Sarah Beynon: Curriculum Vitae

EDUCATION

2008-2010 Jesus College, Oxford University

PhD in Insect Ecology

2002-2005 Wadham College, Oxford University

BA Biological Sciences: 2:1, specialising in Animal and Environmental Biology.

Coursework assignments: ‘GM as insect pest management' and ‘The role of memes in cultural evolution'

Dissertation project "The difference in insect community structure between organic and conventional arable sites: with particular emphasis on the Coleoptera: Carabidae".

Ysgol Dewi Sant, St Davids

A-levels: Biology A; Geography A; History A.

GCSEs: Double Science A*A*; Geography A*; English Language A*; English Literature A; Welsh A; Mathematics A; History A*; German A*; Design and Technology A*.

QUALIFICATIONS AND AWARDS

2008: Oxford University Professor Sir Richard Southwood Scholarship in Insect Ecology.

2008: Duke of Edinburgh Silver award.

2007: Young Farmers Club After Dinner Speaking county winner.

2005: Oxford University Varley Gradwell Travelling Fellowship in Insect Ecology.

2004: PADI Open Water, PADI Advanced Open Water diver, and Coral Reef Ecology PADI Qualification (Indonesia).

2004: Jungle Training, Indonesia.

2004: The Wynford Davies Travelling Scholarship.

2002: Ysgol Dewi Sant ‘Best A-level results', ‘Best science pupil', and ‘Pupil shown most contribution to agriculture' awards.

2001-2002: Head Girl of Ysgol Dewi Sant.

2000: Engineering Education Scheme Wales - National ‘Teamwork Prize' winner for designing a jig for an electronics factory.

2000: Ysgol Dewi Sant ‘Best GCSE results in the school' award

1999: Young Farmers Club ‘Brains Trust' and Round Table Public Speaking - county winner and National runner-up.

1999: Duke of Edinburgh Bronze award.

EMPLOYMENT, WORK EXPERIENCE AND VOLUNTARY WORK

Freelance Ecological and Entomological Consultant

Current Contracts:

Editor and Writer: West Wales Biodiversity Centre (WWBIC) monthly newsletter, 6 month contract from November 2007.

Head of Publicity and Website maintenance: WWBIC 6 month contract from November 2007.

Biodiversity Survey 1: Working alongside the RSPB at Furzy Mount Farm. 3 year contract monitoring insect populations on a study farm diversifying into environmentally sustainable crop and cattle production.  My current projects are looking at the effect of cattle worming regimes on dung insect assemblages, assessing the advantages of non-ivermectin-based wormers, and monitoring Carabidae (Ground Beetles) on specified study sites under agri-environment scheme management.

Biodiversity Survey 2: Assessing no tillage as a land use practice to benefit ground invertebrates, especially Carabidae.

Biodiversity Survey 3: creation of a species list and information boards for a farm opening to the public.

Pembrokeshire County Coleoptera Recorder

Coleopteran Contact to WWBIC

Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group (FWAG) January 2008 - present:

FWAG ‘Pichwach' consultant ecologist and entomologist: Biodiversity Survey and Advisor.

Pembrokeshire FWAG Event management.

Deepford Brook Catchment Sensitive Farming.

Past contracts:

Natural Capital Audit of Pembrokeshire: Part of WWBIC contract to measure the natural capital of Pembrokeshire. Head of Farming section of the project, creating and carrying out questionnaires about how farmers perceive ecologists and how they could make more out of the natural assets on their land.

2006: Entomological Consultant to FWAG:

Wildlife on Your Farm Biodiversity Assessments on farms participating in the ‘Tir Gofal' agri-environment scheme: specimen identification, and report formulation.
Royal Welsh Winter Fair 2006 informing farmers of the Grazing Animals Project (GAP) local grazing scheme.

Volunteering

2004-current date: Oxford University Hope Entomological Collections:
Entomological sample sorting, mounting and identification.

1999-2000: Western Telegraph Newspaper Work Experience &  Fenton Veterinary Practice Voluntary Work

CURRENT RESEARCH PROJECTS

The Coleoptera of Pembrokeshire

Carabidae community structure on a farm undergoing organic conversion: continuation from dissertation project

The effect of Set Aside on Carabidae assemblages.

Creation of a reference collection of British Carabidae and Scarabaeidae, and a general collection of Coleoptera in Pembrokeshire.

Species-specific Projects

Amphimallion ochraceus distributions in Pembrokeshire.

Amara apricaria and Trechoblemus micros in Pembrokeshire; species I discovered new to Pembrokeshire in 2004.

Tir Gofal Ari-Environment Scheme on own land. (Initial Visit 2009)

Re-creation of traditional hay meadows: implementation and the effect on biodiversity.

Wetland management. Full ecological, botanical and entomological monitoring.

Native cattle breeds (specifically Welsh Blacks) as a conservation tool.

Zambian Scarabaeinae

Species identification from 3 months of baited pitfall trapping. Experiments include: optimum bait size, optimum bait type, effect of farming intensification and recovery time after burning on Scarabaeinae assemblages.

South- and Central American Coleoptera

Sample sorting from 2 months of daily baited pitfall trapping examining bait preference of dung beetles from the Cusuco National Park, Honduras.

