I am a Postdoctoral Research Associate at the University of Sheffield, UK. My interests evolves around the behaviour of top predators and how we can use this knowledge to improve their conservation.
I am currently working on the adaptive significance of egg shape in a variety of bird species. Natural selection of the bird eggshell is based on opposing goals. The shell must withstand the breaking forces imposed upon it during incubation, but also be sufficiently fragile to allow successful hatching. Furthermore, deviations from the norm in a specific eggshell trait may reflect unusual selection pressures acting on that trait. For example, a perfectly spherical egg is generally considered to be ‘strongest’ shape for an egg, yet pear-shaped eggs are less likely to roll out of the nest or off a cliff ledge (instead they roll in a tight circle). I am exploring in greater detail the tradeoffs of different egg shapes - looking at both the microstructure of the eggshell and overall shape.
I conducted my PhD at the University of New South Wales, Australia. My goal was to better understand the feeding ecology of one of Australia’s largest marsupial carnivores, the thylacine and the factors that drove it to extinction – as there are currently many conflicting interpretations. Dietary specialisation has been shown to strongly influence a species ability to adapt to changing food resources. I used skull biomechanics and stable isotopes to (i) determine whether diet specialisation and competition influenced their extinction, and (ii) explore long-term shifts in marsupial carnivore diet and habitat use to test their resilience to environmental change.
Experience
2013–2016
Research Assistant (FEARlab), University of New England
2014–2015
Postdoctoral fellow (FEARlab), University of New England
2014–2014
Unit Coordinator of Priciples of Zoology (Z00L100), University of New England
Course demonstrator (Aninal Behaviour), University of New South Wales
2009–2010
Research Assistant (Biological Sciences), University of New South Wales
2005–2007
Research Assistant (Statistics), University of Western Sydney
2007–2007
Research Assistant (Biological Sciences), University of Western Sydney
Education
2014
University of New South Wales, Doctor of Philosophy (Biological Science)
2008
Macquarie University, Bachelor of Science (Honours)
2007
University of Western Sydney, Bachelor of Science (Advanced Science)
Publications
2016
Moa diet fits the bill: virtual reconstruction incorporating mummified remains and prediction of biomechanical performance in avian giants, Proceedings of Royal Society B
2014
Virtual reconstruction and prediction of diet of the Australian mid Cenozoic thylacinid, Nimbacinus dicksoni (Thylacinidae, Marsupialia), PLOS ONE
2013
Micro-Biomechanics of the Kebara 2 Hyoid and Its Implications for Speech in Neanderthals, PLOS ONE
2011
Skull biomechanics and implications for feeding behaviour in a large marsupial guild, Journal of Zoology
2010
Vocal discrimination in mate guarding male Australian sea lions - Familiarity breeds contempt, Ethology
Grants and Contracts
2013
Travel Grant
Role:
Travel Grant (£300) awarded by the British Ecological Society to attend International Association for Ecology Conference
Funding Source:
British Ecological Society
2012
E&ERC Postgraduate Research Start-Up Grant
Role:
AU$1,000 awarded for Postgraduate start-up grant
Funding Source:
Evolution and Ecology Research Centre, University of New South Wales
2012
Travel Grant
Role:
AU$200 awarded to cover travel to Ecological Society of Australia conference
Funding Source:
Ecological Society of Australia
2011
Postgraduate Research Student Support (PRSS) Scheme
Role:
AU$3,300 research grant awarded by University of New South Wales
Funding Source:
University of New South Wales
2011
Travel Grant
Role:
Travel grant (AU$1,000) to attend Marine Mammal Conference
Funding Source:
Society for Marine Mammalogy
2008
Golden Key International Honours Society Scholarship
Role:
AU$500 research grant towards Honours research project