Hi everyone, thanks for taking the time to get to know me. My name is Sophia Burke and I recently joined the 4Pillars team as a casual environmental consultant. Although I am new, the team has so far been very lovely and have created a great atmosphere to work in. I am very excited to be a part of this team and to be able to continue developing my knowledge and skills.

I have always loved being outside and getting my hands dirty which I think comes from growing up in the Blue Mountains and being surrounded by bush. I also have a strong interest in understanding how the world around me works, whether it be how a plant grows or how socks are made. All of this strongly impacted my decision to study environmental sciences at university. I have recently completed a Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Biology at the University of Technology Sydney. I did mostly ecological subjects which were really interesting and have given me a good insight into the complex relationships between living organisms and their environments. For me, this highlighted the importance of having safe and healthy ecosystems in order for the survival of species.

After I finished my degree, I was unsure of which direction to take with my career. After hearing about 4Pillars and their values and the work they do, I felt I could learn a lot from this team. I would really like to be exposed to environmental monitoring and management projects and I’m looking forward to being involved in the variety of projects 4Pillars is involved in.

When I’m not working you can find me either at home pottering around the garden with my little dog Frank or out trying to find a good bargain on plants. My favourite books and shows (so many to choose from…) I would have to say are the Harry Potters and ‘Avatar: The Last Airbender’, which will always be a favourite series of mine. 

Thanks for taking the time to read about me, I’m sure you’ll be hearing a lot more from me as I progress in the role.