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Dr Sandra Knapp is a specialist on the taxonomy of the nightshade family, Solanaceae and has spent much time in the field in Central and South America collecting plants. Her particular focus of research is the taxonomy of Solanum, the genus that contains potatoes, tomatoes and eggplants and is one of only a handful of flowering plant genera with more than 1000 species.

Sandy came to the Natural History Museum in 1992 and has described more than 75 new species of plants. She is the author of several popular books on the history of science and botanical exploration, including the award-winning (2004). She is also the author of more than 175 peer-reviewed scientific papers and actively involved in promoting the role of taxonomy worldwide. 

In 2009 she was honoured by the by the and the UK National Biodiversity Network’s .

Alice Eastwood (1859-1953) was a self-taught botanist and remembered as one of the most exceptional women of her time, exploring regions of the American West that made for difficult traveling. She negotiated unfavorable terrain in long skirts, even fashioning a skirt that could be buttoned in the center to make pants.

As curator of the California Academy of Sciences he undertook the unconventional act of separating botanical type specimens, which would turn out to be a very fortunate decision.