Vivien Pomfrey
BSc (Hons) (Open)
DipNatSci (Open)
MSc (Science) (Open)

Please use the links below to view the pages of this site. To contact me -

Profile

 

Home

Unpaid Work

Academic Work

Additional Information
I am an ethical vegan and passionate Green living in Launceston, Cornwall, UK.
My successful study of diverse science subjects has led to freelance research and writing for anti-vivisection organisations, and I am available from October to February each year for similar home-based work in this field or other areas relating to biology, nature, the environment or animal welfare.
Details on this page are relevant to anti-vivisection work.
Further details relevant to other areas of work can be found on linked pages.

 

Qualifications

Postgraduate

MSc (with distinction): 2004 Open University (OU)

Postgraduate courses completed:

2004 Imaging in Medicine - a course in medical imaging technology
Click here for review.  [pdf document, 34 pages approximately 1 Mb]
Distinction
2003 Molecules in Medicine - medicinal chemistry, focusing strongly on biochemistry.
Click here for review.[pdf document, 32 pages approximately 1.2 Mb]
Distinction
2002 Issues in Brain and Behaviour – a social and biological approach to the subject, focusing on ageing and addiction
Pass with merit

 

Undergraduate

BSc (Hons.): 2001 Open University (OU)

Undergraduate courses completed:

2001 Oceanography
Grade 2
2001 Evolution
Grade 2
2000 Social Psychology: Personal Lives, Social Worlds, spanning many psychological approaches including biological psychology.  Part of the course was a self-directed project.
Grade 2
1999 Earth and Life - a mixed-sciences course following the history of life on Earth
Distinction
1999 Human Biology and Health
Distinction
1998 Science Matters, covering science issues of public concern, including nuclear power, genetic engineering, climate change and agriculture
Distinction
1997 Physical Resources and Environment - mainly earth sciences
Distinction
1995 Biology: Form and Function, a general biology course with a one-week residential school
Distinction
1994 Science: A Foundation Course, encompassing the main scientific disciplines, with a one-week residential school
Distinction

 

Other qualifications/training

October-December 1990: business course at Ultra Training, Launceston

December 1990: taught self desk-top publishing

February 1995: passed proof-reading test for publishers David and Charles, Brunel House, Forde Close, NEWTON ABBOT, Devon, TQ12 1XD

 

Paid work

Since graduating as a Master of Science I have carried out freelance research for four animal charities.  The first task, for the British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection (BUAV), involved finding and listing animal toxicity study references for a synthetic chemical compound, and sampling and tabulating the findings to estimate the degree of overlap between databases.  I then examined and reported on the relative data-richness of several compounds and classes of compounds.  Finally I searched for toxicity data on the most data-poor of these, and drafted three reports on my findings.

Since then I have carried out freelance work for three other animal charities. One consisted of critiquing the cruel and unnecessary testing of paint on rats. For another, I acquired and analysed information about the animal-testing activities of a multinational corporation. Most recently I researched and compiled a fully-referenced report describing the different kinds of animal experiment performed in the EU and humane alternatives to them. The report included arguments against the animal experiments and reasons for the lack of progress towards their abolition and replacement with non-animal methods.


Relevant unpaid work and initiatives

  • From approx. November 1998 - July 2005:  leading activist in Students for Ethical Science (anti-animal experimentation society at the Open University). At various times secretary, treasurer and newsletter editor. Membership secretary and advertising officer from 1998 to July 2005. Produced most of the society’s literature; created Networking scheme for mutual contact. Other work has included drafting motions for annual students’ association conference, researching alternatives and notifying these to the university, and fighting censorship of the society’s advertisement in the university’s magazine. Scientific Advisor from July 2005.
  • 2002 onwards (periodic):  helping the Green Party of England and Wales to formulate animal experimentation policy

 

Participation in relevant public consultations

 


References

Academic references can be obtained from the Open University. Please contact me for these and for personal references if required.

An example of my written work (produced before commencing my Masters studies) can be viewed on the website for Students for Ethical Science at

Psychological Issues in the Educational Use of Animal Experimentation

I also produced the text of most of the other literature on the website, the homepage of which is at

www.ouses.org.uk

If you think that I may meet your requirements, please contact me at

| top |

 

Unpaid work

 ... Formal and informal unpaid work  
Academic Work
 ... Details of academic work submitted for masters degree  

Additional Information

... Personal interests, hobbies, likes, dislikes and personal qualities.

 

 

| Home | Unpaid Work | Academic Work | Additional Information |

Website designed and maintained by John Deadman