| Permanent Address | Durrell Institute of Conservation & Ecology, School of Anthropology & Conservation, University of Kent, Marlowe Building, Canterbury, Kent, CT2 7NR, UK
Email: d.roberts@kent.ac.uk; Tel.: +44 (0)1227 827851; Fax: +44 (0)1227 827289 |
Positions Held | |
| 2010-onwards | Lecturer in Biodiversity Conservation, Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology, University of Kent |
| 2001-present | Senior Scientific Officer, Herbarium, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, UK; Head of Orchid Research (Orchidaceae) 2007-present; tenured since 2001 |
| 2009-present | Honorary Research Fellow, School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex |
| 2007-2008 | Sarah & Daniel Hrdy Fellowship in Conservation Biology - Dept. of Organismic & Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, USA (sabbatical 2007-2008) |
Education | |
| 1997-2001 | Ph.D. ‘Reproductive Biology and Conservation of the Orchids of Mauritius’
Department of Plant and Soil Science, University of Aberdeen, Scotland |
| 1996-1997 | M.Phil. ‘Analysis of Genetic Structure in Oak Woodlands of West Wales’
Institute of Biological Sciences, University of Wales, Aberystwyth, Wales |
| 1993-1996 | B.Sc. (Hons) Botany 2.1
Institute of Biological Sciences, University of Wales, Aberystwyth, Wales Research project - ‘Biosystematics of carnivorous plants’ |
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Publications
Click here for a list of my publications
Professional Service (current)
Professional Service (previous)
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Invited Examiner
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RNDr Theses | |
| Jana Jerá ková | Patterns of pollinator-generated fruit set in Orchis morio (Orchidaceae)
University of South Bohemia, Czech Republic, 2003 |
PhD Theses | |
| Nigel Swarts | Intergrated conservation of the rare and endangered terrestrial orchid Caladenia huegelii H. H. Reichb.
University of Western Australia, Australia, 2007 |
| Santi Watthana | Systematics & ecology of the genus Promatocalpa Breda (Orchidaceae)
University of Copenhagen, Denmark, 2005 |
| Tien Huynh | Mycorrhizal fungi in Caladenia species (Orchidaceae)
University of Melbourne, Australia, 2004 |
| Jana Jerá ková | Reproductive success in terrestrial orchids
University of South Bohemia, Czech Republic, 2003 |
Msc Theses | |
| Emma Clayton | Does spur length increase threat and rarity in Malagasy angraecoid orchids
University of East Anglia, 2006 |
| Jennifer Ah-King | The effect of climatic change on flowering in British orchids
University of East Anglia, 2004 |
| Neil Lancaster | Habitat, site and host specificity of the orchids of La Réunion
Reading University, 2004 |
| Karen Robbirt | The dichotomy of the Red List criteria
Reading University, 2004 |
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Journal & Grants Reviewed
Science, Current Biology, Journal of Applied Ecology, Trends in Plant Science, American Journal of Botany, Ecological Applications, Australian Systematic Botany, Biodiversity and Conservation, Endangered Species Research, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society, Conservation Genetics, Acta Oecologica, Annales Botanici Fennici, Kew Bulletin, Selbyana, Edinburgh Journal of Botany, American Orchid Society, Springer Books
National Geographic, Dorothy Hodgkins Fellowship, Orchid Conservation International
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Postdocs
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| 2006 | ‘Inferring habitat health from biological collections’ U. of Melbourne, Australia, Zoë Smith |
| 2004 | ‘Mycorrhizal fungi in Cypripedium calceolus’ U. of Melbourne, Australia, Tien Huynh |
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Graduate Committee Member (PhD)
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| 2007-2012 | ‘Cooperation, convergence and resource partitioning in African ant-acacias’ Harvard University, USA (Ph.D.) Dino Martins |
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Graduates (PhD)
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| 2007-2009 | ‘Population dynamics and conservation of the endangered Japanese orchid Nervilia nipponica’ University of Sussex, UK (Ph.D.) Stephan Gale |
| 2006-2009 | ‘Maintaining deception in a rewarding landscape’ University of East Anglia, UK (Ph.D.) David White |
