Zoology degree delight for Victoria
Victoria Ella Warren, 21, from Loughborough, is graduating from Bangor University with a first class BSc in Marine Vertebrate Zoology this week.
Victoria WarrenThe former Charnwood College student said: “I feel a real sense of achievement having completed my three years and coming out with first class honours, the degree classification I was working for. It feels like my hard work has paid off, and I’ve really enjoyed my course and living in Bangor, which makes it feel like even more of a bonus!
“I have always had a passion for marine mammals (whales and dolphins), and I knew that I wanted to study a marine biology degree. Finding the Marine Vertebrate Zoology degree at Bangor seemed perfect as it was specific to my interest as well as covering a wider range of marine topics in the first two years of the course.
About Bangor, Victoria added: “When I was choosing a University I knew that I needed to be by the coast, and I wanted to choose somewhere with an excellent reputation for Ocean Sciences.
“University is about so much more than the course you choose to study. In Bangor I’ve enjoyed both my course, and my non-academic life. I am a very ‘outdoorsy’ person so I have thoroughly enjoyed living in North Wales. It suits me!
“With Ocean Sciences you get to do lots of practicals and fieldwork, getting to go out on the RV Prince Madog quite often. One of my favourite memories was leaving Menai Bridge on the RV Prince Madog at 7.30am one morning when the sea was mirror flat and the sun was just rising over the mountains.
“My favourite module was definitely Marine Mammal Observation in third year when I got to spend time on the RV Prince Madog and saw seals, harbour porpoises, bottlenose dolphins and Risso’s dolphins in one day around the coast of Anglesey. Seeing these impressive mammals gliding along under the boat and looking you in the eye, just a couple of metres below you, is such a fantastic experience.
“I was also able to write my third year dissertation in association with the Cetacean Research and Rescue Unit in Scotland, writing about new data collected from Scottish cetaceans. Real cutting edge science!
“In my first year I received an Excellence Scholarship from the College of Natural Sciences in recognition of my A Level results, paying for my first year of tuition and something for my camera bag… I feel like the University has really helped and encouraged me to work hard and achieve my first class honours.”
“I have been a very active member of the Photography Society since my very first week in Bangor, through which I have made some of my best friends. I also joined the Riding Club and have improved my horseback skills dramatically in these three years, as well as learning to play Polocrosse (lacrosse on horses). I combine my passions by taking photos for the Riding Club.”
About the future, Victoria said: “I’m still not really sure exactly what I want to do, but marine mammal research and conservation is my ambition. I have been accepted to St Andrews to study MRes Marine Mammal Science and will be moving up to Scotland in September, and I hope that after the Masters I will be able to continue studying for a PhD.”
Publication date: 12 July 2013