Natarsha Bates

Natarsha Bates is a UmArts Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Design and Molecular Biology at Umeå Institute of Design (UID) and the Department of Molecular Biology at Umeå University. Her work bridges art, science, and ecology through olfactory research. She holds an MSc & PhD in Biological Art from SymbioticA, The University of Western Australia.

Her research focuses on microbial odorants' roles in interspecies communication, environmental change impacts, and decolonial methodologies. Notable projects include Scents of Solastalgia (exploring olfactory responses to environmental loss), Scents of Consumption (lichen-reindeer climate change dynamics), and Scents of Asilomar (biotechnological scent synthesis).

She collaborates with interdisciplinary teams and institutions like Perth Institute of Contemporary Art and the Edinburgh Hub for Responsible Innovation. Current affiliations include the Teresa Frisan Lab and multiple funded projects (2023-2026).

Her work addresses urgent ecological and ethical questions through creative, critical, and cross-disciplinary approaches.