Who am I?
I am a scientist and consultant to start-ups, research organisations and government departments, with board level experience as advisor, Trustee and Treasurer. I have expertise and interest in insects and agriculture, and a wide skill set, including international collaborations, project development, project management and science communication. Through this work I have gained significant experience of fundraising and developing grant proposals, and have published a number of peer reviewed, opinion and policy articles.
I also have a keen interest in the translation of research into innovation.
Before I trained as a scientist, I worked in commercial environments including live television production and the airline industry, both high pressure environments, that took me all over the world. I have also lived and worked in six countries.
I am a trustee and treasurer for the Royal Entomological Society and adjunct member of the Council for International Congresses of Entomology, I enjoy working with people and take part in a number of community activities, such as active membership on committees for the International Plant Research to Insects Steering Committee and the Wheat Initiative Pathogen and Pest Expert Working Group.
I founded Mamore Research and Innovation Limited in 2021, providing consultancy services to public sector organisations on supporting scientists and improving their innovation pipeline.
Email: gia@mamore-ri.com
EDUCATION
2018-2021 Warwick Business School - Executive MBA (Distinction)
2006-2010 Imperial College London, Department of Biological Sciences, PhD DIC Biology
2002-2003 Royal Holloway, University of London, School of Biological Sciences, MSc (Distinction)
1998-2002 University of Iceland, Department of Biology, BSc
WORK EXPERIENCE
CURRENT ROLES
2021 - present Mamore Research and Innovation Limited - Consultancy services to public and private sector organisations ranging from early start-ups to established research organisations
2023 - present Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Fisheries, Iceland, Expert Working Group (Fagráð, Fjársjóður)
2022 - Present Mr Bug - Advisor
2020 - present Royal Entomological Society - Trustee and Treasurer
2024 - present Council for International Congresses of Entomology - Adjunct Member
PAST ROLES
2021 - 2024 Annals of Applied Biology - Senior Editor
2019-2021 Research Programme Leader, Entomology
2011-2019 Rothamsted Research – Group Leader and Research Scientist
2013-2019 Royal Holloway, University of London – Visiting Lecturer
2015-2016 University of Bedfordshire – Visiting Lecturer
2010-2011 Inscentinel Ltd. - Research & Development Scientist
2004-2006 The Natural History Museum, Department of Entomology - Research Assistant
2001-2002 Icelandic Institute of Natural History - Research Assistant
1999-2001 Northern Lights Corporation, Channel 2 (Stod 2) – Assistant Producer
1996-1999 Air Atlanta Icelandic - Senior Cabin Crew Member
COMMITTEES AND PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES
Mentor for the Icelandic Startups accelerators (2020 - 2022).
Honorary Professor, Agricultural Genomics Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shenzhen, China.
Fellow of the Royal Entomological Society, Interim Honorary Treasurer (2020-present), Convenor of the Aphid Special Interest Group (2019 – 2024) and Member of the Meetings Committee (2017-2023).
Member of the International Plant Resistance to Insects Steering Committee (2018 - present)
Co-convenor of the Wheat Initiative Pest and Pathogen Expert Working Group (2016 – present)
Sense about Science, Standing up for Science Media Workshop, Panellist (yearly in UK and mainland Europe 2012-2019).
Led the organization of the ‘23rd International Plant Resistance to Insects Symposium’ at Rothamsted Research in 2018.