We have a number of talks coming up about our expeditions, register for a talk by clicking here!

  • CONSERVATION RESEARCH EXPEDITIONS

    Learn how biological data collected by volunteers is being used to help with wildlife conservation all over the world, and how you could get involved.

    • Contribute to collecting long term biodiversity data

    • Work alongside researchers in the field

    • Obtain a large wide range of research survey skills

    Worried about funding? Professional fundraising and grant application support available

    Our 2026 research assistant programme will be available from Friday 12 September 2026!
    Click here to view our previous online version.

     

  • FIND OUT MORE

    Jump to our available virtual talk dates or check if we’re coming to your university this autumn!

     

     

All Available Talks

  • WEBINARS/VIRTUAL TALKS

    Expeditions/Field Courses

    Talk Date Time Link
    UK Based Field Courses Talk Tuesday 1st July 2025 6pm (BST) | 7pm (BST +1) | 1pm (EST) Register here!

     

    Bookings for 2026 are now live (click here), by paying a deposit now you can get a head start on fundraising and select your country. If you need additional help and support please don’t hesitate to email us expeditions@opwall.com

    Careers in Conservation

    A comprehensive guide on the various routes into a career in wildlife conservation and the different jobs available in the sector. Followerd by a Q&A with our fantastic panellists:

    • Erica McAlister – Entomologist and museum curator. She is an expert in flies and is senior curator at the Natural History Museum, London.
    • Dr Ian Hendy – Senior Lecturer in Tropical Marine Ecology, Marine Restoration & Conservation, and Blue-carbon at the University of Portsmouth
    • Helen Starmer-Allen – Assistant Ecologist, associate membership of CIEEM, FISC level 3

    View the recording of this talk here.

    Express an Interest

  • ALREADY BOOKED?

    For all the questions you have and all those you never even knew you had!

    We cover everything from the next steps in expedition planning, what type of walking boots to get, if you need to buy equipment for snorkelling or learning to dive, when to start looking at vaccinations and travelling after your expedition. All sessions are recorded and if you miss any you can revisit them all at anytime. Find the monthly meet-up page on our fundraising page linked below.

    Fundraising?

    The main issue facing many of us not joining an expedition is expense! Find out how to access funding to support the costs of an expedition, equipment and travel.

    To register, visit our fundraising page at the link below (the password for this will have been sent to by our fundraising team).

    Travel Advice

    When it comes to booking travel there are many tips and tricks to getting the best deal and also ensuring your tickets are as comprehensive as possible. Come along to find out what we recommend and how to get the best of your options available.

    Monthly Meet-ups

  • Careers in Conservation Talks

    2024/25

    A comprehensive guide on the various routes into a career in wildlife conservation and the different jobs available in the sector. Followed by a Q&A session with our fantastic panelists:

    • Dan O’Neill – Wildlife filmmaker & field biologist – Dan is also the presenter and a producer of a 5-part series, Giants (can be found on Amazon Prime).
    • Charlotte Palmer – Project Manager for the West Norfolk Nature Network Landscape Recovery DEFRA Pilot
    • Amy Ross – Conservationist and ecologist, specialising in species recovery and lepidoptera

    View the recording of this talk here.

    2023/24

    A comprehensive guide on the various routes into a career in wildlife conservation and the different jobs available in the sector. Followed by a Q&A session with our fantastic panelists:

    • Dr Ian Hendy – Senior Lecturer in Tropical Marine Ecology, Marine Restoration & Conservation, and Blue-carbon at the University of Portsmouth
    • Charlotte Palmer – Nature Partnership Manager for the Greater Lincolnshire Nature Partnership
    • Jack Baddams – Ornithologist and co-host of the How Many Geese? podcast

    View the recording of this talk here.

     

    Careers Fairs

    We’ll also be visiting a number of fairs based at Universities around the UK, come along and visit us at our stall to chat about everything available to you!

  • Optoberfest Scientific Mini-Conference

    Opwall hosted our first ever Optoberfest scientific mini-conference (Thursday 10th – Friday 11th October 2024)! Optoberfest gave us a chance to showcase some of the amazing science stories and research results from our global network of field sites, and for you to ask our speaking panel of international scientists questions about their work. Please see below for the links and recordings of the talks – we look forward to a whole set of new talks in 2025 (Thursday 9th – Friday 10th October 2025)!

    Watch all the talks at opwall.com/optoberfest or register to watch our 2025 Optoberfest! You can also read all about the 2024 event on our blog here.

