Natasha

Travel information

I am currently

Description

I am an early career scientist looking for inspiration from around the world before I specialise for a PhD. I have a degree in Ecological and Environmental Sciences, and molecular plant biotechnology (lab) experience. I have a creative mind and am always keen to create, especially using biomaterials such as wood/ clay/ waste and recycled materials. I have professional experience most recently as a gardener and years of customer service and cooking roles, so I am approachable, a clear communicator, and a hard worker.

From a workaway placement I am looking to learn, not to be a tourist, or overworked and exploited. Special interests I am looking to improve include: woodworking and construction, cooking, spanish speaking, ecological fieldwork and gardening. I love most to be moving - creating, being outdoors all day or on my feet. I am social, especially in opportunities to learn about new cultures and people and I believe the best way to learn about a culture is through cooking. However, I am open to new ideas. I love animals and have years of experience dogsitting and in a vets and cat shelter so always keen for non-human interaction as well.

I am looking for longer term residencies (>3 weeks) where I could really learn about and from hosts. I am looking for interaction, positivity and teaching. I spend time between employment solo travelling (Mexico, the Balkans, Scandinavia and Portugal) but am looking now for more opportunities to engage with, help, and learn from local communities. While I am NOT a digital nomad I will require internet connection as I will be contacting researchers for paid biological research opportunities for myself this (2026) winter. I am always interested in personal research which include cataloguing recipes, collage and photography projects which compare local ecology and terrain, and ecological surveys (which I have done professioanlly in past) so please let me know if you would be interested in collaborating. Personal hobbies include film, art and design, running and hiking.

Interests

Technology

Politics / Social justice

LGBTQ

Movies & TV

Charity work

Writing

Plant care

Art & design

DIY & crafts

Cooking & food

Nature

Hiking

Languages

Languages spoken
English: Fluent
Spanish: Beginner

More details about my language interests
I am from the UK so unfortunately we don't have great language programmes. I am happy to teach english but am most interested in reaching fluency in spanish.

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Skills and knowledge I'd like to share or learn

I'm interested in:  

Languages

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Some knowledge of:  

Art Projects

Creative DIY projects

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Able to teach about:  

Eco Projects

Light gardening

Animal Care

Creating/ Cooking family meals

Helping around the house

Hospitality/Tourism

Light maintenance

Helping with Computers/ Internet

House & pet sitting

More details about your skills

Here are some snippets from my professional CV so you have an understanding of my work history -

Personal Statement
I am a multidisciplinary scientist with professional skills in ecological fieldwork and molecular plant sciences. In my most recent role I helped a small gardening business with manual labour, client interaction, driving, and ecological surveys. I presented results which elucidated relationships between garden design and biodiversity of flying insects, birds and mammals. In 2024, as associate researcher at The Plant Shape Lab (Institute of Molecular Plant Sciences, Edinburgh), I broadly examined the mechanisms that underpin leaf and flower shape in the grass family. My results contributed to grant applications and future publications for the lab. I am a confident and enthusiastic worker, attributes practiced at biweekly meetings where I would present recent work and provide advice to PhD and postdoc research associates. I am self-motivated and excel at turning weaknesses into strengths. For example, covid-19 limited my introduction to practical research in my degree; therefore, I designed my own thesis which introduced me to lab work exploring carbon sequestration and plant pathology. After graduating I sought work experience to develop confidence in a laboratory. I self-funded personal endeavours in my field of interest for example volunteering for the 2023 BioDesign Challenge (New York City). I am now determined to broaden my fieldwork experience before choosing a PhD topic.


Lab experience
• RNA extraction
• cDNA synthesis
• qRT-PCR
• Tissue fixation
• Primer design
• In-situ hybridization
• Plasmid isolation (minipreps)
• Gel electrophoresis
• Molecular cloning
• Plant photography
• Microscopy and microscopic imaging
• Experimental design
• Coding (data visualization and statistical analysis in R)

Fieldwork experience
• Terrestrial fieldwork via transects and quadrats
• Forestry measurements (DBH, stocking density, canopy openness via hemispherical photography, height via clinometers)
• Ecological surveys (Oban; London)
• Soil analysis (chemical composition, pH, moisture content)
• Plant growth and maintenance (glasshouse)
• Plant phenotyping

Gardening experience
• Safe and efficient use of heavy-duty tools (long and short-armed electric hedge trimmers, electric strimmers, extendable saws and pruners, mattocks, lawn mowers, axes, cement mixers, electric drills, sheers)
• Pruning and large vegetation cutback


Positions of responsibility
2025 Gardening – on many days I worked alone responsible for a small goods vehicle, safe handling of heavy and expensive tools, and client satisfaction – often driving between three to four clients in a day. I handled physically and emotionally demanding days by adhering to a clear mental plan, and finding joy in the experience of being outdoors and engaging clients in the ecological power of a garden.
2023-24 Laboratory training – training fellow members of staff on equipment including stereoscope and plant trait measurement. Regular feedback to colleagues regarding presentations and data.
2023 Volunteering BioDesign Challenge – ushering general public clearly despite hectic schedule. Educational advice to younger participants.
2022-23 Prep chef – working independently to prepare daily menu for service. Producing high quality produce despite time pressure. Rapidly memorising recipes which put me more at ease learning lab protocols. Creating staff meals with limited resources.
2022-23 Responsible for finding a novel fate for brewers spent grain for a microbrewery in Edinburgh. Involved liaisons between several institutions, connecting brewing and plant research facilities in a city.
2020 Volunteer Researcher at Take One Action Film Festival – generating closed captions for films for hard of hearing (Aegisub); connecting global filmmakers to Edinburgh via venues and potential audiences.
General Staff training at regular points during career. Providing succinct information to newer members in simple and approachable manner.

Additional
Languages: English - native; Spanish – Basic.
Hobbies: birdwatching, cooking, photography, running, hiking, film, illustration and collage.
Full UK driver’s licence with experience driving a van in central London.

Age

26

Some more information

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  Smoker

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  Driver's licence

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  Allergies

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  Special dietary requirements