I have never felt like an outsider in Scotland. I immediately felt welcome and after 24 years here probably feel more Scottish than German. First time at Heriot-Watt University is when I came here for summer school – it just felt like a really great place. Scotland has got a very strong and positive culture of learning and the Scottish universities are at the top of the league tables.
F.I.T. is a non-invasive monitoring technique. The more this is used to monitor species in the wild, the better, because we don’t have to stress them. If my research finds that F.I.T. can also tell us relatedness of animals, then we have a non-invasive technique that is quicker and cheaper than geno-typing. This would make a huge, huge difference to conservation scientists, to be able to use this tool out in the field, on lots of different species – both in the UK and anywhere else in the world.
Scottish people are, not just outwardly friendly, they are much more than that. They want you to take part in their culture – in their life. I certainly think that Scotland is a champion in environmental and conservation issues – and one of the best places right now to live, work and study.