CAMILLA BLASI FOGLIETTI
EDUCATION
PhD Hunting pressure and primate behaviour
Egham, UK 2016 - 2020
My work primarily focussed on the indirect effects that hunting pressure may have on hunted species. The PhD explored the effects of hunting on monkey behaviour and the implications for density estimates and sustainability assessments. Fieldwork was conducted in the Gola region, part of the Upper Guinean forest of West Africa, on the border between Liberia and Sierra Leone.
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Some of the key questions explored were: How do primates adapt in response to hunting pressures? How does variation in risk shape behavioural change? Do anti-predator adaptations influence the detectability of primates? How does detectability influence density estimates? What are the implications for conservation and hunting sustainability?
I was part of the Conservation and Behaviour Lab (CAB Lab) at Royal Holloway University of London, and I was supervised by Dr. Sarah Papworth and Prof. Jay Mistry.
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> Conceived, planned, managed and implemented my own research project, with nine months of successful fieldwork in West Africa
> Built and managed relationships with partners such as the Society for Conservation of Nature of Liberia and the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds
> Was responsible for all financial planning and reporting
> Designed and built the website for my research group as well as my own personal website.
> Delivered research presentations and proposals at four academic conferences, one non-academic conference, to one government body and to two NGOs
> Won 1st prize for best talk as voted by the audience at the Biological Sciences Postgraduate Symposium
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Key skills: Project proposal writing, scientific writing, report writing, project management and leadership, thorough background research and reviewing of the literature, reference management using Mendeley, task prioritisation and time management, teamworking and communication, presentation skills, Geographical Information Systems (QGIS), data management and analysis in R and Microsoft Excel, biodiversity surveying skills, behavioural data collection
Silwood Park Campus, UK 2014 - 2015
Main research projects:​
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Diversity and community composition of bird species under differing levels of forest disturbance in the protected area of North Ifotaka, Madagascar
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Evolution and maintenance of polymorphism within the PlcR-PapR quorum sensing system of Bacillus thuringiensis within host Plutella xylostella. Supervised by Dr. Ben Raymond.
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Relevant modules: Biodiversity Assessment and Management, Global Biodiversity Conservation and GIS, Conservation Economics, Ecology and Global Change, Behavioural Ecology, Community Ecology and Conservation, Demography and Management, Biological Control and Integrated Pest Management, Applied Evolution and Sustainable Pest Management, Biological computing in R, Advanced Topics in Statistics
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Key skills: Data analysis in R, species distribution modelling (MaxEnt), analytical and communication skills, independent work, research, writing and presentation skills
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Newcastle upon Tyne, UK 2010 - 2013
Main research projects:
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Caching behaviour and plant toxin manipulation in the coal tit, Peripatus ater. Supervised by Dr. Tom Smulders.
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Development, testing and application of a model concerning spatial variation in risk of West Nile Virus. Supervised by Prof. Stephen Rushton.
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Relevant modules: Biodiversity and Conservation, Conservation Biology Issues, Ecological Modelling, Ecology of Populations and Communities, Experimental Design and Statistics for Biologists, Evolution and Behaviour, Scientific Communications, Residential field course (Research drive project on oystercatcher diet and bill morphology)
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Key skills: Species identification skills (Ornithology and Entomology), experimental design, data analysis (using SPSS and R), ecological modelling (using R), independent work and teamwork, scientific writing and critical thinking, basic laboratory skills
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AWARDS AND ACHIEVEMENTS
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1st prize for best talk as voted by the audience at the Biological Sciences Postgraduate Symposium
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Associate fellow of the Higher Education Academy for teaching and learning support in higher education
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Percy Butler Scholarship (equivalent to 3-years full-time Postdoctoral tuition)
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Awarded £4500 for research expedition to Madagascar from Newcastle UniversityAlumni Association, the Royal Geographical Society of London (RGS), Gilchrist Educational Trust, Altyerre Training and Scientific Exploration Society (SES)
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Selected by project supervisor to enter the 2013 SET awards for undergraduate dissertation projects
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Shortlisted for the Environmental champions award from Newcastle University Ncl+
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David Carver Prize for best second year Zoology undergraduate student at Newcastle University
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TALKS AND PRESENTATIONS
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International Congress for Conservation Biology, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
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Royal Holloway University of London Biological Sciences, Postgraduate Symposium, Egham, UK
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Student Conference on Conservation Science, Cambridge, UK
