EDUCATION
Doctor of Philosophy (Biology)
University of New South Wales
2018 – 2022
Thesis Title: A genetic perspective on rapid adaptation in the globally invasive European starling (Sturnus vulgaris)
Supervisors: Associate Professor Lee A Rollins, Dr Richard J Edwards & Professor William B Sherwin
Bachelor of Science (Advanced) (Honours)
University of Sydney
2013 – 2017
Thesis Title: Mechanisms generating geographic divergence in phenotypic traits within the invasive cane toad in Australia
Supervisors: Professor Richard Shine & Dr Gregory Brown
EMPLOYMENT
Research Fellow (Applied Biosciences)
Macquarie University
Sept 2024 – Present
Research Fellow (School of Biological Sciences)
University of Auckland
May 2022 – Sept 2024
Research Assistant
University of New South Wales
2020 – 2022
Research Assistant
Deakin University
August 2017
GRANTS, SCHOLARSHIPS, & AWARDS
MAJOR RESEARCH GRANTS
Role: CI
Macquarie University Strategic Research Initiative
2025-2027
Unlocking the full potential of eDNA – novel approaches to estimating organism abundance in the environment using single pollen grain genotyping
Field, D., Encinas-Viso, F., Le Roux, J., Asadnia, M., Sofronov, G., Chariton, A., Dudaniec, R., Stuart, K., Taylor, P. & Beggs, P.
SCHOLARSHIPS & RESEARCH GRANTS
MQ Pollinator Futures Research Centre staff research grant 2025
Genomics Aotearoa ECR Grant ($8,000)2024
UoA FoS Research Fellow Society Publishing Grant ($1,000)2022
GSA Workshop Support Program ($1,000) 2022
AES ECR Networking Grant ($2,000) 2022
UNSW Science PhD Writing Scholarship ($7,500) 2022
Australian Government Research Training Program Scholarship 2018–2022
Holsworth Wildlife Research Endowment ($6,375; $7,500) 2019, 2020
AWARDS
Bioprotection Aotearoa/Genomics Aotearoa ECR Talk Prize ($250) 2023
Dean's Award for Outstanding PhD Theses 2022
SMBE Invasomics Conference Oral Presentation Award ($250) 2022
GSA 2021 Mayo Prize for best student presentation 2021
Outstanding E&ERC Postgraduate Researcher 2021
Australasian Evolution Society student talk award (2nd Place) ($200) 2020
The Outstanding Evolution and Ecology Presentation EERC ($200) 2019
COMBINE 2018 Symposium – 3rd place best oral presentation ($50) 2018
The Outstanding Evolution and Ecology Presentation EERC talk runner-up 2018
TRAVEL GRANTS
Genomics Aotearoa – He taonga tuku iho scholarship (600 NZD) 2023
Queenstown Research Week’s Genomics satellite scholarship (1,180 NZD) 2023
School of Biological Science support scheme ($1,500) 2022
SMBE Invasomics Conference ($400) 2022
FoS Research Fellow Society ($500) 2022
Postgraduate Research Student Support (PRSS) Scheme ($1,000) 2021
Genetic Society of Australia Smith-White Travel award 2020
ABACBS National Conference CSL travel award ($200) 2018