Rebecca Stacey

When Rebecca Stacey ditched her plans to study biochemistry and opted for Archaeological Sciences instead, she was told that she was mad to enter into such a specialist field with such limited employment prospects. Fast forward 20 years and it is clear that the impulsive decision paid off. “After completing my PhD on chemical characterization of ancient food residues, I joined the British Museum when it was expanding its facilities for organic analysis,” Rebecca explains. “I am now responsible for the chromatography and mass spectrometry facilities there. My research applies the tools of analytical chemistry to interrogate the museum’s worldwide collections, seeking to understand the past use of materials and how best to ensure their preservation for the future.”