Marine ecologist and microbiologist from the UK who is slightly obsessed with marine macrophytes. I have studied ecology in systems ranging from ticks to limpets and most recently habitat forming macroalgae. My work uses manipulative field and mesocosm experiments to explore the role of host-associated microbes in host function and fitness. Outside of the lab you can find me either in the pottery studio or with my head stuck in a rockpool looking for critters.

Research Fellow

2024 – Present – Universita di Pisa - I am currently a research fellow in the Marine Ecology and Biology research unit at the Universita di Pisa.

PhD Candidate

2020 -2023 – The University of Sydney - My PhD research leveraged ecological theory to study host-microbe interactions and their causative effect on host and ecosystem function in non-model systems

Research Assistant

2021-2022 -The University of Sydney Alongside my PhD I assisted Dr Ana Bugnot with Bioinformatics associated with a manipulative field-based experiment on bioturbation (DADA2, PiCrust2 and Tax4Fun)

Casual Academic

2020 – 2023 Throughout my PhD I have been a Casual academic Demonstrator and Tutor for various courses (See teaching Below)

Applied Research Scientist

2018 - 2019 PML Applications Ltd - Oversaw culture and identification of bacterial strains from ballast water samples using selective media and fluorescent microscopy. Developed an understanding of the application of core scientific principles to the wider industry

Postgraduate Research Scholarship in Marine Seaweed-Microbiome Interactions - William George Murrell Bequest – 2022 – 2023

Rhum Award in Marine Ecology - 2022

Holsworth Research endowment - Ecological Society of Australia – 2021 – 2023

RTP Tuition Fee offset - Commonwealth Government2020 – 2023

1. Salil Dutt Barrett – 2022 Honours Student - Investigating the effect of Artificial Light at Night (ALAN) on intertidal biofilms and seaweed settlement
2. Rose Fuggle – 2021 Honours Student – Experimental evidence root-associated microbes mediate seagrass response to environmental stress
3. Amy Flower – 2018/2019 Undergraduate placement student – Ecology of intertidal ecosystems

Doctor of Philosophy in Marine Ecology University of Sydney 2020 - 2023 - Thesis - Impacts of environmental change on the role of host- associated microbiota in ecosystem functioning

MRes Marine Biology (Merit) University of Plymouth 2018 - 2019 - Thesis | Density-dependant competition drives intragenus epibiosis within UK Patellid limpets

BSc (Hons) Zoo Biology (First Class) University of Portsmouth 2017- 2018 - Thesis | The effect of environmental factors on the prevalence of Borrelia burgdorferi s.l within Questing Ixodes spp ticks within the South of England

Fd.Sc Marine Science (Distinction) University of Plymouth 2015- 2017 - Thesis | Abundance, Pod dynamics and habitat usage of Common Bottlenose Dolphins, Tursiops truncatus within Mounts Bay, Cornwall