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 – University of Auckland
May 2022 - Present
Research Assistant – University of New South Wales
2020-2022
Research Assistant - Deakin University
August 2017
GRANTS, SCHOLARSHIPS, & AWARDS
SCHOLARSHIPS & RESEARCH GRANTS
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 ($6375, $7500) 2019, 2020
AWARDS
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 (1180 NZD) 2023
School of Biological Science support scheme ($1500) 2022
SMBE Invasomics Conference ($400) 2022
FoS Research Fellow Society ($500) 2022
Postgraduate Research Student Support (PRSS) Scheme ($1000) 2021
Genetic Society of Australia Smith-White Travel award 2020
ABACBS National Conference CSL travel award ($200) 2018
TEACHING EXPERIENCE
UNDERGRADUATE TEACHING
BABS3291 – Genes, Genomes and Evolution
UNSW Sydney, 2018-2022
Laboratory demonstrator for a third-year biotechnology and biomolecular sciences subject, teaching students with a range of biological and coding knowledge. Key topics include introduction to evolutionary bioinformatics, fundamental genomic principles, and investigation into recent advancements in the field.
BABS2204 – Genetics
UNSW Sydney, 2019 - 2021
Laboratory demonstrator for a second-year biotechnology and biomolecular sciences subject. Duties include supervising classes to ensure safely protocols are adhered to, marking assignments, and supervising assessable tasks. I was responsible for motivating constructive discussion among students, as well as explaining biological processed to students, and assisting with experimental procedures.
BIOC2201 – Principles of molecular biology
UNSW Sydney, 2021
Laboratory demonstrator and tutor for a second-year biochemistry subject, with key topics including an introduction to modern molecular biology, molecular mechanisms of gene expression, and fundamental aspects of recombinant DNA technology
BIOC2101 - Principles of Biochemistry
UNSW Sydney, 2021
Laboratory demonstrator for a second-year biochemistry subject, with key topics including and introduction to modern biochemistry, and covers fundamental aspects of the structure-function relationships of proteins and an overall coverage of intermediary metabolism.
OTHER
Science and Engineering Indigenous Preparatory Program
UNSW Sydney, Dec 2020
Project Developer and Instructor for the Science and Engineering Indigenous Preparatory Program. Prepared and delivered 3 hours of first year university level biology teaching content for incoming and prospective first year university students.
ANGUS 2019 - Data Intensive Biology Summer Institute
UC Davis, California, July 2019
Teaching assistant at the ANGUS summer course held through the Data Intensive Biology Summer Institute and the Lab for Data Intensive Biology at UC Davis. Taught learners from varied backgrounds (undergraduate to professorial) genomic practices for analysing big shotgun sequencing data sets over the intensive two-week course, as well as working one on one with learners on their own data sets.
SUPERVISION EXPERIENCE
Masters student supervision
2021-2022
Project involved reduced representation sequencing of invasive deer in conjunction with the NSW Department of Primary Industries.
NSW Year 12 Extension Science Project Supervisor
2019
Primary supervisor for a year 12 student from Elderslie high school, undertaking with them a project looking into environment and phenotype correlations across the cane toads’ Australian range. Worked one on one with the student to develop coding, analytical, writing, and general scientific skills to help them produce a report in fulfillment of their course outcomes. Assisted student in preparing a conference presentation, which they gave at the 2019 Australasian Evolution Conference.
SCIENTIFIC PRESENTATIONS
INVITED TALKS
Zoology Seminar – Otago University
Virtual, August 2023
Invasive species, and the secrets they can teach us about the genetics of local adaptation.
Sydney Bioinformatics Seminar Series
Virtual, March 2022
A genetic perspective on rapid adaptation in the globally invasive European starling (Sturnus vulgaris).
Queensland Technologies and Innovations group seminar talk
Virtual, Feb 2021
The draft genome assembly of the globally invasive common starling, Sturnus vulgaris
Genetics Society of AustralAsia Award Symposium
Virtual, Oct 1 2020
Whole transcripts in genome assembly, annotation, and assessment: the draft genome assembly of the globally invasive common starling, Sturnus vulgaris.
ORAL PRESENTATIONS
International Congress of Genetics
Melbourne AUS, 2023
A whole genome perspective on genetic variation and rapid adaptation.
Australasian Evolution Society National Conference
ANU AUS, 2022
Genetics and plasticity are responsible for ecogeographical patterns in a recent invasion.
NZ Molecular Ecology Conference
Auckland NZ, Dec 2022
Contrasting patterns of single nucleotide polymorphisms and structural variations across multiple invasions.
SMBE Invasomics Conference
NZ, 2022
Contrasting patterns of single nucleotide polymorphisms and structural variations across multiple invasions.
