2025 Lincoff Scholarship Award: Joni Wildman

We are excited to announce the recipient of the 2025 Lincoff Scholarship award, Joni Wildman. Joni Wildman is a very enthusiastic and exceptional cross-over student combining mycology, physics, and engineering in her research.

She holds a master’s degree from University of Cambridge in England and is now in the doctoral program at the University of Bath, also in the UK. Her work involves the nexus of mycology, materials science, and sustainability. Which is awesome and in the true spirit of the Mushroom Festival.

Besides being a student of mycology, she is an excellent and enthusiastic communicator on the topic of mycology. She has been key in organising regional UK Fungus day events, collaborating with local clubs, and as a spokesperson for fungi in the media. And she even started the student Mycological Society at Cambridge University—which is where Britt Bunyard first met her.

Her major professor Dr. Daniel Henk of The Milner Centre for Evolution at the University of Bath, had this to say in support of her application to the Student Scholarship:

“We are hoping that international connections and collaborations can emerge from Joni being at TMF. However, we are also hoping to expose Joni to the broader fungal community. A key focus for my lab is to maintain the generalist mycologist along with development of deep knowledge and applications in fungal research. Where else but TMF could Joni see the best stellar research matched with culture and community from across all the different ways people interact with fungi?”

We are excited to share our interview with Joni about her work and what she is most looking forward to attending at Telluride Mushroom Festival!

Congratulations on receiving the Lincoff Scholarship! We are so excited to have you attend Telluride Mushroom Festival for the first time! Can you tell us a little about your current work in mycology, your studies, and why you applied for the Lincoff Student Scholarship? 

Thank you- it’s such an honour to have received the Lincoff Scholarship! 

I’m currently a PhD student at the University of Bath, working in the exciting (if I do say so myself) and rapidly growing field of mycelium-based materials. Mycelium-based materials are those formed by growing fungal mycelium on organic substrates, where the mycelium’s growth and digestion process acts as a natural adhesive. My research focuses on developing these materials as sustainable insulation alternatives, so I am improving their insulation properties, and looking at their susceptibility to mould growth (because, as it turns out, not all fungi are good, especially on building materials!). 

My academic background is in Natural Sciences and Physics, which I studied at the University of Cambridge. After completing my Master’s degree, I realised I actually wanted to be a mycologist. The opportunity to research mycelium-based materials was such a dream come true for me: I get to work with fungi every day, but I also get to apply perspectives in the physical sciences to address engineering challenges in fungal materials! 

I applied for the Lincoff Scholarship because attending the Telluride Mushroom Festival has been a dream of mine since I became interested in mycology about five years ago. It’s a world-renowned celebration of fungal science and culture, and I’ve long been inspired by the sense of community from the festival, and by the amazing images from the forays and the parade. During my undergraduate studies, I founded the University of Cambridge Mycological Society, and we were fortunate to be visited by Britt Bunyard who told me about this very scholarship! This scholarship meant that attending TMF could be a reality, and after a year and a half of fungal PhD research, I felt this was the perfect time to apply and take part in such a unique and meaningful event. Without the support of this scholarship, attending this special event would not be realistic (…the PhD stipend barely covers rent!). 

What is your favorite mushroom and why?

This is such a difficult question! But if I had to pick, I’d say chicken of the woods. Not because of its taste (honestly, I don’t think my palate or cooking skills are quite up to doing it justice), but because it was the first mushroom I ever felt confident identifying. That moment of recognition gave me a real sense of pride, and it’s a feeling I still get every time I learn to identify a new species.
 

We are excited to hear more about your story, what was your first encounter with fungi and how did it spark your passion for mycology?

I have always been curious about the world, nature, and science, and that led me to study physics as an undergraduate. I thought I would become a quantum physicist! Then one day, I signed up for a foray with a local forager. I had always loved blackberry picking as a kid, so a foray sounded fun. Going on this foray turned out to be one of the best decisions I have ever made, and honestly I get emotional just thinking about it. This forager (shout out to The Nottingham Forager!) introduced me to mushrooms; nothing dramatic, just introducing me to some little brown mushrooms (LBMs) we saw on the walk, but it completely changed the way I saw things. I remember thinking, why have I never even thought about fungi before? I had

studied biology at A level and cell biology during my natural sciences degree, but fungi had never really been mentioned. Come to think of it, had I ever even really seen a mushroom? 

