A circuitous route

Abstract

Little did I know as a small child with a love of nature and exploration that one day I would be doing exactly the same thing – studying biology, exploring new and exciting environments, and telling everyone about it! – as well as realising my wildest dreams. However, it has been a circuitous route, with several swerves and ups and down. On the way through, I have been resilient and developed skills in diverse areas, by taking advantage of whatever opportunities were offered to me and being receptive to new ideas and ways of doing things. My STEM background has affected and enhanced every position I have held in this broad, life-long education. My ultimate passion is unlocking the information contained in historical and contemporary natural history collections, and translating why this work is important and why we should be looking after our environment, to a world-wide audience. Hopefully, this will engender in young people especially a curiosity about their world and a desire to pursue careers in conservation science – just like me!