Profile
Vanessa Pilley
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About Me:
I have worked for UK Government since 2009. I live in a little cottage with my dog, axolotl, and hamster. My main hobby is gardening 🙂
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My pronouns are:
she/her
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My Work:
After graduating with an MSc in Disaster Management and a BSc in Geology & Geography. I started out my career in the Ministry of Defence, working mainly on nuclear projects. I then moved to Defra, as a Geography Evidence Adviser, where I promoted and advised on the use of geography across Government. I also managed Defra’s climate research programme. I subsequently undertook a 4year secondment, working an EU Cohesion Policy. In 2020, I returned to Defra’s Chief Scientific Adviser’s Office Futures team, where I lead on emergent, systematic, and extreme risk & resilience issues. I am a chartered geographer, and am active in my local Parish on green issues. I also run a Not-for-Profit organisation, delivering risk awareness resources to developing communities.
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My Typical Day:
Emails, dog-walking, meetings
Plus lots of background reading and research!
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What I'd do with the prize money:
I’m a Geography Governor at a local primary school. I’d spend it working with them on STEM (specifically environmental sciences).
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Education:
I went to an all girls’ school in Coventry
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My Interview
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What did you want to be after you left school?
Working in Naples on Vesuvius!
Were you ever in trouble at school?
Nope
If you weren't doing this job, what would you choose instead?
Gardener
Who is your favourite singer or band?
Abba
What's your favourite food?
Italian cuisine
If you had 3 wishes for yourself what would they be? - be honest!
To finish renovating the cottage, have a holiday, get another dog
Tell us a joke.
I can't do jokes - sorry
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