| 2005-2011 | ‘Will climate warming present British orchids with a pollination crisis?’ University of East Anglia, UK (part-time Ph.D.) Karen Robbirt |
| 2003-2007 | ‘Molecular phylogeny and conservation of the horticulturally important genus Vanda’ University of East Anglia, UK (Ph.D.) Lauren Gardiner |
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Graduates (Masters)
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| 2008-2009 | ‘Fall velocity and dispersability of orchid seeds’ Imperial College, UK (M.Sc.) Nicholas Chastang |
| 2005-2007 | ‘Ontogeny of the staminode in the genus Phragmipedium’ Reading University, UK (M.Sc.) Clive Lundquist |
| 2005-2006 | ‘Linking extinction risk models to online databases’ University of Surrey, UK (M.Sc.) Zeting Feng |
| 2004-2006 | ‘Host-specificity and Batesian mimicry in the endangered epiphytic orchid, Eulophiella roempleriana’ University of Antananarivo, Madagascar (DEA) Johary Ramahenina |
| 2004-2006 | ‘Does spur length increase threat and rarity in Malagasy angraecoid orchids’ University of East Anglia, UK (M.Sc.) Emma Clayton |
| 2004-2005 | ‘A mathematical modelling system for ecologists’ University of Surrey, UK (M.Sc.) Thomas Crowder |
| 2003-2005 | ‘Conservation biology of a critically endangered orchid, Angraecum longicalcar’ University of Antananarivo, Madagascar (DEA) Landy Rajaovelona |
| 2003-2004 | ‘Habitat, site and host specificity of the orchids of La Réunion’ Reading University, UK (M.Sc.) Neil Lancaster |
| 2003-2004 | ‘The dichotomy of the Red List criteria’ Reading University, UK (M.Sc.) Karen Robbirt |
| 2003-2004 | ‘Dating the divergence times of fossil lineages with optimal linear estimation using the Weibull distribution’ University of Montpellier, France (DEA) Anna Saltmarsh |
| 2002-2003 | ‘The effect of climatic change on flowering in British orchids’ University of East Anglia, UK (M.Sc.) Jennifer Ah-King |
| 2002-2003 | ‘Species delimitation in the genus Trudelia’ University of Reading, UK (M.Sc.) Lauren Gardiner |
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Undergraduates
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| 2006-2007 | ‘Biological correlates of description date in Paphiopedilum species of Vietnam’ Reading University, UK (B.Sc.) Harry Earle |
| 2004-2005 | ‘Investigation into the decline of the Early Spider Orchid on the Isle of Wight’ University of Kingston, UK (B.Sc.) Mandy Wall |
| 2004-2005 | ‘Multivariate analysis of factors effecting the decline and rarity of British orchids’ University of Kingston, UK (B.Sc.) Thomas Hogan |
| 2004-2005 | ‘Micromorphology of rewarding and non-rewarding orchids’ Reading University, UK (B.Sc.) Alexandra Bell |
| 2002-2003 | ‘Prioritising priorities: Quantitative inference of threat and extinction from sighting data’ University of East Anglia, UK (B.Sc.) Greg McInerny |
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External Funding
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| 2008 | Royal Society Conference Grant - Society for Conservation Biology, Beijing |
| 2008 | Kew Sandwich Year Student - Internship |
| 2008 | NERC/Systematics Association (CoSyst grant) - ‘Orchid-TEMPEST (Temperature Perception and Signal Transduction)’ |
| 2007 | Royal Society - International Outgoing Short Visit - ‘Structure & distribution of rarity in an ancient landscape’ with Prof. Kingsley Dixon, Western Australia |
| 2007 | Nuffield Undergraduate Research Bursaries - ‘Where is the final frontier? Spatial boundaries in species range under climate change’ |
| 2007 | Swiss Orchid Foundation - ‘Will climate warming present orchids with a pollination crisis?’ |
| 2007 | Sarah & Daniel Hrdy Fellowship in Conservation Biology - with Profs. Charles Marshall & James Hanken (Director), Museum of Comparative Zoology/Dept. of Organismic & Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, USA |
| 2006 | Swiss Orchid Foundation - ‘Inferring habitat health from biological collections’ |
| 2006 | Kew Sandwich Year Student - Internship |
| 2006 | Departmental NERC PhD - CASE Studentship - ‘Maintaining deception in a rewarding landscape’ |
| 2006 | Lennox Boyd Foundation - ‘Inferring habitat health from biological collections’ |
| 2004 | Royal Society Education Grant - orchid pollination biology in Central & South America |
| 2003 | Swiss Orchid Foundation - 2 day Orchid Conservation Workshop, XVIIth AETFAT (Association pour l’étude Taxonomique de la Flore d’Afrique Tropicale) Congress, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia |
