Rachael is a comparative psychologist and behavioural ecologist, with expertise in animal cognition, behaviour, welfare and conservation, and child development. She is broadly interested in the evolution of cognition, using comparative, ecological and developmental approaches primarily in birds and children, with a highly productive academic output and teaching record.
Rachael joined Anglia Ruskin University as a (permanent-contract) Lecturer in December 2021. Prior to this, Rachael has had three Research Associate roles at Cambridge University in Prof Nicola Clayton’s Lab & Dr Lucy Cheke’s Lab, with a PhD from Vienna University with Prof Thomas Bugnyar & Dr Christine Schwab, MSc from St Andrews University with Prof Andrew Whiten & MA with Hons from Glasgow University. Additionally, Rachael was an Animal Keeper & Avian Research Coordinator at Edinburgh Zoo, Royal Zoological Society of Scotland.
Rachael’s current PI research is: Cognition in Animal Conservation (applying cognition research to avian conservation initiatives) and the ManyBirds Project (a big-team Open Science project on avian cognition & behaviour, www.themanybirds.com).