Professional summary

Helen is a principal scientist (ecologist) at UKCEH and Professor in Ecology at the University of Exeter. Helen leads global collaborations to deliver high impact research, relevant to the Environmental Challenges recognised by NERC, to understand and predict the effects of biological invasions on biodiversity and ecosystems. 

Since 2008 Helen has led a Defra-funded project to compile information on invasive non-native species for Britain Information Portal » NNSS Additionally she is leading projects to enhance understanding of invasive non-native species for the UK Overseas Territories. Prevention, early detection and rapid response are critical to the management of invasive non-native species and the collaborative approaches Helen has developed for horizon scanning to inform prevention have achieved international recognition and application. Her research on biological invasions has gained her international recognition both through informing policy and advancing science including as co-chair of the IPBES Thematic Assessment Report on Invasive Alien Species and their Control | IPBES secretariat. Helen is currently an expert for the IPBES Second global assessment of biodiversity and ecosystem services | IPBES secretariat 

Helen is passionate about science communication and engaging people with insect science, and has led many citizen science initiatives. She is part of the Biological Records Centre Biological Records Centre and supports zoological monitoring and research in collaboration with the volunteer wildlife recording community. She co-leads the UK Ladybird Survey, a national recording scheme engaging thousands of people, as a volunteer, and the vast dataset of >250k records has been used extensively in her entomological research. 

Helen is a member of the Ecology and Conservation research group in the Centre for Ecology and Conservation at the University of Exeter.

Selected publications

Roy Helen E. et al. , (2024), Curbing the major and growing threats from invasive alien species is urgent and achievable. Nature Ecology & Evolution, http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41559-024-02412-w

Obura David et al. , (2026), A systems reset for sustainable development. Communications Sustainability, 1, https://doi.org/10.1038/s44458-025-00009-3

Gardiner Mary M. et al. , (2022), The role of community science in entomology. Annual Review of Entomology, 67, 437-456, http://dx.doi.org/10.1146/annurev-ento-072121-075258

Dawson Wayne et al. , (2022), Horizon scanning for potential invasive non-native species across the United Kingdom Overseas Territories. Conservation Letters, https://conbio.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/conl.12928

Roy Helen E. et al. , (2016), The harlequin ladybird, Harmonia axyridis: global perspectives on invasion history and ecology. 18, 997-1044, http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10530-016-1077-6

Booy Olaf et al. , (2020), Using structured eradication feasibility assessment to prioritize the management of new and emerging invasive alien species in Europe. Global Change Biology, 26, 6235-6250, http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/gcb.15280

Roy Helen E. et al. , (2020), Guiding principles for utilizing social influence within expert‐elicitation to inform conservation decision‐making. Global Change Biology, 26, 3181-3184, http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/gcb.15062

Luke Sarah H. et al. , (2023), Grand challenges in entomology: priorities for action in the coming decades. Insect Conservation and Diversity, 16, 173-189, http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/icad.12637

Roy Helen E. et al. , (2023), The role of invasive alien species in the emergence and spread of zoonoses. Biological Invasions, 25, 1249-1264, http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10530-022-02978-1

Roy Helen E. et al. , (2018), Developing a framework of minimum standards for the risk assessment of alien species. Journal of Applied Ecology, 55, 526-538, http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/1365-2664.13025