Rebecca Smith

I originally choose the University of Edinburgh because I was impressed by the reputation of the university. When I went to visit and learn about the Biological Sciences programme I was blown away by the diversity of courses available and the variety of opportunities.

One of my favourite classes was Field Zoology in my fourth year. This class gave me my first opportunity to design my own biological research project and the field trip to Millport was my first experience of fieldwork in Scotland. This experience was pivotal in my decision to continue my career in biological field research.

I enjoyed and appreciate the scope of the Zoology course at Edinburgh as I was able to experience a variety of fields including entomology, animal behaviour, genetics, plant science and development biology to name a few. This varied approach really helped me to narrow down my scientific interests.

The University of Edinburgh was also wonderful for the number of extra-curricular activities available. In my first and second years I trained with the Edinburgh Swim Team, which was a fantastic experience.

The University of Edinburgh not only directly contributed to my current career path through the valuable skills I learned but also in a more serendipitous way. My journey to my current job began with a volunteer experience in my second year of university at N/a’an Ku Sê Wildlife Sanctuary in Namibia and I originally heard about this opportunity through the university!

In 2013 I moved to Paraguay to run the Para La Tierra Primate Project. I have now been studying hooded capuchins in the Paraguayan Atlantic Forest for five years and I have published the first primatological research from Paraguay in over 20 years.

Your experiences since leaving the University