Melanie says it's her mother's love of nature that inspired her to become a scientist. "I grew up in London and she used to take me to visit the British Museum of Natural History all the time," recalls Melanie, "just like kids in New York visit the American Museum of Natural History, I visited the British Museum. And it just really captivated me. "After her undergraduate studies in zoology, Melanie did her Ph.D. work at the British Museum with a specialist in African tropical fish, specifically cichlids. She has written many scientific papers on fish systematics and conservation, and is a respected educator and in great demand as a speaker on biodiversity issues.