| 2003 | Departmental NERC PhD Studentship - ‘Molecular phylogeny and conservation of the horticulturally important genus Vanda’ |
| 2003 | Royal Society Conference Grant - 1st International Conference on Neotropical Orchidology, San Jose, Costa Rica |
| 2002 | Bentham-Moxon Trust - ‘High altitude orchids of Réunion’ |
| 1999 | Bentham-Moxon Trust - ‘Reproductive biology of the orchids of Réunion’ |
| 1996 | Oakdale Trust - ‘Analysis of Genetic Structure in Oak Woodlands of West Wales’ |
| 1996 | Seven Trent Water Authority - ‘Analysis of Genetic Structure in Oak Woodlands of West Wales’ |
| 1996 | Shotton Paper - ‘Analysis of Genetic Structure in Oak Woodlands of West Wales’ |
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Papers Presented At Professional Meetings
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| 2009 |
Mycological Society of America, Snowbird, Utah, USA, 25-30th July - special symposium on Conservation biology of fungi: Lessons learned from efforts to conserve plants (Invited)
Society for Conservation Biology, Beijing, China, 11-16th July - Species detectability and extinction
3rd Scientific Conference on Andean Orchids, Loja, Ecuador, 4-8th February, 2009 (Invited - decline) - Orchid ecology
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| 2008 |
Mini-Symoposium on Macroecology, The Natural History Museum, London, UK, 4-5th February 2008 (Invited) - “Species occupancy in orchid communities”
19th World Orchid Conservation, Miami, Florida, USA, January 2008 (Session Chairman & Invited) - Orchid-pollinator-predator interactions
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| 2007 |
2nd Scientific Conference on Andean Orchids, Loja, Ecuador, 15-17th November, 2007 (Invited) - “Why are most species rare?”
2nd Scientific Conference on Andean Orchids, Loja, Ecuador, 15-17th November, 2007 (Invited) - “Are we missing something?”
Advances in Orchid Systemetics and Ecology, Linnean Society, London, 31st October-2nd November, 2007 (Invited & Organising Committee) - “Life at the thin end of the wedge: patterns of species-range size distributions in orchid communities”
50th Anniversary of the Cape Orchid Society, “An Orchid Safari - a Window on Conservation of African Orchids”, South Africa, 12-16th September, 2007 (Keynote Speaker - decline)
3rd International Orchid Conservation Congress, San Jose, Costa Rica, 19-24th March, 2007 (Invited & Scientific Committee)
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| 2006 |
Taxonomic and phylogenetic studies of horticulturally important orchids - a celebration of Phillip Cribb's contributions to orchidology, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, March, 2006 (Invited & Organising Committee) - Extinction modelling
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| 2005 |
Gilbert White and Recording: Past, Present and Future, University of Southampton, Southampton, September 2005 (Invited) - Novel uses of herbarium specimens
Perspectives on Plant-Animal Interactions, Zoological Society of London, London, April 2005 (Invited) - Orchid-pollinator interactions and climate change
Ophrys 2005, European Orchid Conference, Chios, Greece, April 2005 - Symmetry of pollination systems
18th World Orchid Conservation, France, March 2005 (Invited) - Mid-Domain Effect and island colonisation
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| 2004 |
International Orchid Workshop, Population Dynamics, Haapsalu, Estonia, June 2004 - Baker’s Law
2nd International Orchid Conservation Congress, Selby Botanic Garden, Sarasota, USA, May 16-21, 2004 - Novel uses of herbarium specimens
New Perspectives on the Orchid Systematics and Ecology, Toulouse, France, November 2004 (Plenary Session Speaker) - Orchid-pollinator interactions and climate change
Recent Avian Extinctions, British Ornithologist’s Union/Linnean Society, London, November 2004 (Invited) - Extinction probability
XVIIth AETFAT (Association pour l’étude Taxonomique de la Flore d’Afrique Tropicale) Congress, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, September 2003 - Mid-Domain Effect and island colonisation
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| 2003 |
Extinction Risk, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester, September 2003 - Novel uses of herbarium specimens