That experience sent me into a deep dive. I started listening to podcasts, reading every book I could find, and diving into the scientific literature. Kingdom Fungi is absolutely fascinating, and I was determined to catch up on 20 years of this being absent in my life! I bought a pocket guide and spent every day exploring a different woodland or park to see what I could find. Within a matter of months I was completely hooked, and honestly, compared to the world of mycology, quantum physics started to look pretty boring. 

What are your future aspirations in the field of mycology and other scientific work? 

I would love to pursue an academic career in mycology. I’m incredibly fortunate to have some amazing supervisors who inspire me every day and have shown me what a meaningful and exciting path research can be. There are so many outstanding questions in mycology, and fungi have the potential to address a wide range of critical global challenges. 

My PhD focuses on sustainable construction, using fungal materials as an alternative to conventional insulation, and I absolutely love this area of research. But my interest in fungi goes far beyond this one application. There is so much within the field of mycology that I would happily dedicate an entire career to exploring. 

I am also committed to fungal science communication, introducing mycology to new and diverse audiences. This is important to me as not only do I want to spread the joy to others that mycology has brought to me, but because we need more people to think about fungi in a different way. In the UK, we have a pretty mycophobic culture, and this has negative consequences on fungal conservation and may mean that the benefits of fungi, ranging from biotechnological advances to environmental benefits to the societal impacts, may be overlooked. I want to help change that! 

Are there any specific workshops, lectures, presenters, or experiences that you are looking forward to during your time at Telluride Mushroom Festival? How do you hope your time at TMF will inspire or influence your future work in mycology?

Where do I even begin? I am so excited to go on the forays, as the landscape around Telluride is completely different from the UK, and I’m sure the fungal diversity will be just as unique and exciting. I cannot wait to see what I might encounter. 

I’m also really looking forward to the poetry events. I believe creative outlets like this are so important in science. Before pursuing a career in research, I wrote a lot of poetry, so it holds a special place for me, and I love when science and creativity intersect.

There are also so many presenters I admire. I’m especially a fan of The Chaotic Forager, I think she’s fantastic, and a brilliant example of how accessible and joyful mycology communication can be. I’m also incredibly excited (and a little nervous) to be giving a talk myself, all about mycelium-based materials! 

I anticipate that the festival will have a lasting impact on me and on my work in mycology. It has already been a source of inspiration and joy in the lead-up. To be surrounded by such a passionate and knowledgeable community of scientists, artists, foragers, and communicators, is a rare and beautiful opportunity. I hope to absorb as much knowledge as I can, both to improve my own scientific work and to become a better communicator of mycology. 

On a personal level, I think the festival will be an incredibly special experience. The mycology community is so warm, curious, and welcoming, and to be part of an event where I feel I truly belong is something I value deeply. 

Do you have any advice would you give to students or aspiring mycologists who are considering applying for the Lincoff Scholarship next year? 

Remember why you fell in love with mycology and the fungal kingdom, and let that be at the heart of your application. If you stay connected to that passion and make it central to what you write and share, it will shine through. The Lincoff scholarship is such a fantastic opportunity, definitely go for it! 

Thanks so much for sharing more about yourself and your story with us Joni. We have one last question before we wrap up – do you know what mushroom you will dress up as for the World Famous Telluride Mushroom Parade?

To be decided… I’m slightly limited by what I can fit in my luggage, so unfortunately that rules out a giant puffball! But I’ve got a few ideas…

👉 Check out Joni Wildman’s work on Instagram by visiting @joniofthewoods

Don’t miss your opportunity to join Joni Wildman for her presentation at Telluride Mushroom Festival “Could Fungi Shape the Future of Building Materials?” Happening August 16th from 10:45-11:45am at the Telluride Public Library.
Add Joni’s presentation to your schedule!

You can view this year’s schedule here
Purchase your Full Festival Pass here