In celebration of the Natural History Museum X Joanie collection, we're sitting down with some of the female scientists working at the Museum across an array of fields to learn more about what got them into science and their careers so far!

Robin wears the Natural History Museum X Joanie - Sharon Crystal Print Oversized Shirt

Hi Robin! Can you tell us a bit about your specific area of study or interest?

I am a scientist, and I help to curate the Mineral and Gemstone collection at the NHM. I have always had a love of rocks and minerals (to be honest, all things colourful and sparkly) since I was a young child. I have been fortunate to turn this passion into my career.

With minerals, I love the fact that each specimen is unique – the colour, the shape of the crystals, and the other minerals growing with it. This is determined by what the geological conditions were when they grew - the chemical elements available, how they bonded together to create the internal crystal structure, the temperature and pressure conditions - and what changes they have undergone in the millions of years since they formed. So studying minerals is a bit like unravelling a piece of time.

While most gemstones are created from minerals, their study is quite different as you no longer have the same external features, and you can’t use any analytical techniques that could damage them. As with minerals, the chemical composition and internal crystal structure are important as this determines the different properties of the gem, such as their colour and how easy they are to scratch. What’s most important, and to me, the most interesting, is to understand how light interacts with this composition and structure, as this is how you identify gemstones.

The other thing that fascinates me is the story behind each specimen in the collection. Where was it mined, who found it, which historical collectors owned it before it came to the museum, was it on display in great exhibitions, or used for important scientific discoveries? Each specimen had its own journey before finding its final home in the museum.

What has your career looked like so far, and what drew you to the Natural History Museum?

I studied Geology (the science of the Earth) at University and worked for several years as an exploration Geologist in Western Australia. I then moved to the UK and was lucky to get a position in the private mineral collector business. This was an incredible opportunity to learn about minerals and where they come from, and I was also able to travel to different mineral shows in Europe and the USA. Whilst I was working there, I decided to complement my mineralogical knowledge with a Diploma in Gemmology (the science behind gemstones).

It was my dream to work at the Natural History Museum from the moment I visited as an adult. I remember walking into the historic Mineral Gallery in awe and spending hours walking up and down to look at every specimen on displaying, coming back the next day so that I could complete it. I thought, “how do I get a job here, even if it is just dusting the minerals?”. In 2015 the opportunity arose when one of the Curators retired, and I was thrilled to be offered the role. I have loved working here ever since with the incredible gem and mineral collection.

What inspired you to get into science - is it something you’ve always been interested in, or was there something or someone specifically that influenced your decision to pursue a career in STEM?

I come from a science family. My dad was a science communicator, and my mum was a researcher in science education, so it has always been a big part of my life. I definitely inherited my Mum’s passion - she also studied both geology and gemmology. As a family, we would go on picnics to national parks and look at the different rocks and textures they contained, and I had my display cabinet filled with tumbled stones and treasures I had collected. When I started university, I knew I wanted to do a science degree, but was not sure what to specialise in. “Just try one unit of Geology - you might really like it,” said Mum – I did, and I was hooked. My parents have always been incredibly supportive and are an inspiration to me, encouraging me to believe that I could do what I ever I put my mind to, especially in science.

What would you say are the major challenges as a woman working in a scientific field?

Many scientific fields are dominated by men, which begins at University level, so it can be daunting to start a scientific career. When I began my geology degree, there were only a few women on the course and the same on the geophysics and computing courses. By the end of my degree, there were even fewer women that had continued through to completion. So I think the first challenge is not just getting more women into STEM careers but keeping them in that career during and after their studies.

What advice would you give to aspiring young scientists - especially young girls - who might feel daunted by the prospect of scientific study?

Science is for everyone - it is how we understand and learn more about the world around us. There are many avenues to follow in a scientific career, so the most important thing is to follow your passion and curiosity and ask yourself what intrigues you. I have always loved colour, so finding out what makes a ruby red and a sapphire blue is fascinating to me and makes me want to learn more.

Also, keep reading and learning. It is said that by reading every day about your favourite subject, you can soon become an expert. If you are knowledgeable about your chosen field, then you will do well in your career.

What’s the most exciting thing about your job?

I am always learning! I get to see the collection from many different perspectives. I assist scientific visitors who have a broad range of research, so I might get to learn more about a particular mineral and its chemistry or where it is found or perhaps about one of its properties, like how it fluoresces under UV light. Or I could be investigating the history behind a specimen – who was the person who donated it to the museum, and where did they get it? I am starting an interesting project on several of the topaz gemstones in the collection, and it is fascinating to find out about the history of exploration and how they came to the museum’s collection.

I am also always learning about the collection. It contains around 180,000 mineral and gem specimens, so it takes a long time to get to know it. It is exciting to open up a drawer that you have never opened before and see the specimens inside and think, “Wow! I didn’t realise we had that in the collection!”.

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