Susan Askew - Entomologist

http://madisonerinmayfield.com/

Specimens Pod Twitter

www.twitter.com/specimenspod

https://www.instagram.com/madisonerinmayfield/

Music - Giraffes by Harrison Amer via PremiumBeat

Edited and Produced by Elle Kaye

Recent Episodes from Specimens

Jazmine Miles-Long - Taxidermist

In episode 045 Elle chats with Jazmine Miles-Long; Taxidermist, Artist, Educator and Natural History Restorer based in Hastings UK.

Jazmine calls herself an ‘ethical’ taxidermist to describe the way she produces work only using animals that have died from natural causes. Jazmine specialises in creating ethically sourced bespoke taxidermy for galleries and museums, promoting ethical practices and delivering lectures and workshops at various institutions. She aims to elevate taxidermy as a respected art form, shedding light on its scientific and cultural benefits, and also runs educational workshops focusing on ethics and the role of makers in creating a better future for the planet. Jazmine uses sustainable and stable Oddy tested and conservation grade materials to produce her work.

Social media links

https://www.jazminemileslong.com/

https://www.instagram.com/jazmine_miles_long/

https://www.facebook.com/EthicalTaxidermyLondon

https://twitter.com/taxidermylondon

Subscribe to Jazmine's mailing list

https://jazminemileslong.us14.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=5041980cec6eb13ed8422bbc3&id=3d3aefd05e

Jazmines work for sale

https://www.jazminemileslong.com/For-Sale

Videos

https://www.jazminemileslong.com/Videos

Recent Press

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-sussex-68129637

https://www.brightonandhovenews.org/2024/01/26/booth-museum-to-unveil-first-new-display-in-92-years/

https://thelatest.co.uk/brighton/2024/01/26/first-new-diorama-to-be-unveiled-in-booth-museum-of-natural-history-in-nearly-a-century/

https://www.ryezine.com/articles/taxidermist

https://www.elle.com/uk/life-and-culture/culture/articles/a32430/how-taxidermy-became-cool-again/

https://www.qest.org.uk/alumni/jazmine-miles-long/

https://www.theguardian.com/careers/2015/oct/27/taxidermist-tales-from-the-career-job-art

DYCP Funding

https://www.artscouncil.org.uk/dycp

QEST scholarship

https://www.qest.org.uk/

ODDY testing

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oddy_test

SPNHC: The Society for the Preservation of Natural History Collections

https://spnhc.org/meetings/

Martha Maxwell

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martha_Maxwell

https://www.cogreatwomen.org/project/martha-maxwell/

https://americacomesalive.com/martha-ann-maxwell-1831-1881-naturalist-taxidermist/

Elle Kaye socials

Podcast socials

wwww.twitter.com/ellektaxidermy

www.ellekayetaxidermy.co.uk/product-page/specimenspodmerch

www.twitter.com/MEMIllustration

Music

Giraffes - Harrison Amer via premiumbeat.com

Researched, edited and produced by Elle Kaye

https://www.smitchellscience.com/

enJanuary 31, 2024

Dr. Samuel Mitchell - Volcanologist + Marine Geologist

In episode 044 Elle chats with Dr. Samuel Mitchell, volcanologist, marine geologist and earth and ocean science communicator based at the University of Bristol, UK. His main research focuses on volcanic eruptions in our oceans, which has taken him across the world conducting field research on volcanoes on land and on the seafloor using oceanographic research vessels. Beyond academic interests, Samuel is an active science communicator across various social media platforms, podcast host, and chair of an international commission on submarine volcanism.

Social media links

https://www.instagram.com/smitchell_science

https://www.tiktok.com/@sams_volcano_stories

https://linktr.ee/smitchell_science

https://twitter.com/smitchell_sci

Samuel's podcast and socials

https://www.volcaknowledge.com/

https://www.instagram.com/volcaknowledge/

School of Sciences at Bristol

https://www.bristol.ac.uk/earthsciences/

Natural events mentioned by Samuel

Sumatra–Andaman earthquake - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2004_Indian_Ocean_earthquake_and_tsunami