    Thursday 10th October 2024

    • Dr Tom Martin – Introduction and 2024 science and research round-up
    • Dr Joe Bailey – Updates on research in Târnava Mare, Romania, including long-term stability of bird populations
    • Alex O’Brien – Ecosystem shifts and lionfish: The implications of coral bleaching in Tela, Honduras
    • Imogen Vieten – Elephant Reintegration Trust behavioural research in Gondwana Game Reserve
    • Dr Merlijn Jocque – BINCO surveys in Cusuco National park and Mariarano forest – a summary of achievements to date

    Friday 11th October 2024

    • James Bell – The rise of sponges in the Anthropocene
    • Dr Morgan Hughes – Standard deviation: studying the bats of Krka National Park
    • Dr Danny Haelewaters – Fungi and bat fly studies in Cusuco National Park and beyond – a summary of progress to date.
    • Dr Ian Thornhill – The freshwater invertebrate communities of Dominica
    • James Muir – Monitoring the ecological impact of coral reef restoration in Akumal, Mexico
    Watch here
Fairs

 

University Fair Name Date Time Location
University of Dundee Go Global Fair Tuesday 28th January 2025 11am – 4pm Dalhousie Foyer, Old Hawkhill, Dundee DD1 5EN
University of Glasgow Summer Abroad Wednesday 29th January 2025 11am – 3pm Glasgow University Union, 32 University Ave, Glasgow, G12 8LX
University of Hull International Opportunities Fair Wednesday 5th February 2025 1pm – 2pm Exhibition Hall (Ground Floor) Brynmor Jones Library
University of St Andrews Green Careers Fayre Wednesday 12th February 2025 12pm – 2pm
University of Southampton Careers Day Thursday 13th February 2025 10am – 3pm School of Ocean and Earth Sciences
Aberystwyth University Careersfest – Sustainability theme Tuesday 18th February 2025 12pm – 1pm Presentation – 3.34 Edward Llwyd, Aberystwyth University, Penglais Campus
Aberystwyth University Careersfest – Sustainability theme Tuesday 18th February 2025 1pm – 3pm Stand – Gwendolen Rees building, Aberystwyth University, Penglais Campus
Newcastle University Blue Planet recruitment fair Tuesday 26th February 2025 10am – 3pm The Boiler House G.03, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 7RU
Canterbury Christ Church University Natural and Applied Sciences Research and Employability Fair Wednesday 26th March 2025 11am – 5:30pm

 

Already know what you'd like to do?

Express an interest here

About Operation Wallacea

  • We’ve been running award winning biodiversity research expeditions for the last 30 years ensuring volunteers around the world gain valuable research experience and allow them to build a practical skill set with real biodiversity research.

    From tropical rainforests and European grasslands, to coral reefs and Mediterranean seagrass meadows, our network of over 200 academics and field research specialists lead vital large scale, long term projects that inform conservation management strategies and save species at risk of extinction.

    By this specialist led research model volunteers gain experience as research assistants. We also have extensive options to collect and use data for independent research projects, dissertations, masters thesis and PhD data collection.

  • Our conservation volunteer’s work has:

    • Describing 81 species that are new to science

    • Had publications in almost 700 academic papers in peer-review journals

    • Been used to lobby governments to create 6 Protected Areas and National Parks all over the world

    • Supported communities to establish income streams that work in harmony with the environment

  • INTRODUCTORY VIDEO

    Check out this short video about Opwall and our projects. To see the extended version we put together click here.

Browse the website

Why not use this opportunity to take a look at our website, we've included some helpful links below

About OpwallWho we are

About OpwallWho we are

Opwall is a conservation research organisation that is funded by, and relies on, teams of student volunteers who join expeditions and conduct field research.
Learn more

Research AssistantIndependent Expeditions

Research AssistantIndependent Expeditions

Learn about and get involved with active research projects at some of the most remote and stunning on locations on the planet.
Learn more

Undergraduate Senior Thesis/Dissertation

Undergraduate Senior Thesis/Dissertation

Conduct your dissertation or thesis data collection at an active field research site, while being supervised by staff that are experts in their fields.
Learn more

Fundraising Advice

Fundraising Advice

Find out all about how you could fundraise for an expedition.
Learn more

Field CoursesUK based

Field CoursesUK based

Find out more about our UK-based field courses and how you can gain the skills needed to develop a career in wildlife conservation.
Learn more

Popular Pages

Useful Pages

Already Booked?

General Links

Wallace House, Old Bolingbroke, Spilsby, Lincolnshire PE23 4EX, UK
| +44 (0) 1790 763194 | info@opwall.com