CV (abridged version - please email me to request a full copy)
EDUCATION
2013
PhD, Animal Welfare/Cognition
Royal Veterinary College (University of London)
2009
MPhil, Biological Anthropology
University of Cambridge (Distinction and highest cohort mark)
2007
MSc, Wild Animal Biology
Royal Veterinary College & ZSL (Distinction and highest cohort mark)
2004
BSc, Zoology
University of Southampton (Upper second-class Honours)
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APPOINTMENTS
2023-present
Assistant Director, ManyZoos project https://manyzoos.weebly.com/
2022-present
Lecturer in Psychological Science School of Psychological Sciences, University of Bristol.
2021-2022
Research Fellow School of Life Sciences, Anglia Ruskin University.
2019-2022
Visiting Research Associate School of Psychological Sciences, University of Bristol.
2014-2021
Lecturer Based at the Bristol Zoological Society satellite university campus, in partnership with the University of Bristol, University of the West of England and SGS College/University of Gloucester.
2014-2016
Maternity leave periods
2013
Higher Education and Research Officer Bristol Zoological Society.
2013
Animal Registrar (Animal health and transport), maternity cover Bristol Zoological Society.
RESEARCH EXPERIENCE
2018-present
Co-Principal investigator, ‘Gorilla Game Lab/Great Ape Game Lab’ project with Bristol Zoological Society (until 2021), University of Bristol (ongoing).
2018-2020
Collaborator and postdoctoral mentor, ESRC funded ‘Listening to the Zoo’ project, University of Exeter.
2017-present
Principal investigator, ‘Lemur Bootcamp’ project with Bristol Zoological Society, University of Bristol, Lemur Conservation Foundation, Eckerd College, San Diego Institute for Conservation Research.
2014-2021
Researcher, Bristol Zoological Society.
2014
Researcher, Bristol Zoological Society, IUCN, Conservation International.
2010
Animal behaviour consultant, University of Cape Town.
2007-2008
Animal behaviourist, Zoological Society of London.
2005
Postgraduate field assistant, Zoological Society of London.
2004-2005
Postgraduate research assistant, Paignton Zoo Environmental Park.
2000, 2001
Research assistant, University of Hawai’i.
AWARDS
2021 Templeton Foundation Diverse Intelligences Summer Institution Fellow.
2020 UFAW, Young Animal Welfare Scientist of the Year, High Commendation (runner up).
2019 British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums, Research Project Award for ‘Gorilla Game Lab’.
2016 Experiment.com, Award for highest crowdfunded project ‘Lemur Bootcamp’.
2007 Chancellor’s Award for highest aggregate MSc marks.
EXTERNAL RESEARCH FUNDING
(Note the majority of postdoctoral research has been funded by zoo industry employer)
2018 University of Bristol, Brigstow Institute funding for ‘Gorilla Game Lab’.
2017 University of Bristol School of Psychological Sciences seed funding for ‘Lemur Bootcamp’.
2017 BBSRC funding (£100,000) for the Animal Welfare Research Network (bid as part of steering committee).
2017 Crowdfunding raised on experiment.com for ‘Lemur Bootcamp’.
2017 World Association of Zoos and Aquariums, Travel Grant.
2011 Wellcome Trust, Early Career Bursary.
2011 ASAB, Interdisciplinary Workshop, Travel Grant.
2011 Institute of Zoology, Daisy Balogh Travel Grant.
2010 UFAW, ZSL and Royal Veterinary College funding for PhD.
2009 LSB Leakey Trust, Research grant for MPhil research.
2008 Disney’s Animal Kingdom and Brevard Zoo, Travel Grant.
TEACHING EXPERIENCE
2023
Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA)
PhD viva examiner, University of Birmingham, great ape cognition and welfare.
2016-2021
University of Bristol MSc lecturing and project supervision.
2013-2021
University of the West of England BSc module leading, BSc/MSc lecturing, tutoring and supervision.
