Submitted by Grainne Kennedy on Thu, 2018-06-28 09:27
1. Name: Amy Munro-Faure
2. Position: Living Laboratory for Sustainability Coordinator
3. What does this position entail? As Living Lab Coordinator I’ll do several things. Firstly I will run internships, academic and voluntary projects in sustainability, all with the aim of bringing together motivated students with a good theoretical understanding of their disciplines to allow them to work on data and projects that are completely practical and embedded in how the University functions. I will also co-ordinate awards and support other environment and energy functions, for example, supporting the implementation of the University’s biodiversity aims.
4. What is your (education/qualifications) background and how did you get here? I’m actually coming back here! My undergraduate degree was in Zoology at the University of Cambridge but I’ve spent the last five years living in Edinburgh doing a PhD in Evolutionary Biology, specifically looking at the evolution of human cooperative behavior. Before that I did a masters at UCL in Biodiversity, Evolution and Conservation and worked at ZSL for 6 months on WWF’s Living Planet Index. I’ve also spent time working as a research assistant on various field projects in Borneo and Australia. Prior to my first degree I studied sculpture at Chelsea College of Art and Design which led to me running lots of Art Science workshops throughout my PhD!
5. What were you doing before joining the Environment and Energy section? Since finishing my PhD I’ve spent the past few months teaching on Biology courses at the University of Edinburgh, tutoring Secondary school students and doing lots of painting!
6. What is your proudest professional achievement? Finishing my PhD!
7. What are you most looking forward to getting your teeth into in the coming year? Developing student projects and trying to get more cross-links between academia and the nitty gritty of Estate Management.
8. What gets you out of bed (and into work) in the morning? Doing something that I care about, something that I believe can make a real change in how the world works.
9. What is your environment related pet hate? Single use plastics of all types
10. What is your favourite green gadget? My bike
11. What do you think is the biggest environmental challenge? Persuading people to change their behaviour, this might be by making these changes easier for people to make.
12. Tell us one little known fact about yourself. I’ve worked on a dairy farm
13. Who is your inspirational figure (real or fictional)? Too many to name but mostly people I’ve worked with before whose commitment and energy has never ceased to impress me.
14. Do you have any hobbies? Drawing, yoga, climbing, occasional ukulele/guitar playing
15. First impressions of Cambridge? Hot and sunny!