Stephanie Holt

Research Topic

Networking Naturalists: Uncovering the networks of eighteenth-century naturalists from 1750-1800, and their legacy today.

Supervisor: Rob Iliffe

I have been fascinated by the wildlife of the British Isles for as long as I can remember. After working in ecology in almost every role imaginable for local government, consultancy, NGO’s, and academia, ten years ago I found myself lucky enough to start working for the Natural History Museum in London in the Centre for UK Nature.

Today I am Fellow and Trustee of the British Naturalists Association, Associate Editor of Archives of Natural History, the journal of the Society for the History of Natural History, Fellow and past Council Member of the Linnean Society of London, and member of the Chartered Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management. I have recently been awarded the David Bellamy Award for ‘Exceptional Field Naturalist’ by the British Naturalists Association.

My DPhil focuses on natural history in the late 18th Century, and it’s influence on networks of naturalists in modern amateur natural history. This follows on from my MSt in Historical Studies, part funded by the British Society for the History of Science at Oxfords Department for Continuing Education.

I am passionate about the intersection of ecology and history, and an enthusiastic communicator with experience in writing, broadcasting, and teaching for peer, student, and public audiences.