Profile
Richard Jeffries
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About Me:
I’m a senior geography scientist who loves being with my kids, partner and dog. I enjoy making and fixing things and especially going on bike touring adventures in interesting landscapes.
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I grew up in the industrial midlands and had an amazing teacher who inspired me to study geography. I went to uni to study geography and oceanography, doing first a degree and then a PhD. I’ve always loved exploring landscapes by bike and once cycled from Spain to Norway, seeing Africa at one end and reindeer and the midnight sun at the other. I’m a very proud dad to my kids who, I am pleased to say, are quite good at geography!
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My pronouns are:
He / him
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How I use Geography in my work:
Anyone learned about waterfalls and rivers and oxbow lakes? That’s the knowledge I use in my job: I protect and restore rivers, floodplains, estuaries and coasts, working for the Environment Agency as a senior geomorphologist.
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My Work:
I’m a geographer, a ‘geomorphologist’ who loves river patterns and processes.
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I protect and restore rivers in my job at the environment agency. In some places I help to build flood defences that work with natural processes. Elsewhere we restore broken rivers by taking them out of underground culverts, or removing weirs that are no longer needed. I train geomorphologists and deal with the complicated and interesting and new bits of the science. I also like making maps.
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My Typical Day:
I take the dog for a walk, make my kids breakfast, then cycle to work or to the train station to head out to survey a river. I’ll map features like meanders or erosion or bars of sediment, then analyse the data with computer models or digital terrain models. Then I’ll talk to other people to explain what I’ve found in meetings. I try to understand how the landscape works, unlocking the secrets of rivers and coastlines, then use that knowledge in projects to make the environment better for future generations.
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What I'd do with the prize money:
I’d use the money to make beautiful artwork showing river meanders, to show other people the beauty of river meanders – they are one of my favourite things!
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Education:
I went to Queen Mary’s school in the midlands – and had an outstanding geography teacher.
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Qualifications:
10 GCSE’s – mix of science things like geography, biology, physics, but also french. Then A-levels.
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Work History:
PhD researcher – river surveyor – fieldwork demonstrator – environmental scientist in consultancy – government scientist – senior scientist and team leader.
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Current Job:
Senior geomorphologist and team leader – Environment Agency.
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Employer:
Environment Agency
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My Interview
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What did you want to be after you left school?
A scientist or a digger driver!
Were you ever in trouble at school?
Not much. I was pretty quiet!
If you weren't doing this job, what would you choose instead?
A digger driver! Or maybe a carpenter.
Who is your favourite singer or band?
Lady Gaga
What's your favourite food?
Chocolate!
If you had 3 wishes for yourself what would they be? - be honest!
1. Have great bike touring adventures with my kids. 2. Travel to explore new places. 3. Have an (even more) fun job.
Tell us a joke.
Two goldfish were in a tank together. One said to the other 'Do you know how to drive this thing?'
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