Welcome!

About me

I am a conservation geneticist interested in how genomic variation among populations shapes their responses to environmental change, and how this information can inform conservation.

I am currently a postdoctoral researcher in Iliana Baums’ Marine Conservation group at the Helmholtz Institute for Functional Marine Biodiversity (HIFMB) in Oldenburg, Germany. My research focuses on Caribbean reef-building corals, using population genomic and quantitative genetic approaches to investigate responses to environmental change and inform conservation.

I completed my PhD at the University of Aberdeen in 2026, funded by the SUPER DTP, and passed my viva with no corrections. Based in the Layton Lab, I combined population genomics, ecological modelling and demographic data to investigate local adaptation, climate vulnerability and recruitment failure in the endangered freshwater pearl mussel, Margaritifera margaritifera.

Before this, I completed an MSci in Marine Biology at the University of Southampton, including study periods at the University Centre in Svalbard and the University of Gothenburg. My MSci research focused on the gametogenic ecology of the Antarctic brittle star Ophionotus victoriae.

My research is published in Conservation Genetics, including work on genomic evidence of local adaptation in Scottish freshwater pearl mussels (doi:10.1007/s10592-025-01739-6).

Alongside research, I am interested in accessibility and inclusivity in academia, particularly for neurodivergent and disabled researchers, as well as data visualisation, reproducible workflows and clear scientific communication. I have served as a postgraduate representative and committee Chair, contributed to guidance for disabled postgraduate researchers and supervisors, and delivered training in GitHub and reproducible research.

When I am not beavering away at my keyboard, or generally doing science, I can usually be found walking with my dog Ziggy, casually birding, swimming, doing puzzles or learning a new craft.