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Inspirational students and alumni

The School of Biological Sciences has many inspiring stories of success and realised dreams. Read the stories of those students who have found their direction at Reading.
Emily Skinner out in the field

Emily Skinner

Emily chose the MSc Ecological Survey Skills with Placement course as she wanted a hands-on course that would allow her to delve into practical ecology. The programme went beyond her expectations.

Luke Forrest

When Luke Forrest attended an Open Day, he was intrigued by our Zoology course. He could see how it could lead to jobs in conservation, research, pharmaceuticals, veterinary sciences and consultancy.

Polly Bennett

Polly's year-long placement at Woburn Safari Park enabled her to apply her learning in a real-world setting. She also had the opportunity to network with people in the field and test her skills outside the University walls.

Matthew Greenwell

Matthew was always fond of biology and decided that a zoological career was right for him  – but it was the University of Reading itself which made the decision easy.

Anna Kogioni

Anna Kogioni, an MSc Ecological Survey Skills with Placement graduate, discovers the opportunities a placement brings and where it can lead to. 

Katie Peckham

If you are considering studying entomology, you might think one day you could have a species named after you – but for Katie Peckham that day came sooner than expected. 

Ciara O'Donovan

Ciara O'Donovan, Reading Zoology graduate and current PhD student, led a study finding that the migration of dinosaurs across the globe was so rapid that it may have contributed to their demise. 

Irene Teixidor-Toneu

Irene Teixidor-Toneu’s colleagues in Spain recommended Reading as the place in England to study botany. Irene’s PhD investigated medicinal plant use in developing countries.

Robert Douglas

Reading Alumni Rob has always been drawn to working in museum collections. For him, it was the Cole Museum of Zoology that set Reading apart from the crowd.

Ben Hilbourne

Ben Hilbourne, an BSc Biological Sciences with Placement student, discovers the opportunities a placement brings and where it can lead to.

Tamara Spivey

Tamara Spivey unearthed a passion for conservation while studying Zoology. She enjoyed her time at Reading so much, she decided to study for an MSc By Research Entomology.

Passionate staff

Discover what makes our staff passionate about their subject, and learn about the impact of their work. 
Close-up of headlice in a person's hair

Dr Alejandra Perotti

Dr Alejandra Perotti's rare specialism is on mites and insects' association with humans. She has helped solve murders and high profile heists, interpret cases of neglect, and unravel humans' pasts.

Professor Tom Oliver

Professor Tom Oliver seeks to understand and act on the risks of biodiversity loss. He remarks on the urgency of changing underlying mind-sets about how we relate to the world.

Claire Smith

Claire Smith volunteers with The Cole Museum of Zoology after a behind-the-scenes tour of London's Natural History Museum sparked her interest in fluid preservation.

Dr Campbell Murn

Dr Campbell Murn runs a Nature Conservation in Practice module, helping students develop skills and enabling them to forge a future career in conservation.
Athena SWAN Silver Award