ComBio/Genetics Society of Australasia
University of Melbourne, 2022
Genetics and plasticity are responsible for ecogeographical patterns in a recent invasion.
Australasian Evolution Society Virtual Conference
Virtual, Dec 2 2021
A genetic perspective on rapid adaptation in the globally invasive European starling (Sturnus vulgaris).
Genetics Society of AustralAsia Virtual Conference
Virtual, Oct 2021
A genetic perspective on rapid adaptation in the globally invasive European starling (Sturnus vulgaris).
Australasian Evolution Society Virtual Conference
Virtual, Dec 4 2020
Rapid Adaptation in invasive species: Using historical museum samples to examine evolution in an invasive passerine.
Postgraduate Research Form
Virtual, Nov 26 2020
Investigating evolution using invasive species and historical museum samples.
ABACBS Virtual Conference
Virtual, Nov 25 2020
Whole transcripts in genome assembly, annotation, and assessment: the draft genome assembly of the globally invasive common starling, Sturnus vulgaris.
Postgraduate Research Form
University of New South Wales, Australia, October 30 2019
Evolution in invasive species: exploring adaptive divergence and selection across the Australian landscape.
Australasian Evolution Society National Conference
University of New South Wales, Australia, November 25-27 2019
Local signatures of founding populations confound identification of adaptive divergence in invasive populations.
COMBINE Symposium
University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, November 26 2018
Evolution in invasive populations: using genomics to reveal drivers of invasion success in the Australian European starling (Sturnus vulgaris) introduction across Australia.
Postgraduate Research Form
University of New South Wales, Australia, October 30 2018
Evolution in invasive populations: using genomics to reveal drivers of invasion success in the Australian European starling (Sturnus vulgaris) introduction across space and time.
SERVICE AND OUTREACH
SERVICE
Centre for Computational Evolution
2023
Seminar series organiser.
International Congress of Genetics conference 2023
2023
Symposia Organiser and chair.
GSA 2021 Virtual Conference Committee
July 2021 – Oct 2021
Assisted with the organisation of the 2021 Genetics Society of AustralAsia Virtual Conference.
Sydney Society for Conservation Biology
President, Communications
Oct 2018 – Feb 2020
Responsible for managing the society board committee, overseeing finances and event organisation and execution. Additionally, responsible for maintaining the social media pages (Facebook and Twitter), and organised and wrote a monthly newsletter for society members.
COMBINE General Committee
Symposium Coordinator
Dec 2018 – Feb 2020
I was responsible for assembling the 2019 COMBINE symposium committee, supervising the organisation of all aspects of the event. Key roles include meeting outcome deadlines, ensuring budget restraints were met and invoiced, and assisting to organise the assembly of a guest careers panels.
E&ERC Postgraduate Committee
Jan 2019 – Jan 2020
My job is to provide a lively, inclusive, fun and academically enriching experience for all postgraduates in the E&ERC. I organise formal and informal centre gatherings, two seminar speakers, encourage student participation in centre activities and help integrate new students.
GIW/ABACBS 2019 Conference Committee
COMBINE representative
Feb 2019 – Dec 2019
Liaised between the ABACBS conference committee and COMBINE symposium committee to ensure budget and time restraints were met.
AES 2019 Conference Committee
April 2019 – Nov 2019
Assisted with the organisation of the 2019 Australasian Evolution Society Conference.
OUTREACH
Australian National Museum
Volunteer Aug 2014 – Aug 2019
Assisting with running events and demonstration, chaperoning school groups, and general communications and operational duties during Australian Science Week.
Australian National Museum
Volunteer Aug 2014 – Aug 2019
Assisting with running events and demonstration, chaperoning school groups, and general communications and operational duties during Australian Science Week.
Friends of Fogg Dam
Invited Speaker October 2016
Gave a talk to a community ecology and restoration group on the developing aspects of my honours research.
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT & TRAINING
UNSW Women in Maths and Science Champions Program 2020
Sessional Staff Development Program, BABS, UNSW 2020
Code of Conduct Incident Response Workshop, UC Davis California, Otter Tech 2019
Bioconductor Hands-on Training Day, 4th Bioconductor Asia meeting, University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia 2018
Sample Size and Power Calculations, Stats Central, UNSW, New South Wales, Australia 2018
ANGUS – Analysing Sequencing Data, Data Intensive Biology Summer Institute, UC Davis, California, USA 2018
Software Carpentry Workshop – R, Unix shell, Git, Curtin University, Perth, Australia 2018
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIP
Society for Molecular Biology and Evolution 2022-2023
AustralAsian Evolution Society 2019-2023
Genetics Society of AustralAsia 2020-2023
Ecological Society of Australia 2018-2021
Australian Bioinformatics and Computational Biology Society 2018-2021