Inspirational students and alumni
The School of Biological Sciences has many inspiring stories of success and realised dreams. Read the stories of those students who have found their direction at Reading.

Luke Forrest
When Luke Forrest attended an Open Day, he was intrigued by our Zoology course. He could see how it could lead to jobs in conservation, research, pharmaceuticals, veterinary sciences and consultancy.
Matthew Greenwell
Matthew was always fond of biology and decided that a zoological career was right for him – but it was the University of Reading itself which made the decision easy.
Anna Kogioni
Anna Kogioni, an MSc Ecological Survey Skills with Placement graduate, discovers the opportunities a placement brings and where it can lead to.
Ciara O'Donovan
Ciara O'Donovan, Reading Zoology graduate and current PhD student, led a study finding that the migration of dinosaurs across the globe was so rapid that it may have contributed to their demise.
Irene Teixidor-Toneu
Irene Teixidor-Toneu’s colleagues in Spain recommended Reading as the place in England to study botany. Irene’s PhD investigated medicinal plant use in developing countries.
Robert Douglas
Reading Alumni Rob has always been drawn to working in museum collections. For him, it was the Cole Museum of Zoology that set Reading apart from the crowd.
Tamara Spivey
Tamara Spivey unearthed a passion for conservation while studying Zoology. She enjoyed her time at Reading so much, she decided to study for an MSc By Research Entomology.
Passionate staff
Discover what makes our staff passionate about their subject, and learn about the impact of their work.

Dr Alejandra Perotti
Dr Alejandra Perotti's rare specialism is on mites and insects' association with humans. She has helped solve murders and high profile heists, interpret cases of neglect, and unravel humans' pasts.
Professor Tom Oliver
Professor Tom Oliver seeks to understand and act on the risks of biodiversity loss. He remarks on the urgency of changing underlying mind-sets about how we relate to the world.
Claire Smith
Claire Smith volunteers with The Cole Museum of Zoology after a behind-the-scenes tour of London's Natural History Museum sparked her interest in fluid preservation.
Dr Campbell Murn
Dr Campbell Murn runs a Nature Conservation in Practice module, helping students develop skills and enabling them to forge a future career in conservation.