Alison Moore, Clare Drinkell, Priscila Reis & Carmen Puglisi are the ultimate ball jugglers of our Digitisation Project. From repairing ancient plant specimens to swiftly dealing with pests & training new staff, this dream team ensure the project runs smoothly

What's the best part of being a Senior Curator Botanist? Carmen: “It's a great opportunity to systematically go through the entire collection & open folders that no one’s touched for decades. We find odd specimens and interesting photos & letters, and these make our day!

"...For example, recently I checked 2 specimens collected by Darwin; an adorable postcard-sized specimen of minute Irises from Sable Island, Canada; and my first-ever folder from Antarctica. I’m a tropical botanist so, to me, finding material from Antarctica is a big deal!"

What's a typical day like in your role? Clare: “Well, it’s quite a hands-on role & we often have new starters on Mondays, so I start by training them. Much time after this is spent tackling the Digitisers' queries, but this is a great way to get around & see everyone.”