I’m a research assistant on the Darwin Tree of Life project who specialises in marine invertebrate identification and collection. Primarily crustacea, echinodermata and various vermiform phyla. I take part in fieldwork and offshore boat work most of the year as well as the processing and preservation of tissues in preparation for genomic work. I am a graduate of Plymouth University courses in Marine Biology and Oceanography (BSc) and Applied Marine science (MRes). The main focus for my MRes thesis was looking at the epifaunal communities living on macroalgae and how they differ between native species and the non-native Sargassum muticum. Before coming to the Marine Biological Association I worked for a year in a benthic laboratory for a consultancy company. My next major goal is to undertake a PhD, potentially to look at the evolution of introduced species in their new ranges when compared to their native ranges, but as someone who is interested in pretty much everything that may change!