Amy Tyndall

I have what I call a 'wonky career path'! My academic background is in Astrophysics, and after completing a PhD in 2014 I went into a 10-year career in Science Communication and Public Engagement. Like with many people, the COVID lockdown really made me re-assess where my passions and priorities lie, and I was really keen to get back into a more scientific/technical career that would help save our struggling planet. 

Earth Observation and GIS can be applied to so many different industries, so it felt the most versatile option to help facilitate that career change. I also liked the idea that I would 'just' be pointing the camera down instead of up to make exciting new discoveries! I had already been living in Edinburgh for 7 years when I applied, and thought the in-person course would offer me a more comprehensive network of people and live experiences that I just wouldn't get with a distance-learning course. That turned out to be very much the case, and I'm still actively connected to the School of GeoSciences today with collaborative work projects.

The first semester of the degree is particularly intense, as is the dissertation stage. The result is that it creates really solid bonds between all of the students in the cohort - nothing is treated like a competition, and we're actively encouraged to help each other out. Friendships are formed that last long after graduation, and that's really special.

My highlight was definitely being interviewed by the BBC while surrounded by squawking gannets on Bass Rock! They accompanied us on our data-gathering trip for my dissertation project to see what work was being done in the wake of the 2022 Avian Influenza epidemic. Even without the BBC, getting to be 'in the field' for the first time was so much fun, and reinforced my newly-discovered passion for wildlife conservation and environmental protection.

Read Amy's blog post 'Birds, Bass Rock and the BBC'

It sounds really cliche, but make the most of every opportunity offered to you! If you have a specific goal in mind for after graduation, take advantage of all of the resources that the University has available to help you achieve that - whether that be staff expertise, building a network of contacts or auditing extra courses. But, above all else, remember to look after your physical and mental health - a course can be picked up again at a later date, but there's only one of you! So take care of yourself.

Best city in the UK!

It's been a busy 18 months post-graduation! I started my current job at EOLAS at the start of 2024. Since then I have been presented with the Best Student MSc Thesis Award 2024 from the Remote Sensing and Photogrammetry Society at the National Earth Observation Conference in York. I've also been invited to give a lecture to the new MSc EOGM cohort at the School of GeoSciences for two years running, and present at a Geomob event. 

For the past 6 months I have been managing a collaborative project between the School of Geosciences, the Airborne Research and Innovation Facility and EOLAS as part of the Scottish Government's CivTech programme, looking at how to improve the monitoring of puffin populations.

Find out more about the Airborne Research and Innovation (ARI) Facility

Day to day, I will be working across multiple active projects based around environmental problems. This can involve researching geospatial/remote sensing methods, locating appropriate datasets, carrying out data analysis, and writing documentation.

It was about a month after graduation that the Managing Director at EOLAS, Douglas McNeil, messaged me on LinkedIn keen to have a chat about a potential job opportunity. That was just based on my profile which I had been keeping up to date since the start of my degree, knowing it might serve as a helpful digital CV after graduation. Clearly time well spent!

EOLAS is a geospatial company at its heart, and they were looking for a GIS/EO specialist to join their expanding team. My dissertation work on using machine learning to detect seabirds caught their eye, as they were also working on wildlife detection models. I've also previously held science communication and public engagement job roles at The University of Edinburgh - another useful skill set to have when it comes to meetings and pitching to potential customers and collaborators!

Geospatial analysis (vector and raster), handling satellite and drone data, and project planning.

EOLAS' core values align strongly with my own, which is really important for job satisfaction - knowing I am here to help make a tangible difference to our natural environment. I love how varied the work can be, with projects relating to wildlife, natural capital and climate resilience currently on the go.

I come from an academic background, so the sudden change to being in a commercial and deadline-driven environment was a slight shock to the system! It means you have to learn a lot of things on the fly and time-management is critical, but I'm lucky to be surrounded by friendly and knowledgeable colleagues who are always on hand to help.

Build a network, and be proactive about it! I actively sought out my own small internship with a different environmental company just before I joined EOLAS, which then allowed me to hit the ground running when I started the job. Attend as many conferences and seminars as you can to widen your list of contacts, and keep your LinkedIn profile up to date and active.