attending the university of cambridge, punnett earned a degree in zoology in 1898, and a masters in 1902. between these degrees he worked as a demonstrator and part-time lecturer at the university of st andrews natural history department. however, by 1902 punnett was back at cambridge working in zoology, primarily the study of nematode worms. it was during this time that he and william bateson began a research collaboration, which lasted several years.