I started my academic career as a mature student aged 25 after a career of sales and customer service. I always felt underwhelmed and that there was something missing, so I started college to do an access to HE course and progressed to study Biology BSc Hons at Royal Holloway University of London. During my time at Royal Holloway I participated in many volunteer positions, biological sciences related and otherwise, and gained a fantastic network of friends and colleagues.

I graduated from Imperial College London in 2018 with a Masters by Research in Ecology, Evolution and Conservation. Within this degree I was able to conduct two research projects which were both very different. The first investigated the ecology of bdelloid rotifers and their interactions with bacteria species. The second project looked at improving sustainable control of mosquito species in a tropical island ecosystem. I gained a wide range of skills and knowledge from both of these projects.

I have become increasingly more interested in environmental issues, food security being one of these. My PhD is looking at reducing food waste in the supply chain, this is something I am very excited about. I would like to continue working within agricultural and environmental sustainability after my doctorate, most likely within industry working directly with retailers and producers where I can make a fundamental impact.