Mount Pinatubo - https://pubs.usgs.gov/fs/1997/fs113-97/

Hula

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hula

Dante's Peak

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dante%27s_Peak

Watch via Amazon Prime TV, Apple TV or YouTube

Leif Bersweden - Botanist, Author + Nature Communicator

In episode 043 Elle chats with Leif Bersweden, botanist, author and nature communicator. Leif Bersweden is a writer and botanist with a lifelong interest in nature, focusing on wild plants from the age of seven. He grew up in rural Wiltshire where he taught himself how to identify the local flora, eventually becoming a botanical tutor for The Species Recovery Trust. In 2016, Leif graduated from Oxford University with a degree in Biology and has completed a PhD at Kew Gardens. In a world where an interest in botany is becoming increasingly rare, he wants to help put plants back on the map and is endeavouring to do this through his teaching, research and publications. Leif’s first book, The Orchid Hunter was published in 2017 and his second, Where the Wildflowers Grow in 2022.

Social media links

Twitter: www.twitter.com/LeifBersweden

TikTok: @leifbersweden

Instagram: www.instagram.com/leifbersweden

Website: www.leifbersweden.com

Purchase Where the Wildflowers Grow

https://www.wherethewildflowersgrow.co.uk/

Independent sellers:

https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/where-the-wildflowers-grow-my-botanical-journey-through-britain-and-ireland-leif-bersweden/6751767?ean=9781529349535

https://www.waterstones.com/book/where-the-wildflowers-grow/leif-bersweden/9781529349573

https://www.hodder.co.uk/titles/leif-bersweden/where-the-wildflowers-grow/9781529349535/

Audible Version

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Where-Wildflowers-Grow-Botanical-Journey/dp/B09TQ4LS27/ref=tmm_aud_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=

Elle Kaye socials

Podcast socials

www.ellekayetaxidermy.co.uk/product-page/specimenspodmerch

Music

Giraffes - Harrison Amer via premiumbeat.com

Researched, edited and produced by Elle Kaye

https://www.audible.co.uk/pd/Forget-Me-Not-Audiobook/B0B2F62Q2G

enAugust 01, 2023

Sophie Pavelle - Science Communicator + Author

In episode 042 Elle chats with Sophie Pavelle, science communicator and author. Sophie finds creative routes to storytelling, putting a contemporary twist on the natural history genre across wide audiences through her compelling science communication and candid approach.

Sophie currently works as Communications Coordinator for Beaver Trust and presented their award-winning documentary Beavers Without Borders. She is also an Ambassador for The Wildlife Trusts, and sits on the RSPB England Advisory Committee. Sophie co-hosts The LodgeCast for Beaver Trust, and has narrated several independent natural history documentaries, as well as narrating her own audiobook for Bloomsbury. She also narrates the long-read articles for the Geographical podcast. Sophie has been a keynote speaker for festivals and conferences, including Kendal Mountain Festival, The Southwest Outdoor Festival, Top of the Gorge Festival, the Festival of Nature, the University of Exeter, University of Bristol and UWE.

Her research into science communication via social media (2020) is peer reviewed, and published in academic journal Frontiers. Her data and related seminars have been presented at institutions including the University of Washington (USA), Brown University (USA) and UWE.

Sophie’s writing has appeared in New Scientist, The i Newspaper, National Geographic Traveller, The Guardian, The Metro, BBC Wildlife, BBC Countryfile, Coast and The Scotsman.

She has featured as an expert panelist and contributor on programmes for BBC Radio 4 and BBC Radio 5 Live, as well as on Channel 4 News, BBC Points West, BBC Spotlight and ITV Westcountry.

Sophie’s social links

Website: https://www.sophiepavelle.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sophiepavs/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/sophiepavs

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q4Mmjm22GiY

Sophie Pavelle is the author of Forget Me Not: Finding the forgotten species of climate-change Britain, published in paperback by Bloomsbury on 22^nd June.

Pre-Order Paperback Forget Me Not!

https://linktr.ee/forgetmenotbook

Audible Version

Guardian review/Book of the Day: https://www.theguardian.com/books/2022/jun/24/forget-me-not-sophie-pavelle-review-britain-undersung-species-hares-salmon-climate-crisis

Caught by the River review: https://www.caughtbytheriver.net/2022/06/sophie-pavelle-forget-me-not-review/

Geographical review: https://geographical.co.uk/book-reviews/forget-me-not-by-sophie-pavelle

