How I Became a Biology Lecturer: Richard's Story

Why It Matters

The account shows how immersive graduate programs can produce global‑health experts, reinforcing the strategic importance of hands‑on research training for future public‑health leaders.

Key Takeaways

• LSHDM provides pathways from master's to international research roles.
• Fieldwork in Tanzania involved mosquito trapping and malaria intervention monitoring.
• Experience led to PhD and expertise as medical entomologist.
• Current work studies West Nile virus and invasive mosquitoes in Las Vegas.
• Alumni network at LSHDM feels like an extended supportive family.

Summary

Richard describes how his master's at LSHDM launched a seven‑year malaria research stint in Tanzania, which formed the core of his PhD. He worked under Professor Mark Roland, trapping mosquitoes in rural villages, identifying species, and measuring infection rates to evaluate insecticide‑treated nets and indoor residual spraying.

After returning to the United States, he now teaches undergraduate biology at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, while studying local mosquito populations, West Nile virus transmission, and the recent invasion of Egyptian daytime‑biting mosquitoes.

His narrative underscores LSHDM’s hands‑on training, the value of an alumni network that feels like family, and the broader relevance of entomological research to public‑health challenges worldwide.

The story illustrates how practical field experience can translate into academic positions and highlights the ongoing need for skilled entomologists in combating vector‑borne diseases.

Original Description

What if Richard could help control the spread of mosquito-borne infections?

Hear from Richard Oxborough, MSc Biology and Control of Disease Vectors 2006 graduate from LSHTM, as he shares his experience studying with a global cohort and learning from leading faculty. He reflects on how his time at LSHTM shaped his research skills and led him to spend seven years in Tanzania conducting malaria research, which also contributed to his PhD.

Now based in Nevada, USA, Richard teaches undergraduate biology at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, and conducts research on mosquitoes in the Las Vegas area.

0:16 What did you do after you finished your master's

0:41 Can you tell us more about being a medical entomologist?

1:17 What are you doing in your career now?

If you’re passionate about global health or mosquito-borne diseases, studying at LSHTM could be your next step.

Click here to learn more: https://www.lshtm.ac.uk/study

Please note: MSc Biology and Control of Disease Vectors is now titled MSc Medical Entomology for Disease Control.

#MSc #PublicHealth #InfectiousDisease #Malaria #Disease