Richard Belcher
Role: PhD student, Department for Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Imperial College London
Subject area: The benefits of natural environment experiences to health
Nationality: British
I am in the third year of my PhD, conducting research on external factors that affect the benefits of natural environments on our mental and physical health. After leaving school I became a landscape gardener. This led me to study Forestry, which I did vocationally at first. I loved the topic so much that I ended up doing an undergraduate degree in it. My final year undergraduate dissertation showed me how exciting and rewarding the research process can be, which led to my MSc in Environmental Management. I was then an environmental consultant for just under two years before returning to a research position before starting my PhD. All in all, I have taken a non-traditional route through the academic system but will likely stay in research after my PhD.
GCSE (or equivalent): English literature, English language, Music, Science, Maths, Geography
A-level (or equivalent): National Certificate Forestry & Arboriculture
Degrees:
• BSc Forestry, Bangor University
• MSc Environmental Management, National University of Singapore
• PhD Clinical Medicine (ongoing), Imperial College London
Details about Richard
My research
My current research investigates factors that can impact weather and to what degree an experience of nature is beneficial to a person’s health. These factors include exposure to traffic, whether an individual is living in a more deprived area, and whether the natural environment has biodiverse wetland features.
My inspiration
Since childhood, I have personally felt the benefits of being in nature, which sparked my interest in the natural world. I worked as a researcher studying the multiple benefits of nature in urban areas and this inspired me to shift my research interests towards studying environments and how they impact people.
Who is your STEM hero?
Gretchen Daily, American environmental scientist and tropical ecologist. I chose Gretchen as she was a pioneer in our understanding and approaches to valuing nature, something I rely on heavily in my research
Most significant discovery/invention?
The invention of agriculture approximately 10,000 years ago. This sparked an explosion of all major technological/scientific breakthroughs as humans had evolved 190,000 years before this point with relatively few scientific advances.
Career options after study
- Non-governmental organisations
- Architecture and planning companies
- Continue work within academia
My hobbies
I love to geek out on many topics, from manual espresso brewing to music production and more recently home renovation.