Rosetta C Blackman

Me - in a nutshell

I am fascinated by freshwater ecosystems: understanding the biodiversity within it, what shapes these communities, how species can persist and how we can identify, protect and mitigate against anthropogenic pressures - if you need me, you’ll find me in a river… in my waders!

I graduated from the University of Lincoln with 1st Class (honours) BSc Conservation Biology and Animal Behaviour in 2007. Then worked for the UK Environment Agency for over 6 years, firstly as an Environmental Monitoring Officer, and then as a Technical Advisor in the ecology team specialising in: freshwater macroinvertebrate identification to species level, lowland and upland macrophyte identification, diatom and River Habitat Surveys (RHS). I also taught RHS accreditation courses for internal and external staff.

In 2014 I started a PhD in Molecular Ecology at the University of Hull looking at the use of environmental DNA (eDNA) to detect freshwater macroinvertebrates in rivers, both at a community level, (via metabarcoding), and by developing species-specific assays for priority invasive alien species. As part of my PhD I worked with the UK Environment Agency, National Lab Service and other stakeholders to apply my PhD research to future routine monitoring programmes for invasive alien species.

In 2018 I began as a Post-Doctoral researcher in the Altermatt Lab at Eawag, Switzerland developing eDNA for whole biodiversity assessment in rivers at large spatial scales and over time. During this time I also focused on developing a multi-marker approach in order to use a metaweb approach and investigate food web characteristics. I have worked on a number of exciting projects while at Eawag including large scale monitoring campaigns, global collaborations and I am the co-creator of the ABCD Conference format, which aims to change the way conferences and workshops are organised, focusing on global inclusivity while minimising carbon footprint.

I am also a full member of the Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management and Royal Society of Biology.

CV on request.