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The Linnean Society Student Conference, London, UK
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International Primatological Society Congress, Nairobi, Kenya
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Society for Conservation of Nature of Liberia and the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, Monrovia, Liberia
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Forestry Development Authority of Liberia, Monrovia, Liberia
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2019
2019
2016
2013
2013
2013
2012
July 2019
May 2019
March 2019
Feb 2019
August 2018
May 2018
June 2017
CAMILLA BLASI FOGLIETTI
PhD Conservation and Behaviour • MSc Ecology, Evolution and Conservation • BSc Zoology • Researcher and communicator • Nature lover
WORK EXPERIENCE
Associate Programme Officer
United Nations Environment Programme World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC)
October 2020 - present
Cambridge, UK
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Coordination, technical and communication support for TRADE Hub and Development Corridors Partnership (DCP) Projects
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Project monitoring and impact pathways
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Event organisation
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Project lead in Informatics
Current role
Blogger
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Interviewed lead conservationists and wrote topical blog posts for a platform helping over 200,000 conservationists across 228 countries
Teaching Assistant
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Provided proactive support to 2nd year Biology undergraduate students during computer practicals for modules "Statistics in R" and "Evolution"
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Explained class practicals, answered questions and helped overcome any issues
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Ensured the safe running of practical classes of 50 - 60 students
STEM Tutor
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Tutored Biology A-level students from disadvantaged backgrounds across Greater London schools
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Helped organise science activities to inspire careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM)
Science Communication Intern
Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment (ATREE)
Community-based Conservation Centre
Feb 2014 - June 2014
Alappuzha, India
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Designed and wrote a guidebook to the biodiversity of the Vembanad-Kol Wetland (Ramsar Site) as an educational aid for students
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Helped organise and run workshops and initiatives to promote conservation and sustainable development in rural communities
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Assisted in wetland restoration projects
Independent Researcher
Oct 2013 - Dec 2013
Tampolo littoral forest, Madagascar
​The aim of the project was to understand how practices such as logging and slash and burn affect the abundance and distribution of five nocturnal lemur species and to understand how the establishment of a Protected Area affects local communities
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Organised a research expedition to Madagascar as part of a group of five
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Wrote grant applications and was successfully awarded five grants from the Newcastle University Alumni Association, the Royal Geographical Society of London (RGS), Gilchrist Educational Trust, Altyerre Training and Scientific Exploration Society (SES)
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Built and developed a partnership with students from the Centre Ecologique de Libanona and with the University of Antananarivo
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Conducted transect surveys of nocturnal lemur species
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Assessed trees of ecological importance to nocturnal lemur species through habitat surveys
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Carried out interviews to investigate community perception and use of the forest
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Designed and produced a brochure in collaboration with the University of Antananarivo, highlighting the potential for ecotourism in the region
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Summarised and presented results to the RGS Explore weekend in 2014 and published a paper in Lemur News 2014
Research Assistant
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Assisted research monitoring the distribution of the Mediterranean common bottlenose dolphin, Tursiops truncatus
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Recorded and inputted sightings into a database
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Helped with educational workshops for children
Data Processing Volunteer
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Entered data from ecological surveys from the North-East of England
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Mapped species distributions using ArcGIS
Bird Survey Volunteer
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Conducted surveys of wetland birds
SKILLS AND INTERESTS
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Language: Mother tongue English and Italian
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Computer: Fluent in all Microsoft Office packages, R statistical software, Mendeley reference software; Intermediate in QGIS
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Full, clean car drivers license: Since December 2009, issued in Italy
I absolutely love cycling, both for leisure and as a mode of transport. I have a strong passion for anything creative, particularly drawing, designing things and photography. I was head of the photography society during MSc at Imperial College. I also love organising logistics and events, which I enjoyed doing as Activities Rep during my MSc. As part of a committee of three people I organised multiple events hosting 70 - 100 people and a music festival with 12 acts and around 250 people attending.
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