2021-Current
Biometrician
- Worked on contract-based projects to analyse and manage wildlife and ecological data
- Managed the grooming, cleaning, and error-checking of the Yellow-Eyed Penguin Database
2019-Current
Lead Penguin Scientist
- Initiated and leads a monitoring and research program on little penguins at the largest mainland colony in NZ
2016
African Penguin Research
Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University – Port Elizabeth, SA
- Captured and released adult breeding African penguins off nest on remote, protected island
- Performed physical restraint on adults to measure body condition (weights, beak and flipper measurements) and chicks to measure body growth
- Inserted transponders and deployed and retrieved GPS loggers to geographically track foraging patterns
2016-2017
African Penguin Husbandry Internship
Mystic Aquarium – Mystic, CT USA
- Performed husbandry care of 34 African penguins, including diet preparation, feeding, medicine dispersal, record keeping, exhibit maintenance, enrichment, and training
- Engaged with and educated guests during encounter programs and daily feeding talks on microphone
2011
Interactive Qualifying Project (IQP)
Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) – Worcester, MA
Chulalongkorn University – Bangkok, Thailand
“Heat impacts on occupational health in the time of climate change”
- Worked in an interdisciplinary team of WPI and Thai students to report interview findings of agricultural and industrial workers in rural Thailand regarding heat stress, health, and climate
2012
Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship in Oceanography (SURFO)
University of Rhode Island Graduate School of Oceanography – Narragansett, RI
“Environmental parameters affecting the halo-tolerance of the toxic raphidophyte”
- Maintained strains of H. akashiwo under varying salinity, temperature, and irradiance
- Performed daily spectrophotometry fluorescence measurements to quantify growth and halo-tolerance
- Presented poster at 2013 Association for the Sciences of Limnology and Oceanography annual meeting
Guest speaking
Seaweek Akaroa Science Night (2025)
University of Canterbury (2024)
Akaroa Area School (2015; 2024)
Ramsden Primary School –UK (virtual 2023)
Birds New Zealand (2021)
Penguin Awareness Day –Akaroa, NZ (2021)
Seaweek “Know Your Big Blue Backyard” – Akaroa, NZ (2020)
Rangatahi Tumeke camp – Papatowai, NZ (2019)
Wildlife Management Diploma Course – University of Otago (2019)
One Health Seminar Series presenting Penguins in Peril– Delaware Valley University, Doylestown, PA (2017)
Westover School – Middlebury, CT (2016)
Guest lecturer for Evolution & Ecology (BGY1007M) – University of Lincoln, UK (2015)
Conferences
Oamaru Penguin Symposium – Oamaru, NZ (2025)
Birds NZ Conference –Christchurch, NZ (2024)
11th International Penguin Conference – Vina del Mar, Chile (2023)
Oamaru Penguin Symposium – Oamaru, NZ (2023)
Birds NZ Conference –Christchurch, NZ (2022)
3rd World Seabird Conference – virtual (2021)
Oamaru Penguin Symposium – Oamaru, NZ (2021)
10th International Penguin Conference – Dunedin, NZ (2019)
Yellow-eyed Penguin Symposium – Dunedin, NZ (2018-2021)
University of Otago Postgraduate Research Proposal Seminar – Dunedin, NZ (2019)
Postgraduate Student Conference – University of Lincoln, UK (2015)
EU Macro Conference Ignite Presenter – Copenhagen, Denmark (2015)
School of Life Sciences Postgraduate Research Seminar – University of Lincoln, UK (2014)
Biology and Biotechnology MQP Final Presentation – WPI, Worcester, MA, USA (2013)
Association for the Sciences of Limnology and Oceanography (ASLO) – New Orleans, LA, USA (2013)
Teaching
Demonstrator – Zoology, University of Otago (2020-2021)
Stats Cadet tutor – University of Otago (2019-2021)
Secondary supervisor –undergraduate theses in Macroecology, University of Lincoln, UK (2015)
Grader – Evolutionary Ecology 3rd year module, University of Lincoln, UK (2015)
Students supervised
Lucy Howell (University of Canterbury, PhD, current)
Paula Brown (University of Canterbury, MSc, current)
Kaitlin Bowe (University of Otago, MSc, current)
Georgia Gwatkin (University of Canterbury, MSc, 2025)
Alexandra Strange (University of Canterbury, summer student, 2022)
Advisor – Post-graduate Certificate in Antarctic Studies, University of Canterbury (2023-2024)
Advisor – several post-graduate students; University of Otago (2020-2022)
- L3 Trainer NZ National Bird Banding Scheme for transponding little penguins; L2 for all other penguin species
- GPS tracking of marine animals
- Penguin monitoring
- Remote fieldwork (Including Antarctica)
- R coding
- RMarkdown
- R Shiny
- Latex
- Maxent and Species Distribution Modelling
- GIS mapping using ArcGIS, QGIS
- Large dataset management/analysis
- Technical writing
- Advanced computer proficiency and data entry
- Teaching and public speaking
- Marine Mammal Medic, Project Jonah
- PADI SCUBA certified 2017
- CPR certified 2024