Dr Roula Pappa

I have over 20 years of experience in the curation, management, and research of fossil mammal collections, and I am currently Senior Curator of Fossil Mammals at the Natural History Museum. Since 2020, I have led collection management for one of the Museum’s most active collections, comprising over 350,000 specimens spanning 66 million years.

I have delivered major initiatives in digitisation, collections reorganisation, and strategic acquisitions, including the landmark Harrison Institute Collection (over 40,000 specimens). I also play a key role in the NHM Unlocked programme, coordinating and prioritising section-wide activities and leading projects such as Unsorted, as well as preparing for the relocation of fossil mammal collections to the Thames Valley Science Park (TVSP).

My research focuses on Quaternary palaeoecology and is supported by national and international collaborations and fieldwork, including projects in Southeast Asia and Greece. I have secured research funding and co-supervised a NERC DTP PhD project, which included fieldwork in Thailand to collect dental microwear samples from over 400 fossil deer specimens from significant cave and rockshelter sites. I have published peer-reviewed papers and book chapters and continue to develop research programmes linking collections and fieldwork in north-western Greece.

I am also committed to public engagement and have contributed to major gallery redevelopments, combining collections expertise with storytelling to enhance access, understanding, and long-term stewardship.

This combination of fieldwork, research, and collections leadership underpins my holistic approach to understanding and securing the future of fossil mammal collections.