Podcast interviews: https://open.spotify.com/episode/5t2oWcDdlQj7QiEqucvHnG?si=a5e516a555c14eb2

https://open.spotify.com/episode/1Nxw2WIjuxQev5CaHI5dZG?si=524aadc483d0477c

Elle Kaye socials

Podcast socials

www.ellekayetaxidermy.co.uk/product-page/specimenspodmerch

Music

Giraffes - Harrison Amer via premiumbeat.com

Researched, edited and produced by Elle Kaye

https://panthera.org/leopard-honouring-muse

enJune 19, 2023

Celina Chien - Intersectional Environmentalist + Visual Storyteller

In episode 041 Elle chats with Celina Chien, intersectional environmentalist and storyteller. She combines her work as an ecologist, photojournalist and artist to harness empathy for change and to advocate for biodversity. Celina contextualises her work within the climate and biodiversity crises, whilst also discussing enviornmental and social issues.

As a photographer, Celina’s documentary work has focused on exploring the nuances of environmental topics from palm oil expansion to the zoo debate to the wildlife trade. She also releases her work as fine art pieces, most recently after a successful exhibition in October 2022 in support of leopard conservation with Dolce&Gabbana. This work strives to forge links between the fashion, artistic and conservation worlds with more collaborative releases to follow. In 2021, Celina placed in the prestigious 57th Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition as a highly commended finalist in the photojournalism category. She sits on the judging panel of the same competition hosted by the Natural History Museum of London in 2023.

Celina is a TEDx speaker and serves on the board and council of numerous international NGOs such as Panthera, Rewriting Extinction, Reserva Youth Land Trust, Girls Who Click and more. In 2021, Celina was a highly commended finalist in the prestigious Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition and currently sits on its 2023 judging panel. She has a BSc in Biological Sciences and MRes in Tropical Forest Ecology from Imperial College London.

Celina's social links

Website: celinachien.com

Instagram: @celinaxchien

Twitter: @celinaxchien

Panthera Exhibition + Press for 'Leopard Honouring the Muse': A Celina Chien X Dolce&Gabbana Photographic Exhibition

https://celinachien.sumupstore.com/product/honouring-the-muse-a-visual-companion

Reserva: The Youth Land Trust

https://reservaylt.org/

Girls who Click

https://girlswhoclick.org/

Outside reading + watching on Celina:

'In Conservation with...' https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pDIx65y0bVc

Wildlife Photographer of the Year - https://www.nhm.ac.uk/discover/wildlife-photographer-of-the-year-nature-through-a-different-lens.html

TEDx Talk - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FRFP5SuaOB0

Women of STEM Interview - https://women-of-stem.medium.com/provoking-conservation-action-with-photography-celina-chien-19a02bd8d1bf

Article in Wild Lens Magazine - https://www.thewildlensmagazine.com/past-issues

Elle Kaye socials

Podcast socials

www.ellekayetaxidermy.co.uk/product-page/specimenspodmerch

https://linktr.ee/brillustrations

Music

Giraffes - Harrison Amer via premiumbeat.com

Researched, edited and produced by Elle Kaye

enApril 23, 2023

Ben Rothery - Natural History Author + Illustrator

In episode 040 Elle chats with Ben Rothery, natural history author and illustrator. He shares his journey of discovery, from growing up in South Africa to opening his art and plant haven 'Hidden Planet' in London. Ben discusses the pitfalls and postives of working across two genres - art and science - and how he copes with Imposter Syndrome.

Ben social links

Videos on Bens work

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XBbyH4OZnSU&ab_channel=ImageCentreOfficial
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eqtRJIpq8yY&ab_channel=benrothery
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xa4qduYIQSk&ab_channel=HyperFocusFilms