Biotic Interactions in the Tropics, British Ecological Society Special Symposium and Annual Meeting of the Association for Tropical Biology and Conservation, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, July 2003 - Patterns of fruiting success in Mascarene Island orchids
1st International Conference on Neotropical Orchidology, San Jose, Costa Rica, May 2003 - Novel uses of herbarium specimens
Monocots III, 3rd International Conference on the Comparative Biology of the Monocotyledons and 4th International Symposium on Grass Systematics and Evolution, Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden, Claremont, California, USA, March 2003 - Mid-Domain Effect and island colonisation
EOC2003, European Orchid Conference, London, UK, March 2003 - Orchid flora of Mauritius
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| 2002 |
17th World Orchid Conference, Shah Alam, Malaysia, April 2002 - Conservation status of Mauritian orchids
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| 2001 |
1st International Orchid Conservation Congress, Perth, Australia, October 2001 (Session Chairman & Invited) - Patterns of fruiting success in Mascarene Island orchids
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| 2000 |
Plant-Animal Interactions, University of Aarhus, Denmark. Autumn 2000 - Patterns of fruiting success in Mascarene Island orchids
Mascarene Island Flora and Fauna, Natural History Museum, London, 2000 - Orchid flora of Mauritius
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Invited Seminars
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| 2010 |
IUCN Extinction Criteria Workshop - Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
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| 2009 |
Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology, University of Kent - Biodiversity: Are we missing something? Species detectability and extinction
Microsoft Research Ltd, Cambridge - Biodiversity: Are we missing something? Species detectability and extinction
Kadoorie Farm & Botanic Garden, Hong Kong - Biodiversity: Are we missing something? Species detectability and extinction
Spatial Ecology Lab, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia - Biodiversity: Are we missing something? Species detectability and extinction
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| 2008 |
Kings Park and Botanic Garden, Perth, Australia - Biodiversity: Are we missing something?
Victorian AgriBiosciences Centre, LaTrobe - Biodiversity: Are we missing something?
Kings Park Wildflower Festival - Orchid hunting on Madagascar & other Western Indian Ocean islands
West Australian Native Orchid Study & Conservation Group, Perth, Australia - The kitchen table scientist: getting the most out of orchid collections and orchids in the field
Australian Research Centre for Urban Ecology/University of Melbourne, Australia - Are we missing something? Conservation & biodiversity prioritization
James Cook University, Australia - Are we missing something? Conservation & biodiversity prioritization
University of Florida, USA - Biodiversity, am I missing something? Conservation & biodiversity prioritization
Conservation and Sustainable Development, Missouri Botanic Garden, USA - Are we missing something? Conservation & biodiversity prioritization (invited by Dr Peter Raven)
Concord Land Conservation Trust (Environmental Lecture Series), USA - Biodiversity, am I missing something?
Redlands Orchid Festival, Miami, Florida, USA - Orchids of Madagascar
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| 2007 |
New York Botanic Garden, USA - What can herbaria do for us? Novel uses of herbarium specimens for plant conservation
Dept. of Biology, Tufts University, USA - Are we missing something? Conservation & biodiversity prioritisation
Dept. of Organismic & Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, USA - Are we missing something? Conservation & biodiversity prioritisation
Somerset & Wiltshire Orchid Society - Orchids of Madagascar
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| 2006 |
Zoological Society of London, Conservation Seminar Series - Novel uses of herbarium specimens
Science Visiting Group, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew - Extinction risk
Millennium Seed Bank, Improving seed set of pollination and the genetical representation of seed harvested - Artificial pollination in orchids.
Orchid Society of Great Britain - Orchids of Madagascar: rare or medium rare?
