Research Project: Investigating Plant Susceptibility to Insect Infestation: A Consideration of Anecdotal Evidence, Pest Monitoring Data and Other Factors
The two year MA in Natural History Collections Conservation covers a wide variety of specimens from a broad range of time periods. Whilst at the Natural History Museum in London I have learnt much about the collections and the importance of specimen preparation after acquisition. Due to the diversity of the material in the collections (the museum has fossil, geological, botanical and zoological specimens), conservation can often be a complicated process because each material has its own distinct requirements. Solutions often have to be sought on a grand scale as a result of the size of the collections, which number many millions of specimens, and this is a very interesting challenge. I have always been fascinated by natural history and so the opportunity to work so closely with such highly regarded collections has been enthralling. During the course I also spent time at the National Museum of Natural History, part of the Smithsonian Institution, in Washington DC. This was very informative and taught me a number of approaches that I was then able to apply to my work in London.
My research project is based in the Botany Department at the Natural History Museum, London. It aims to investigate whether anecdotal evidence stating that particular plant types are more at risk from insect infestation correlates with pest monitoring data. Other factors that could also affect the likelihood of infestation, such as age and treatments, were also considered.
I am extremely grateful to the Friends of the V&A, and to the National Association of Decorative and Fine Art Societies for their generous financial assistance.
Specialism:
Conservation of Natural History Collections, with the Natural History Museum, London.