About Elisabeth Cooke
Hi! I'm Lizzie, a second-year Biological Sciences student at Durham University. Deeply passionate about advocating for and taking action to maintain environmental health and sustainability, I aim to contribute meaningfully to these efforts by expanding my understanding of such challenges and collaborating with like-minded individuals who share a dedication to environmental conservation.
I have a particular interest in conservation strategies that focus on umbrella species, such as the macaw, where protecting one species can generate wider ecological benefits for entire ecosystems. This interest has been deepened through my current summer placement with the Macaw Recovery Network in Costa Rica, where I am contributing to species recovery and environmental education. My work includes practical conservation tasks at the breeding centre and reserve, supporting welfare and maintenance, developing resources for volunteers, and collaborating with staff and community members to strengthen outreach programs.
Alongside this, I am documenting activities and recommendations to create a volunteer guide, ensuring future interns and volunteers can contribute effectively. These experiences are helping me explore how conservation initiatives can balance ecological impact with community engagement, while also testing and developing my leadership capacities and character.
In my free time, I actively participate in environmental volunteer work and love to do anything creative, from painting to crocheting and reading. I also enjoy spending time outdoors, particularly dog walking, and practising karate with my university club.
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Reflections from BCUR26
Recent Comments
Lizzie, I really enjoyed your reflections on your research experience! It sounds like it was a really transformational experience for you.
Thank you, I’m really glad the reflections resonated with you! I’m also so grateful for your support throughout the process, which genuinely helped shape the experience into something transformational.
Fantastic reflections Lizzie
Thank you so much Amy!
This was such a fascinating read, Lizzie! As someone from India, where biodiversity is incredibly rich but plant conservation often gets overshadowed by animal-focused initiatives, your reflection on plant blindness really resonated with me.
Your emphasis on transparency, sharing not just results but the reasoning and limitations behind them, is such an important takeaway for any researcher.
Thank you so much, I'm really glad it resonated! India’s biodiversity is extraordinary, and it’s so important to keep highlighting how plant conservation often gets sidelined.
I really appreciate you picking up on the points about transparency and plant blindness, it's encouraging to know those aspects came through. And it’s inspiring to see your commitment to environmental sustainability in your own work. If you ever feel like sharing anything from the biodiversity contexts you're involved in, I’d love to hear more!