Meet our 2024 graduates – Josie Pallister

In July, over 8,000 graduating students will join our worldwide Portsmouth alumni community.

The Meet our 2024 Graduates series gives you the opportunity to get to know a handful of these impressive alumni and hear their stories of hard work, resilience and academic excellence.

On Monday 22 July, Josie Pallister will take to the stage during one of the Faculty of Science and Health graduation ceremonies. We met with her to hear about her university experience and how this inspired her to pursue a Master’s degree at Portsmouth.

Have you always been passionate about palaeontology?

Yes, absolutely. As a child, I was always fascinated by natural history and prehistoric animals. I read plenty of books and watched every film and program about dinosaurs I could find. I even remember digging in the garden with my brother, searching for fossils – though we only ever found chicken bones a fox had buried! 

My interest lessened a bit during my teenage years, but sharing my love for dinosaurs with my children reignited my passion. Over the years, we've gone on many fossil hunts and visited countless museums and exhibitions.

Studying at Portsmouth has given me a deeper appreciation for the subject, showing me that palaeontology is much more than just dinosaurs. It's a vast, fascinating science which can be significantly insightful for modern climate and biodiversity concerns.

What was life like before the University of Portsmouth?

Before university, I was a stay-at-home mum for twelve years, and I spent the year before working part-time in a late-night pharmacy. I was quite unhappy with my life and desperately wanted to change it.

I didn't go to university straight after college at eighteen and I always regretted it. A family member encouraged me to return to education as a mature student, and I started researching degree options. I was thrilled to discover I could study palaeontology at Portsmouth. To ensure I had the necessary qualifications, I completed an Access to Higher Education Diploma at my local college. This experience was invaluable in preparing me for university after nearly twenty years away from formal education.

What are some of your favourite memories from your time here?

My favourite memories are definitely from the field trips. Not only did I get to explore amazing fossil sites and visit incredible museums, but the lecturers and fellow students made these such an enjoyable and memorable experience. 

I loved working on my dissertation too, which focused on the pathologies of a large-bodied, 125-million-year-old predatory dinosaur. The Dinosaur Isle museum on the Isle of Wight kindly allowed me to access the skeleton to examine any evidence of injury or disease. I spent several days studying and photographing the specimen, describing my findings, and comparing them with the pathologies of other dinosaurs to interpret their implications. I'm incredibly proud of the finished work and hope to conduct more research on the specimen in the future.

Another highlight of my time at the University of Portsmouth was being part of ‘Team T. rex’ and studying a multi-million-pound tyrannosaurus rex specimen in Switzerland. I'm eternally grateful to my dissertation supervisor, Dr. Nizar Ibrahim, for inviting me along – it was the opportunity of a lifetime!

How have you changed or grown personally and academically since you first started?

Before university, I had very little confidence in myself and my abilities which have improved over the duration of my course. I've also become much more organised, efficient, and disciplined with my time - especially juggling parenting with deadlines, assessments and field trips.

Academically, I've gained multiple new practical skills both in the field and classroom. These skills will be beneficial for further studies or whatever I do afterwards. And personally, I have made lifelong friendships.

Have you always wanted to pursue a postgraduate degree, or was this decided during your studies?

Initially, my goal was simply to earn a degree and hope that by the end of it, I would have a better idea of which career path to take, knowing that a degree would greatly improve my prospects. However, I've enjoyed every aspect of researching and completing my dissertation so much that I know I would regret not pursuing a Master's degree, so I decided to apply for one.

The lecturers have been incredibly supportive and genuinely want students to undertake MRes projects that align with their interests and provide good future opportunities. So, before receiving my assessment results and final degree classification, I had a meeting with my dissertation supervisor about potential areas of research for an MRes project. There were some incredibly exciting ideas but I chose the project that interested me most and wrote a brief proposal as part of the fast track application. This was straightforward and didn't require me to resubmit all my personal details and previous educational background. 

The Paleontology department is an inspiring environment and well equipped. I have grown so much during my time here and believe Portsmouth is the best place for me to continue my studies. 

The MRes course is eligible for an alumni discount too, which will be a financial relief for me and other students next year. My application is still pending, but I'm confident I'll be accepted.

Looking back, what advice would you give to your first-year self?

I struggled quite a bit during my first year with confidence and at times, felt academically out of my depth. I would tell myself that it does get easier and to ask for help far sooner than I did.

What would you say to someone who is currently contemplating a Master’s?

If you have the interest and drive to continue your studies, you should go for it – even if it's something you revisit several years later after taking a break. It's never too late