Ellen graduated from the University of York in 2017 with a degree in Chemistry and subsequently followed her environmental interests by working in environmental compliance consulting for 2 years. Then, wanting to put her chemistry degree to use, she worked as an environmental chemist for a few months at the Water Research centre, but was soon heavily involved in another department, the National Centre for Environmental Toxicology. Ellen joined the company in May 2021 with a view to becoming a Toxicologist.