Irish Orchid Society, Ireland - Orchid-pollinator interactions and climate change, and threatened orchids of Madagascar
Friends of Kew - Novel uses of herbarium specimens
University of Connecticut, USA - Orchid-pollinator interactions and climate change
Silwood Park, Imperial College, London - Novel uses of herbarium specimens
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| 2004 |
University of Mauritius, Mauritius - Novel uses of herbarium specimens and patterns of fruiting success in Mascarene Island orchids
University of South Bohemia, Czech Republic - Novel uses of herbarium specimens
Jodrell Laboratory, RBG Kew - Novel uses of herbarium specimens
University of Montpellier - Novel uses of herbarium specimens
Leeds & Harrogate Orchid Society - Orchid flora of West Africa
Thames Valley Orchid Society - Orchid flora of Mauritius
Writhlington School, Bath - Orchid systematics and biology
Surrey Natural History Society - Novel uses of herbarium specimens
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| 2003 |
Leeds & Harrogate Orchid Society - Orchid systematics and biology
University of South Bohemia, Czech Republic - Novel uses of herbarium specimens
University of Reading - Novel uses of herbarium specimens
Sunbury Natural History Society - Orchid flora of Mauritius
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| 2002 |
Kew Student Guild - Orchid flora of Mauritius
Jodrell Laboratory, RBG Kew - Patterns of fruiting success in Mascarene Island orchids
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| 2001 |
Agriculture Victoria, Melbourne, Australia - Patterns of fruiting success in Mascarene Island orchids
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| 2000 |
Mauritian Orchid Society, Mauritius - Orchid flora of Mauritius
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Symposia And Courses Organised
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| 2007 |
2 days - Advances in Orchid Systematics and Ecology, Linnean Society, London, October, 2007
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| 2006 |
2 days - A Celebration of Phillip Cribb's Contributions to Orchidology, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, March, 2006
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| 2003 |
2 days - Orchid Conservation Workshop, XVIIth AETFAT (Association pour l’étude Taxonomique de la Flore d’Afrique Tropicale) Congress, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, September 2003
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| 2000 |
4 days - Orchid Micropropagation Techniques Workshop, Mauritius, 2000
1 day - Orchid Conservation Workshop, Mauritius, 2000
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Teaching Experience
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Full Courses
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| 2008 |
Harvard University - Conservation Biology - Student evaluation of the course 4.8 out of 5.0 compared with the faculty average of 3.9
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Invited Lectures (as part of academic courses)
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| 2009 |
University of Sussex (Postgraduate) - Biodiversity: Am I missing something? Species detectability and conservation biology
Imperial College, London (Postgraduate - Conservation Science) - Biodiversity: Am I missing something? Species detectability and conservation biology
Imperial College, London (Postgraduate - Conservation Science) - The role of herbaria in conservation science
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| 2008 |
Imperial College, London (Postgraduate - Evolutionary Ecology & Conservation) - Biodiversity: Am I missing something? Species detectability and conservation biology
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| 2007 |
RBG Kew, Tropical Plant Identification - Orchid systematics and biology
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| 2006 |
Exeter University (Postgraduate) - Novel uses of herbarium specimens
Reading University (Postgraduate) - Orchid systematics and biology
University of Edinburgh/RBG Edinburgh (Postgraduate) - Novel uses of herbarium specimens
RBG Kew, Tropical Plant Identification - Orchid systematics and biology
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| 2005 |
Manchester Metropolitan University (Postgraduate) - Novel uses of herbarium specimens
Exeter University (Postgraduate) - Novel uses of herbarium specimens
Reading University (Postgraduate) - Orchid systematics and biology
University of Connecticut (Postgraduate) - Novel uses of herbarium specimens
Imperial College (Postgraduate) - Herbarium techniques
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| 2004-2005 |
RBG Kew Horticulture Diploma Course - Orchid systematics and biology
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| 2004 |
RBG Kew International Conservation course - Novel uses of herbarium specimens
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| 1996-1997 |
University of Wales, Aberystwyth (undergraduate) - Advanced PCR techniques
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Full Courses (teaching assistant in practicals)
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| 1996-1997 |
Biotechnology Summer School (16-18)
Animal physiology (2nd year undergraduate)
Microbiology (2nd year undergraduate)
Mycology (2nd year undergraduate)
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services to the community
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Television
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Radio
Schools
Personal Sponsorship
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