Tim Keenan
I thoroughly enjoyed my time studying Geography at Maynooth University. A highlight of my time here would have to be the 2nd year overseas field trip to Lanzarote where we spent five days studying the physical and human aspects of the volcanic island.
Maynooth was unique for me as I commuted daily from Dublin City. I enjoyed spending time on campus and meeting people from various different parts of Ireland who studied a variety of courses. The Geography Department was quite unique in the range of modules available to me, particularly in final year. The modules covered almost all aspects of physical and human geography, from global foodscapes and oceanography to palaeoecology and climatology - there is a module to meet the interests of most environmental enthusiasts.
A key skill I learned at Maynooth University was how geography and environmental knowledge is an interdisciplinary topic. This became particulary clear when I worked on my final year thesis on the topic of microplastics. This involved establishing connections with both the biology and chemistry departments to make use of laboratories and support from PhD students.
I would highly recommend my degree as it has opened many doors for me, both in terms of further studies and my career path. My degree has also been great for networking and I have received guidance from many of the expert academic staff. From the knowledge and skills I developed at Maynooth University, I was able to apply and study a Masters in Environmental Sciences in Trinity College Dublin, where I further developed my understanding of the natural environment.
After graduating from Maynooth I decided to pursue a Masters in Environmental Sciences at Trinity College Dublin, where I built upon some of the knowledge I was introduced to in Maynooth, as well as some new modules such as environmental entrepreneurship, deep time, and practical skills for environmental monitoring. I now work in corporate sustainability as an Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) analyst in KPMG Sustainable Futures, which is Ireland’s largest dedicated cross-functional team of experts who help private and public sector clients plan and execute programmes addressing ESG topics.
A key highlight of my career with KPMG to date would be a strategy trip to Northern Ireland where we visited several different renewable energy sites, including a solar farm, a wind farm and and anaerobic digestion plant. I also enjoy the variety of clients and projects I work on from day to day, as well as working with experts from the KPMG network all around the globe.
My role involves assisting public and private sector clients with their sustainability journey, which can vary from strategy and reporting, to research and thought leadership publications. I work across many different topics in my role, which include circular economy, biodiversity, green technologies for the economy, commercial land opportunities, sustainable aviation, and climate action and education.
The most interesting aspect of my job is the scale at which the sustainability agenda is changing, with new policies and regulations constantly emerging and evolving. It is a very exciting and rapidly growing area, which is quite challenging in itself.
I found my current job through an advertisement email that was circulated to me as I was finishing my masters degree.
I would advise anyone with a passion for a particular area of geographical/environmental studies to pursue your interests and seek a focus on an area that you are passionate about, in my case this was microplastics and the circular economy.