Data mobilisation of hand collected insects: Wales, Zambia, Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, Panama Costa Rica and Honduras.

PUBLICATIONS

Beynon, S.A. & Mann, D.J. (2006) Amara apricaria (Pakyll) (Coleoptera: Carabidae): recent records from Pembrokeshire (VC 45).  Entomologist's Monthly Magazine

Beynon, S.A. & Mann, D.J. (2006) Trechoblemus micros (Herbst) (Carabidae): first record for Pembrokeshire (VC 45). The Coleopterist 15(1): 43-48.

TALKS & PRESENTATIONS

'Adventures in the Jungle' West Wales Biodiversity Information Centre Event (December 2007).

'Adventures in South- and Central America 2007' St Davids Cathedral Men's Society (April 2008).

TELEVISION & RADIO

Not In My Nature: Entomologist on BBC1 Wales series following a group of nature rookies taking part in different wildlife activities around Wales (June 2008).

BBC Radio Wales: Guest on Jamie Owen's morning programme talking about my involvement with Not in My Nature as well as my work with insects (June 2008).

TRAVEL EXPEDITIONS

2007: 6 month expedition to South and Central America:  I worked with a Bolivian entomologist, mobilising data and gaining experience on South American dung beetle species identifications.  After travelling through Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, the Galapagos Islands, Panama and Costa Rica, I worked for 2 months as an Invertebrate Scientist for Operation Wallacea in Honduras. I worked as one of 6 scientists on an insect biodiversity project. I used dung-baited pitfall traps to survey dung beetle distributions, and carried out nightly light traps to survey 3 moth groups and jewel scarab beetles. As well as teaching university and school students the importance of insects in the forest ecosystem, I also implemented my own project looking at dung beetle bait preferences, and hand collected insect specimens in order to look for species of interest that have not been previously recorded by quantitative trapping methods. I am currently mobilising this data, and giving a series of talks on my work in the jungle, and the experiences from my travels.

2005: 3 month entomological fieldwork expedition to Zambia, funded by the Varley Gradwell Travelling Fellowship in Insect Ecology:  I designed and implemented my own research (as afore mentioned in ‘Current Research Topics') working closely with Zambian farmers, and employing 6 Zambians to assist with fieldwork.  I also worked with schoolchildren, teaching them the fundamental issues underlying the importance of conservation in Africa.  I had no professional assistance while in Zambia, but am now working closely with the Hope Entomological Collections (Oxford University Museum of Natural History) in identifying specimens and writing up the research.  I am also co-ordinating my work with ScarabNet - providing them with baseline data for their handbook of standard methods to be published in 2009.

2004: Operation Wallacea Conservation Expedition, Indonesia, funded by the Wynford Davies Travelling Scholarship:

I spent 2 weeks in the rainforest where I completed a ‘Forest Acclimatisation' course, and researched various projects including macaque behaviour and herpetafauna distributions.  I then spent 2 weeks completing the PADI Open Water and Advanced Open Water training, a Coral Reef Ecology course, and assisted on a number of projects looking at human impact on the reef system.

INTERESTS

Agriculture: Being brought up on a farm, I have always had a keen interest in agriculture, particularly the implication of sustainable agricultural practices.  I am also very involved in the breeding and managing of my family's Welsh Black cattle.  Notable successes with the cattle include:

Supreme Beef Champion at Fishguard Show 2006; Reserve Champion Welsh Black at Pembrokeshire County Show (PCS) 2006; Team of Five Interbreed Champions at the Royal Welsh Agricultural Show (RWAS) 2006; Reserve Female Champion at the RWAS in 2005; Reserve Interbreed Group of 3 at PCS 2005. 

Judge at the Welsh Black Cattle Society annual show and sale in Dolgellau, 2005.

Royal Welsh Agricultural Society: Marks and Spencer Beef Cattle Young Handler runner-up 2003 and 2004, and Pembrokeshire Agricultural Society Cattle Young Handler winner 2004.

Press and publicity officer of the Young Members Welsh Black Cattle Society 2001-2002.

Music, Art, Languages and Sport: Grade 8 pianoforte, Grade 6 clarinet, flute, lead clarinet in the school orchestra, member of the Pembrokeshire County Orchestra and Pembrokeshire County Wind-band. I am an amateur abstract-landscape artist, having exhibited and sold my artwork recently, notably at the St Davids Cathederal Refectory Gallery, November 2007. I speak Welsh, am confident in Spanish, and have a basic understanding of German. I love being outdoors, and take part in many team and individual sports whenever I can, including hockey, netball, tennis, horse riding, surfing, skiing and hiking.

I hold a current, clean driving licence.  I am confident with I.T. including word-processing and spreadsheets and am familiar with the MINITAB statistical package. I feel that I am practical and hardworking, and am able to work independently and efficiently.  I find these skills essential when collecting data in the field.  However, I also enjoy working in a group, and feel that I am able to communicate my ideas clearly to others. 

REFERENCES

D. J. Mann, Curatorial Officer, Hope Entomological Collections, Oxford University Museum of Natural History.

Dr R. Davies, West Wales Biodiversity Information Centre, Whitland, Pembrokeshire.