CV

Employment

2023–Present

Marine Biosecurity Scientist

Earth Sciences New Zealand (formerly NIWA)

Work on a wide variety of biosecurity, industry and biodiversity-focused research projects, typically involving genetic and genomic methods applied in marine and freshwater environments.

2021–2023

Research Scientist

Fonterra Co-operative Group

Primarily worked on whole-genome and metagenomic sequencing for an environmental and food-borne pathogen management programme. Alongside lab and bioinformatic work, led client reporting and assisted with database development.

2022-2023: Research Scientist

2021-2022: Associate Research Scientist

2019-2021

Postdoctoral Fellow

University of Otago

Researched the genomic diversity of Durvillaea southern bull kelp and investigated the impact of major earthquake uplift events on coastal ecosystems.

Supervised by Jon Waters, funded by Marsden Grant 18-UOO-172.

2018-2019

Postdoctoral Research Associate

Oregon State University

Investigated population genomic diversity in albacore tuna, deacon rockfish and Arctic charr.

Supervised by Kathleen O’Malley, funded by Saltonstall-Kennedy Grant NA17NMF4270220.

Education

2013-2017

PhD in Evolutionary Biology

Massey University

Thesis: Evolutionary lineages and the diversity of New Zealand true whelks

Investigated the diversity and systematics of extant and fossil buccinid marine snails, focusing on Penion whelks. Learnt phylogenetic, population genomic and geometric morphometric theory and analyses, as well genetic and palaeontological methods.

Supervised by Mary Morgan-Richards, Steve Trewick, and James Crampton, funded by Marsden Grant 12-MAU-008.