I have been working in Wildlife and Conservation Management since 1992 (since 1998 in Derbyshire), after obtaining a degree in environmental science at Wolverhampton University and a postgraduate diploma in conservation management at Surrey University.
I have held a number of professional jobs working on conservation, including Wildlife Sites Officer for Derbyshire Wildlife Trust and Biodiversity Project Officer for the Lowland Derbyshire Biodiversity Partnership and a Biodiversity Mentor for the iSpot Project (part of the Open University).
Alongside my full time jobs, I have organised and taught many informal and formal training courses. I completed a series of teacher training qualifications finishing with a PGCE in further education at Sheffield Hallam University in 2007.
I am a full member of both the Institute for Learning (IfL) and Chartered Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management. (CIEEM).
I have been doing wildlife related adult education classes for a number of years (some under my maiden name, Debbie Court). I teach for the Workers’ Educational Association (WEA) and Derbyshire County Council (under their Adult and Community Education Service).
In 2011 I was taken on as an Associate Lecturer within the Biological and Forensic Science Dept at the University of Derby. Initially this was to lecture on the MSc Conservation Programme. Now I help with laboratory sessions, run tutorials, lecture, set and mark assessments and supervise undergraduate and postgraduate independent studies. I am also involved in research within the department.
Debbie Alston 