Environmental Protection
My love for our natural environment has deepened ever since my grandma took me on weekly walks in a nearby forest. She taught me respect for all living beings which has shaped my path ever since. In an official capacity, I have done an internship and full-time work for the education department of the Western Pomerania Lagoon Area National Park in Germany, a gorgeous mix of forest, marshland and beaches on the Baltic Sea. Simultaneously, I have furthered my knowledge in environmental sciences and social aspects of how we view our natural surroundings. My voluntary involvement in Ark Eden, a permaculture site in Hong Kong, and Incredible Edible Dumfries, an initiative that grows free food in the streets of Dumfries.
Creativity and Repair
As with the love for the environment, my love for creating things with my own two hands also stems from my grandma who sat down with me a lot to craft and tinker. Today, I don't only study a creative movement and make a lot of things myself in my free time, but I also actively engage with initiatives that foster making skills and creativity, such as the Repair Cafe Glasgow. We are getting a lot of our everyday items and technologies presented to us as is and without being able to change them much. Having the choice to create something for yourself is crucial to me.
Community Building
Community building is now more important than ever. With social media and individualism ruling our lives, we often forget how important a strong supportive community is. I try to grow a sense of community wherever I can, for example in the PhD society that I have co-founded. One of our core values is to foster a sense of community among PhD students across all our colleges and give them a sense of belonging, something that's often lacking in this group.
Mental Health
Since having been Officer Manager for Soul Soup, a mental health charity for young people in Dumfries, I have learned an immense amount about mental health problems and the major role they play in our society. Even though my main role was that of managing the office, I often engaged with our service users and learned about their struggles and hopes. The charity allowed me to train myself in the role of a support worker and administering mental health first aid. Mental health is a topic close to my heart and I raise awareness for it whenever I can.
International Cooperation
My experience of international cooperation is mainly connected to my involvement in and international conferences conducted within the German student organisation Student forum of the Tönisstein Circle. My experience of living abroad, however, has complemented these more official encounters with a rich and colourful understanding of various cultures and how our differences can make that international cooperation difficult, at times.
Education
Education has often accompanied my various passions. While working for the education department of the Western Pomerania Lagoon Area National Park in Germany I have planned and led many workshops for school children from ages 5 to 16. Besides having gathered more academic experience through teaching master-level lectures during my PhD studies, I am currently also the treasurer of the Janice Jamieson Memorial Foundation, a Dumfries-based charity that raises scholarship money for high school students in Malawi.
LGBT+
Even though it was initially only a part-time job, working as Administrator and Volunteer Coordinator for Dumfries & Galloway LGBT+ turned into a fantastic place to meet inspiring people and supporting them in being heard and cared for. As their first paid employee, I was involved in all the everyday dealings of the charity and learned so much from the LGBT+ community in Dumfries. The courage of some of them has given strength to my resolve to always fight for the rights of people who are marginalised.
