Ruby Paroissien is based at the Australian PlantBank, located at the Australian Botanic Garden Mount Annan. With a Bachelor of Science (Honours) and ongoing PhD studies in ecology, Ruby brings a wealth of expertise to her role, specialising in seed collecting, processing, and germination as well as data manipulation. She enjoys finding ways to germinate species with complex dormancies, as well as streamlining the data collection and discovering greater end uses for it.
Ruby is deeply involved in various conservation projects, notably collecting seeds of threatened species for Save Our Species, and contributing to the Cumberland Plain Woodland Project. Her workdays are ever-changing but can range from fieldwork across remote bush locations in NSW to lab-based activities aimed at processing a collection to achieve pure seed and germinate it.
What sets Ruby apart is her multifaceted background, having pursued a dual degree in science and fine arts. Her passion for painting landscapes and botanical subjects offers a unique perspective from which to observe dynamics in nature, and working in the bush provides constant inspiration.
Ruby's dedication to her field is evident through her technical training attachment with the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, as part of the Millennium Seed Bank Partnership Training program. This experience in London further honed her skills and expanded her knowledge of seed banking methods.
Ruby's career path was shaped by an innate curiosity about plants and the interplay between seeds and their environment. Among her favourite plants is the delicate and vulnerable Euphrasia ciliolata, a herbaceous flowering plant found in New South Wales with interesting seeds that are tiny and reticulated.
