Laura Crook

I have been working as a weed ecologist at Rothamsted Research, an agricultural institute in Hertfordshire, UK for 4 years. I am also the programme co-ordinator for the Smart Crop Protection project at Rothamsted. This requires supporting the scientists on the project, organising meetings and managing the science communication side of the programme.

I fell into the science technician role after getting a job at Sheffield University 7 years ago and then successfully getting my current job working on black-grass at Rothamsted. I love being a technician, particularly because the work is always so varied.

When I’m not getting my hands mucky in the glasshouses, I am Brown Owl at a Brownie unit or tap dancing. My greatest achievements have been gaining my Queen’s Guide Award, the highest award in Girl Guiding and taking part in a Soapbox Science event in 2016 which involved standing on a soapbox in a shopping centre for an hour talking to passing shoppers about black-grass.