both degrees, even with the Covid-19 pandemic disrupting my studies. I enjoyed learning about topics across zoology and conservation and many of the things I learnt i have continued to tap into throughout my professional career journey. A major highlight for me was my MSc field trip to Scotland, where I was able to directly engage with stakeholders on conservation and rewilding across Scotland. This trip gave me a more practical hands on experience alongside my studies and also was made to be incredibly enjoyable along the way with fun activities and opportunities to explore Scotland.

What did you most enjoy about studying here?

The opportunity to live in Cornwall with such stunning scenery alongside studying on a modern campus with some of the best learning resources and teaching. I felt that it was a perfect environment for me to learn and grow both as a person and for my career prospects. I loved living by the sea and being able to go out on a boat trip on the weekends to see dolphins and whales, and really enjoyed the culture and lifestyles of living on Cornwall. At the same time, I felt that I was always growing my skills professionally and knew that I would have plenty of career opportunities from studying in an excellent learning environment.

Why did you choose to study at Exeter?

The balance between excellent academic reputation and teaching, particularly in the field of conservation and zoology i aimed to move into, alongside the opportunity to live amongst the Cornish scenery, coastlines, beaches, wildlife, and natural Beauty.

What skills and experiences have been most useful for your career?

Research and critical thinking skills that I developed particularly during my MSc have been incredibly beneficial, as I was quickly able to adapt and apply these skills in my research focused professional roles. The ability to critically engage with literature and communicate complex data heavy findings in both an academic manner and to wider audiences I felt was something that was a steep learning curve during my degrees that have helped me both in securing me professional roles and has helped me to progress within them.

What advice would you give to a current student who wishes to pursue your career?

I would say to try many different paths and to not worry too much about specialising or focusing entirely on one clear route. Early career it is important to explore many different options and find what you really enjoy as this is a continuous learning process. I would also say to keep persevering and knocking at the door, for example I applied unsuccessfully for one of my recent roles, then was hired most recently after I added collaborative working skills and was told in feedback after interview that missing those skills was the reason i did not get the role previously and adding them helped me secure it.

What are your plans for the future?

I aim to continue seeking opportunities in Corporate Sustainability, Deforestation, and Human rights focusing on research-based roles. I have also enjoyed project management and building my skills in this area, so would be equally eager to shift towards project management focused roles and opportunities. I also will consider undertaking a PhD later on in the future, as I enjoy academic research and would relish the opportunity to sink myself this over a 3-4 year period.