Sarah Watkinson is an emeritus research fellow in Plant Sciences at Oxford University, where, throughout a career as a lecturer, she specialised in the activities of microscopic fungi that sustain forests, and rot and recycle remains. Since acquiring a Diploma in Creative Writing in 2012, she has been writing and studying poetry, and realising how both poetry and science involve imagination in pursuit of understanding. Her poetry has appeared in UK anthologies and magazines including Litmus, Pennine Platform and The Rialto, and has been successful in several competitions. Dung Beetles Navigate by Starlight is her debut pamphlet. Earlier published work includes three editions of a co-authored textbook, The Fungi, and numerous scientific papers. With Jenny Lewis she organised SciPo in 2016, an event in Oxford for Science Poetry which attracted an enthusiastic attendance. She lives near Oxford and in Northumberland.