Carol Edwards

Background

As Course Administrator for Forum’s Masters Programme in Leadership for Sustainable Development, I am responsible for day-to-day coordination of the course. This includes being first point of contact for students, liaising with expert speakers, arranging work placements, organising events, recruitment and accompanying admin. I enjoy the wide variety of tasks this role offers – there’s never a dull moment.

I first heard the term ‘Sustainable Development’ at high school (before I knew who Jonathon Porritt was) and even then it just made so much sense… I realised my A levels were pointing me towards something ‘Green’ when my art projects involved using scrap metal to make sculptures about pollution and my biology teacher was happy for me to paint a mural of eco-systems on the classroom wall!

So, enticed by the promise of field trips to exotic biodiversity hotspots like Kenya and Borneo, I pursued my interest further by undertaking a BSc [Hons] in Ecology at Stirling University (lovely campus with a loch, ducks and squirrels). Sadly the field trips for my year group didn’t go beyond the Scottish borders so I made amends by spending my third year on exchange at the University of California, Santa Barbara (year-round sunshine and beautiful beaches with dolphins!).

Since graduating I have worked in several administrative, co-ordination and business development roles mainly within education/training organisations. I spent 2006-07 travelling, during which time I took on a variety of roles ranging from turtle nesting monitor and citrus fruit packer, to organic farmer. Once back in the UK I was very keen to realign my work with my interest in sustainability, so following a one year contract with a leading environmental consultancy as Training Co-ordinator and project support/PA, I was delighted to join Forum for the Future in February 2009.

My dream project? Taking the masters scholars on an extended field trip, visiting positive examples of sustainable food production, renewable energy, conservation and community projects all around the world – without flying of course, so it may take several months!

What floats my boat outside work? I love to swing dance (Lindy Hop in particular) and enjoy being outdoors in good weather – be it walking, cycling, camping, eating al fresco or trying to surf – and always have time to watch the odd movie or two (salted popcorn please).