I grew up unknowingly fascinated by insects, spending my childhood writing poor-quality entomological poems, short stories, and even a field guide to wasps (perhaps the first to feature both a maze and a dramatic short story). I soon lost touch with this interest, flitting between disconnected visions for the future before eventually settling on a biology degree. During my bachelor’s, I attempted to specialise in botany, but suboptimal engagement landed me with a dissertation on earthworms. This unexpectedly brought me into close contact with a fabulous range of arthropods, from springtails to spiders, helping me overcome my arachnophobia and turn fear into fascination.

After leaving science to dabble in everything from soap making to recruitment, I couldn’t quite shake my meandering thoughts about invertebrate communities. I returned to academia for an MRes in Biosciences, studying invertebrates in tree hollows, followed soon after by a PhD on spider trophic ecology and nutrition. Since this return to science, my enthusiasm for entomology has led me to study a broad range of systems and species, with a particular interest in trophic interactions and community ecology. As a first-generation university student and neurodivergent researcher, my route through academia has shaped how I think about who gets to ‘belong’ in science, and how we can make it easier for people from historically excluded groups to find their place.