My research focuses on animal behaviour and conservation taking a multidisciplinary approach to combine genetics, animal movement and the application of social networks.

Previously my research focused on a small passerine recovery programme in Mauritius that examined the competition between the then Critically Endangered Mauritius Fody and the introduced Madagascar Fody. Following this I perused a career in field-based conservation research, where I was the coordinator of the Mauritius Fody recovery programme for the Mauritian Wildlife Foundation. During this time the species was downlisted to Endangered following a successful translocation project. I have also undertaken research in New Zealand, working as a Biodiversity Ranger for the Government Department of Conservation (DOC) where I worked on the Critically Endangered Orange-fronted Parakeet and Kakapo. I then went on to work in UK environmental consultancy specializing in ecosystem services and cost-benefit analysis that aim to account for our natural resources in sustainable development and decision making.

My PhD research, undertaken at the University of Birmingham through NERC CENTA doctoral training partnership, focused on a colonial seabird that breeds on Ascension Island in the South Atlantic. This work aimed to understand the ecology and population trends of the sooty tern, a small seabird that breeds in huge numbers on the island. Primarily this ongoing work focuses on the application of different tools to understand behaviour and survival strategies. I am investigating chick social connectivity during the precocial development stage, and whether this impacts daily survival rates. I have also undertaken genetic analyses to assess levels of population genetic structure and relatedness within the population.

I am also leading a project to maximise biodiversity on our amazing 360ha campus. As a first step I have been running moth trapping nights as part of the University Moth Challenge in conjunction with the Butterfly Conservation Trust. We have had some incredible species turn up in our traps and very high numbers of both species and individuals. This research will provide essential baseline data for assessing any benefits of future management actions. 

I am module lead for Behavioural Ecology and Biodiversity. I contribute to teaching on the following modules:

• Biodiversity
• Behavioural Ecology
• Fundamental Skills for Animal Scientists
• Fundamental Skills for Zoologists
• Biodiversity and Conservation
• Applied Animal Health and Disease
• Filed Course to Devon Field Studies Centre
• Wildlife Management and Conservation Genetics

In addition I also supervise UG and PG student dissertations on a range of topics related to animal behaviour, conservation and ecology. 

I also run assist on practical field courses and sampling and surveying techniques.

Natural history

• Scientific taxidermist and advocate of the benefits of natural collections for advancing science, The Natural History Museum, 2001 – present.

Art

• Printmaker: Exhibitor of art work at the Society of Wildlife Artists exhibition at the Mall galleries 2012, 2013, 2014. Exhibitor at the BTO Annual conference: 2015-2017.

Lecturer in Aninmal Ecology and Conservation, University of Birmingham. UK

• The British Ornithologists Union (BOU)
• The British Ecological Society (BES)
• Seabirds.net
• The European Society for Evolutionary Ecology (ESEB)
• Peer reviewer: Ibis
• Academia Special Interest Group CIEEM