Emma is a Professor of Zoology at University College Dublin, Ireland. She integrates cutting-edge molecular technology with whole animal wildlife studies to uncover the molecular basis of evolutionary novelty and biodiversity, using bats as model species. She utilises this new found understanding to benefit society, both from an environmental and human health perspective. She is a founding director of BAT1K, an international consortium of scientists, technologists and bat lovers (>300 people), united to conserve and sequence the genome of all living bats (~1400 species; bat1k.com), by developing novel genomic methods and concepts, raising funds and inspiring people across the globe to achieve this goal. She was awarded Chevalier des Palmes Académiques, 2017 by the French Government for her research.