2015-2021
South Gloucestershire and Stroud College/University of Gloucester FdSc/BSc module leading, lecturing, supervision and curriculum development.
2010-2013
Royal Veterinary College Lecturing, tutoring and supervision.
Other MRes thesis examiner: University of Bristol (Anthropology, 2020), University College Cork (2019), University of Edinburgh (2021). Guest lecturer: University of Cambridge (2006), University of Roehampton (2009).
PROFESSIONAL SERVICE
Editorial positions
2023-present
Editorial board member, Biology Letters.
2022-2023
Associate Editor, Frontiers in Veterinary Science.
2020-present
Editorial board member, Zoo Biology.
2017
Editor, special issue of Animal Behavior & Cognition (cognitive enrichment).
2014-present
Section Editor (zoo animals), Animal Welfare.
2015-present
Editorial board member, Animal Behavior and Cognition.
2014-2019
Editor, Lemur News newsletter and several publications pertaining to the IUCN Red List for primates.
2006-present
Ad hoc reviewer for: Animals, Animal Behaviour, Animal Cognition, American Journal of Primatology, Applied Animal Behaviour Science, Behavioural Processes, Current Biology, Frontiers in Psychology, International Journal of Comparative Psychology, International Journal of Primatology, Journal of Veterinary Behavior, Journal of Zoo and Aquarium Research, Peer J, PLoS One, Proceedings B, Wildlife Research.
Committee memberships
2023- Assistant director (and co-founder), ManyZoos.
2019- Member, Animal Welfare Research Network.
2018-2021 Vice chair, BIAZA Animal Welfare Working Group.
2018-2019 Committee member, International Conference on Environmental Enrichment.
2017-2021 Committee member, BIAZA Research Committee.
2017-2019 Steering committee member, Animal Welfare Research Network.
2015-2018 International Primatological Society Captive Care Committee.
2012-2013 Committee member, BIAZA Elephant Welfare Group.
Conference organisation
2019 Organising committee, International Conference on Environmental Enrichment, Kyoto.
2018 Organising committee, PSGB winter meeting, Bristol Zoo Gardens.
2011 Steering/organising committee, Animal Welfare Research Network AGM, Birmingham.
2011 Organising committee, Wellcome Trust conference on Veterinary Ethics, London.
2006 Organiser, 9th Annual BIAZA Research Symposium, Colchester Zoo.
SOCIETY MEMBERSHIP
Active
Higher Education Academy (Fellow, FHEA)
Royal Society of Biology (member).
Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour.
UK Acoustics Network.
Comparative Cognition Society.
Cognitive Science Society.
Women in Cognitive Science.
Animal Welfare Research Network.
Lemur Conservation Network.
Universities Federation for Animal Welfare.
Zoological Society of London (Fellow).
Prior
International Primatological Society.
Association for Psychological Science.
American Society of Primatologists.
Primate Society of Great Britain.
ANALYTICAL SKILLS
- Database entry and manipulation (e.g., Microsoft Excel, Access, Oracle, Tableau, IUCN SIS).
- Captive animal record keeping software (ZIMS/Species 360, ARKS, MedARKS, SPARKS).
- Behavioural coding (Observer, Cybertracker, BORIS).
- General statistical packages (R, SPSS, MLwiN).
- Behavioural analytic (pattern detection using THEME, detrended fluctuation analysis using Python).
- Data visualisation (social network analysis using UCINET, NetDraw, SOCPROG; spatial data using GIS ArcView; spectrograms using NTi software).
- Online learning platforms (Teams, Blackboard, Collaborate, Moodle, Promonitor, Turnitin).
- Artistic (Adobe Illustrate, Photoshop).
RELEVANT TRAINING AND CERTIFICATION
2019 Camera operation and vlogging workshop, BBC Natural History Unit.
2018 Data Analysis Best Practice Workshop (based on R Studio), University of Bristol Jean Golding Institute.
2018 Clear DBS check.
2017-2020 Certified in First Aid Training at Work, including safeguarding and defibrillator
2011 Media training at The Royal Institution.