Transforming Lives: University changed my life

Going to university changed my life, so much so, that I literally wrote the book on it! I was obsessed with Indiana Jones films when I was a young boy, and I loved to dream that one day it would be possible for me to follow in Indy’s footsteps, exploring rainforests in faraway lands and encountering incredible wildlife along the way.

Of course, this was all easier said than done. I came from a relatively poor background, and left school at the age of 15 without achieving any formal qualifications. Not because I was a bad student, but because I had Dyslexia, a condition not recognised in the education system at the time. Going on to become Dr Jones would certainly be difficult to achieve given my background and circumstances, but it was a challenge I was determined to meet.

My childhood dreams of ‘Becoming Dr Jones’ were eventually realised through reading three degrees at Cardiff University. I read an undergraduate degree in Zoology and Genetics, a MPhil in Medical Molecular Entomology, and a PhD in Phylogenetics, herpetology and parasitology. I achieved all this after deciding that I needed to turn my life around, booking myself on an Access course to higher education, and then applying to read a degree at Cardiff University. After nervously taking those first few small steps, I now enjoy making giant leaps.

I have worked with DEFRA, INTERPOL and various police forces across the globe in the fight against wildlife crime. My expertise has helped put criminals behind bars and saved distressed animals in the wild. As a result of my reputation I was approached to work alongside Sir David Attenborough on the first BBC Planet Earth series. I went on to have three self-titled BBC One prime time network series of my own, one of which drew in 10 million viewers and saw me BAFTA nominated in the ‘Best Presenter’ category.

Those initial BBC series saw me branch out globally, presenting science and wildlife programmes on Discovery, +Disney, National Geographic, The Smithsonian Channel and Amazon Prime. I got to spend time advising Queen Elizabeth II about research I was conducting at Cardiff, and even spent time talking to King Charles III about music and education.

But perhaps my proudest achievement to date is becoming an international author. The books I write are my legacy, and are an honest appraisal of how going to university has changed my life, for the better. I wonder what my younger self would have made from reading this article. I am sure that I would not have believed that going to university was the impetus to achieving all that I have, but it really was. I now hold the privileged position of an Associate Professor of Evolutionary Biology at Cardiff University School of Biosciences.

University has changed me as a person. I am more confident, more self-reliant, a better team player and more worldly-wise. Going to university is not just about learning a new topic or trade, it is about opening your eyes to the world, meeting new people from different cultures and backgrounds that you may never have otherwise encountered. It is about listening to different opinions and learning from those who have researched subjects before you, so that you have a measured and educated opinion during debates, and you are able to offer solutions to some of the challenges you encounter in the world around you.

Going to university really is an opportunity for you to change the direction of your life for the better. I am living proof of that, and thankful that I did every day.

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