Alec holds a first class Masters degree in Biological Sciences from the University of Durham. His academic specialisms included behavioural and evolutionary ecology, and his time at Durham enabled him to hone his organisation and time planning skills through both his academic work and extracurricular activities – most notably playing for a range of sports teams in his college, Van Mildert. His thesis involved living on an uninhabited Scottish island for six weeks to collect data on grey seal mothers and pups.

Alec has volunteered in the UK, for a charity providing respite for parents of children with learning difficulties, as well as in Malawi and the Galapagos. In his spare time he enjoys exploring the natural world, visiting new cities and constantly challenging his cooking ability.