Leonard Davis

Ecology Modern Apprentice – Lab Technician

What do you do?

I am 20 years old, working in the biosciences department of Durham University. Working with plants and furthering my knowledge on native species of plant, animal and fungus is important to me and connects me with my surroundings. I also am a creative person; I love creating art in my free time.

How are you involved in this area of science? 

At Durham University, my role as a modern apprentice in an ecology lab brings with it a variety of projects to be a part of, with plenty of opportunities to learn and research while at work. So far (1 year into my apprenticeship), I have been involved in multiple projects based around increasing biodiversity in and around Durham. The most successful so far has been the planting out of wildflowers outside the Bill Bryson library to create a more diverse and accommodating habitat for local wildlife. I helped to grow and care for the wildflower species before they were planted out.  

I have also contributed to the collection of data for multiple PhD student projects. One being the cleaning and analysis of bird song recordings to look at the effects of hybridisation on bird species; another being the sustainment of a group of spiders being studied for their embryonic development. 

What do you love about this topic?

The thing I enjoy the most about the apprenticeship is the production of plants, as I engage well with hands on work and seeing the difference the plants make to the surrounding is very rewarding. What is especially interesting is when I know the difference the plants could potentially make to native wildlife, like the production of rock-rose plants that would encourage and assist the Northern Brown Argus butterfly back into county Durham. 

How does this work deliver real-world impact?

Ecology is great to be involved with because of the range and variety of tasks that I am faced with, there is always something to research further and the relationship between living things and their environment is infinitely complex and fascinating. The work I do at Durham reflects this in the day to day where I will always have something new to explore, whether that is a new field site for camera trapping/ audio collection or a new method of germinating wildflower seeds.