John Audubon

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_James_Audubon

National Audubon Society

https://www.audubon.org/

Drypoint

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drypoint

Materials

https://www.faber-castell.co.uk/products/castell-9000

Penguin Roundhouse

https://www.penguin.co.uk/

https://www.penguin.co.uk/authors/136755/ben-rothery

Ladybird Publishing

https://www.penguin.co.uk/ladybird

John Lewis

https://www.benrotheryillustrator.co.uk/pages/john-lewis-partners

Natural History Museum London

https://www.nhm.ac.uk/

Hidden Planet Hackney, London

https://www.instagram.com/hiddenplanetshop/?hl=en

Into the red BTO

https://www.bto.org/our-science/publications/bto-books-and-guides/red

WWF

https://www.wwf.org.uk/

Pangolin

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pangolin

Elle Kaye socials

Podcast socials

www.ellekayetaxidermy.co.uk/product-page/specimenspodmerch

https://linktr.ee/Scienteafic

Music

Giraffes - Harrison Amer via premiumbeat.com

Researched, edited and produced by Elle Kaye

enJanuary 30, 2023

Tea Francis - Arachnologist

In episode 039 Elle chats with Arachnologist Tea Francis. Tea is a science communicator, Arachnologist and spider advocate. Her work includes working actively with contacts in the field of arachnology and taxonomy - which is her main area of interest. She works with a handful of museums and labs both within the UK & elsewher. In her advocacy she teaches through her Patreon, where she also shares her macro photography and resources for spider care. She is also an illustrator, multimedia artist and taxidermist.

Tea Social Links

https://twitter.com/tea_francis

https://www.patreon.com/scienteafic

https://www.instagram.com/scienteaficc

ICUN Redlist

https://www.iucnredlist.org/

Tring Museum

https://www.nhm.ac.uk/visit/tring.html

Anthropomorphism

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anthropomorphism

Pelican Spider

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Archaeidae

Poecilotheria Metallica

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poecilotheria_metallica

Imposter Syndrome

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Impostor_syndrome

Elle Kaye socials

Podcast socials

www.ellekayetaxidermy.co.uk/product-page/specimenspodmerch

Music

Giraffes - Harrison Amer via premiumbeat.com

Researched, edited and produced by Elle Kaye

https://pathologicalbodiesproject.home.blog/

enJanuary 09, 2023

science

conservation

Aoife Sutton - Archaeology Researcher

In episode 038 Elle chats with Archaeology Researcher Aoife Sutton. Aoife is a doctoral researcher in archaeology at the University of Bradford. Her work looks at themes surrounding 18-19^th century anatomical fluid preserved specimens in Britain - including death, dying and ethics. Aoife runs a blog called Pathological Bodies Project where she writes about many death related topics, including history of medicine, archaeology and bereavement. She has worked on death related projects - including the Dying 2 Talk project and the Continuing Bonds project. Aoife is also a trustee of Undercliffe Cemetery in Bradford and has observed work in modern death industry settings.

TW: Death/Dying

Aoife Socials:

https://twitter.com/pathbodies

https://www.instagram.com/pathologicalbodiesproject/

Dying to Talk project

https://www.linkedin.com/in/aoife-sutton-8249971b7/?originalSubdomain=uk

https://continuingbonds.live/what-is-dying-to-talk/

The Feminine Macabre

https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=237726661507630

Aoife features in Vol IIII due out Autumn 2022

Elle Kaye socials

Podcast socials

www.ellekayetaxidermy.co.uk/product-page/specimenspodmerch

Music

Giraffes - Harrison Amer via premiumbeat.com

Researched, edited and produced by Elle Kaye

https://www.flocktogether.world/

enOctober 31, 2022

Nadeem Perera - Flock Together Co-Founder + Wildlife TV Presenter + Researcher

In episode 037 Elle chats with self-proclaimed 'nature boy' and half of Flock Together, Nadeem Perera. Nadeem shares when he started paying attention to nature, and how it developed to become the foundation of what he does today. We discuss the ethos of Flock Together, and who this community he has helped built represents.

Nadeem's socials

instagram.com/birdnerdeem

Flock Together

instagram.com/flocktogether.world

linktr.ee/flocktogether.world

Join FT

https://mailchi.mp/41a0999a5b31/jointheflock

FT Book

amazon.co.uk/flock-together-outsiders-connecting-people/dp/1856754782

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Nadeem-Perera/e/B09RN8ZZL7/ref=aufs_dp_fta_dsk

Press

https://www.redbull.com/gb-en/theredbulletin/flock-together-birding

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/dec/31/birdwatching-is-not-just-a-white-thing-flock-together-london

https://www.standard.co.uk/escapist/flock-together-bird-watching-ollie-olanipekun-nadeeem-perera-b1015910.html

https://www.timeout.com/london/news/london-birdwatching-group-flock-together-is-bringing-out-a-book-062022

https://inews.co.uk/news/flock-together-twitchers-of-colour-shaking-up-birdwatching-1718471

Elle Kaye socials

Podcast socials

www.ellekayetaxidermy.co.uk/product-page/specimenspodmerch

Music

Giraffes - Harrison Amer via premiumbeat.com

Researched, edited and produced by Elle Kaye