Lifelab

What do you actually do?

I am in charge of the insect collections for the Oxford University Museum of Natural History. Basically, I get paid to do my hobby, and have managed to travel the World studying insect ecology and teaching entomology.

What is the name of your company?

Hope Entomological Collections

How did you get to where you are now?

From the age of 15 (as a work experience student) I have volunteered in Museums, learning museum studies and entomology.

I did A level Biology and Chemistry, then a BTEC HND in Biology and a Post-Graduate Diploma in Insect Taxonomy at the University of Cardiff. After this I was offered a job in National Museum & Galleries of Wales, Cardiff.

What do you like best about your job?

I get to study insects every day, with over one million of them, it never gets boring. I have travelled all over the World in search of insects from rainforests in Borneo to deserts in Namibia.

What would your top tips be to a 16-year old considering working in this field?

Get lots of experience, get a degree, and be enthusiastic.

What would your top tips be to a 18-year old considering working in this field?

Ditto above!

Tell us something about yourself.

I am in my dream job; I have a big office and a collection of 5 million insects to play with. I do have lots of paperwork to do, which I don’t like much, but then nearly all jobs have that.

The only thing I really want to do, is travel all over the world and collect dung beetles and cockroaches. Luckily for me, that’s part of my job!