British ecologist and entomologist
Helen Elizabeth Roy, MBE, FRES (born 6 November 1969) is a British ecologist, entomologist, and academic, specialising in ladybirds and non-native species. Since 2007, she has been a principal scientist and ecologist at the NERC's Centre for Ecology & Hydrology. From 1997 to 2008, she taught at Anglia Ruskin University, rising to the rank of Reader in Ecology. She is the co-organiser of the UK Ladybird Survey, alongside Dr Peter Brown, is a visiting professor in the School of Biological Sciences, University of Reading, is co-chair of the IPBES assessment of invasive alien species, and is a past President of the Royal Entomological Society.[1][2][3][4]
Early life and education
Roy was born on 6 November 1969 in Plymouth, England.[1] She was educated at Cowes High School, a state secondary school on the Isle of Wight.[1] From 1989 to 1992, she studied biology at the University of Southampton, graduating with an upper-second class Bachelor of Science (BSc) degree.[2] From 1993 to 1994, she studied environmental science at the University of Nottingham, graduating with a Master of Science (MSc) degree.[5] She remained at Nottingham to undertake a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree, which she completed in 1997 with a doctoral thesis titled "Interactions between aphid predators and the entomopathogenic fungus Erynia neoaphidis".[6]
Honours
Roy was awarded the 2012 Silver Medal by the Zoological Society of London "for contributions to the scientific understanding of ladybird ecology and conservation".[7] In the 2018 New Year Honours, she was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) "for services to biodiversity research, science communication and citizen science".[8] In 2020 she was awarded the British Ecological Society's Ecological Engagement Award for her work in citizen science and public engagement.[9]
