Profile
Susan Eshelman
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About Me:
I am a grassland ecologist 🌾originally from the US but living in Scotland for the last 5 years.
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Before living in Scotland, I lived in the Netherlands, Malawi, South Africa, and Ireland! In my free time, I like to run, hike, and travel 👟⛰️. My favourite animal is an elephant, and I have been lucky enough to see both African and Asian elephants in the wild. I am married to a Dutchie and can speak some dutch.
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My pronouns are:
She/her
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My Work:
I study grasslands around the world to learn how they change with things like fire, grazing, and climate, and how we can protect them for the future.
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I’m a grassland ecologist, which means I study how plants, animals, and the environment all work together in grasslands. Specifically, I look at how grasslands change over time, especially with things like grazing and fire. For example, I study how grasses respond to grazing – do they grow shorter or taller, or become tastier or harder to eat? Looking at these changes helps us understand why some plants and animals survive better than others, and what keeps entire ecosystems healthy.
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My Typical Day:
I usually start my day very early with a trip to the gym before coming home, eating breakfast (with a big cup of coffee) and getting ready for work. I get to work by 9 am and spend the day doing various tasks like analysing data, planning field work, or writing papers. I finish up around 5 pm and head home to have dinner with my husband. In the evenings, I like to relax by watching a movie or playing a game.
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My days can look very different depending on what I’m working on. Sometimes I travel to the field to do vegetation surveys, and other times I go to conferences to share my research with other scientists. But no matter what, every day starts with a big cup of coffee ☕.
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What I'd do with the prize money:
I would spend it to have a “touch grass” day with students where some of my grassland researcher friends and I could teach students about grasslands and how to ID some of the grasses they have in their gardens.
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Education:
- University of Texas in the US for my undergra
- Trinity College Dublin in Ireland for my Master’s
- University of Edinburgh in Scotland for my PhD
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Qualifications:
- BSc in Biology- Evolution, Ecology and Behaviour
- MSc in Biodiversity and Conservation
- PhD in Evolutionary Biology
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Work History:
- Research assistant for African Bat Conservation (Malawi)
- Social media officer for Conservation Research Africa (Malawi)
- Student manager for Opwall at Gondwana Game Reserve (South Africa)
- Student Researcher at Welgevonden Game Reserve (South Africa)
- Private Nanny for various families (US and Ireland)
- Education centre volunteer at Dublin Zoo (Ireland)
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Current Job:
Postdoctoral Research at Royal Botanic Gardens Edinburgh
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Employer:
Royal Botanic Gardens Edinburgh
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My Interview
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What did you want to be after you left school?
An ecologist (or an actress 😉)
Were you ever in trouble at school?
Yes! I was undiagnosed with ADHD and dyslexia until I was 18 so I always struggled with school
If you weren't doing this job, what would you choose instead?
I think I would be working in advertising as I love thinking of punny captions for Instagram
Who is your favourite singer or band?
Taylor Swift
What's your favourite food?
Cheese
If you had 3 wishes for yourself what would they be? - be honest!
1) To be able to teleport - so I can avoid long flights 2) That I could speak any language fluently - so I can always chat to people 3) That I could see Taylor Swift in concert again
Tell us a joke.
When does a joke become a dad joke? When the punchline becomes apparent.
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