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]

Helen Roy
Helen Roy in 2024.
Born (1969-11-06) 6 November 1969 (age 54)
Plymouth, England
CitizenshipUnited Kingdom
Alma materUniversity of Southampton
University of Nottingham
Scientific career
Fields
Institutions
Thesis Interactions between aphid predators and the entomopathogenic fungus Erynia neoaphidis  (1997)

Early life and education

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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

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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]

Selected works

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  • Roy, Helen E.; Wajnberg, Eric, eds. (2008). From biological control to invasion : the ladybird harmonia axyridis as a model species. Springer. ISBN 978-1402069383.
  • Majerus, Michael (2016). Roy, Helen; Brown, Peter (eds.). A natural history of ladybird beetles. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-1107116078.
  • Roy, Helen; Brown, Peter (2018). Field Guide to the Ladybirds of Great Britain and Ireland. London: Bloomsbury Wildlife. ISBN 978-1472935687.

References

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  1. ^ a b c "Roy, Dr Helen Elizabeth". Who's Who 2019. Oxford University Press. 1 December 2018. Retrieved 30 April 2019.
  2. ^ a b "Prof. Helen Elizabeth Roy". Centre for Ecology & Hydrology. 1 December 2014. Retrieved 30 April 2019.
  3. ^ "Visiting professor made a MBE in New Year Honours". University of Reading. 5 January 2018. Retrieved 30 April 2019.
  4. ^ "Celebrating and promoting the science of entomology". UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology. 3 June 2020. Retrieved 3 June 2020.
  5. ^ "Helen Roy". ORCID. 15 March 2019. Retrieved 30 April 2019.
  6. ^ Roy, Helen Elizabeth (1997). Interactions between aphid predators and the entomopathogenic fungus Erynia neoaphidis. E-Thesis Online Service (Ph.D). The British Library Board. Retrieved 30 April 2019.
  7. ^ "Recipients of the Silver Medal" (PDF). The Zoological Society of London. June 2018. Archived from the original (PDF) on 9 July 2021. Retrieved 30 April 2019.
  8. ^ "No. 62150". The London Gazette (Supplement). 30 December 2017. pp. N15–N22.
  9. ^ "Announcing the 2020 British Ecological Society award winners". The British Ecological Society. August 2020. Retrieved 28 August 2020.
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