What great thinkers would you have loved to work with?

It may be an obvious answer, but I would have loved to meet Anna ("Nan") Shepherd. As a teacher myself, I would have been delighted to see her in the classroom, exchange ideas with her, or discuss literature, politics, and the world more broadly. Her infectious love for the natural world has resonated with me beyond measure, and I will always be grateful that I happened to discover The Living Mountain during a Christmas holiday in Scotland. That said, It is heartbreaking to think what she would have made of the devastation of her beloved Cairngorms today.

What would you be had you not become an academic?

When I was in primary school, I wanted to become a cave explorer—once again inspired by a book, this time borrowed from the public library. I dreamt of discovering the hidden world beneath our feet for myself. These days, the thought of being trapped underground is considerably less appealing. Later, I wanted to become a professor of chemistry because the idea of experimenting sounded exciting—until a series of rather uninspiring chemistry classes at school changed my mind. While I never imagined I would become an academic as such, I always assumed I would become a teacher, at least for a while. Teaching is immensely rewarding, even if it can also be exhausting, and I have always loved sharing my enthusiasm for literature and the wider world.

What advice would you give yourself if you were just starting your studies?

Start small and be patient. Thinking your way towards an entire book takes time, persistence, and energy. Don't rush the process. You won't figure everything out on your first attempt, and that's perfectly fine. Allow yourself to change direction, refine your focus, and follow new ideas—that is what makes research exciting. Travel as much as you can and learn all the languages that capture your interest: you will not regret it.

How do you clear your mind? What do you do in your free time?

Apart from exercising and spending time outdoors, I love watching my bees in the garden. Every hive has its own character, each colony behaves differently, and they even have subtly distinct scents. Worker bees follow remarkably consistent flight paths as they leave the hive, almost like tiny aerial motorways. They are also excellent weather forecasters: if they all suddenly return to the hive, you can be fairly certain that rain is only minutes away. In autumn and winter, when my bees are less active, I enjoy searching for mushrooms. Foraging and hiking (or just a long walk) are the perfect combination for me—they get me moving outdoors while giving me a clear purpose. Few things clear my mind more effectively.

Which books have had an influence on you?

As someone who reads between 200 and 300 books a year, this is an incredibly difficult question to answer. Setting Nan Shepherd aside for a moment, one fictional universe stands out above all others: Terry Pratchett's Discworld novels. Sir Terry's profound compassion for humanity, his wit, and his celebration of the sheer joy of being alive have had a lasting influence on me. I return to the series again and again, and every rereading reveals something I had never noticed before. It is good to laugh regularly. I would have loved to have met Sir Terry as well.

How important is a printed book for you?

I enjoy printed books far more than digital ones—even though I do own an e-reader (guilty as charged). There is something irreplaceable about their physical presence: the smell of the paper, the texture of the pages, the typography, and the focused attention that a physical book invites. Reading a printed book simply feels like a richer and more immersive experience.