Education

2021 - 2025

The Open University 

Doctor of Philosophy in Urban Woodland Butterfly Conservation

I designed and delivered an original doctoral research programme focused on butterfly ecology and biodiversity patterns in urban landscapes. This involved developing and implementing a broad range of statistical analyses in R, including linear and generalised linear mixed models, generalised additive models, multivariate ordination techniques such as PCA and NMDS, and formal hypothesis testing. I also applied trait-based and comparative approaches to explore ecological associations and drivers of biodiversity patterns.

My research integrated spatial and network-based analyses at site, city, and multi-city scales to assess habitat connectivity and potential movement pathways, combining GIS workflows in QGIS with graph-based approaches implemented in R. I additionally designed and fitted occupancy models using the unmarked package to estimate species occupancy and detection probability, with explicit consideration of survey effort, statistical power, and data limitations.

Alongside my doctoral research, I completed a placement at the Natural History Museum, where I contributed to research on South American butterfly speciation through museum specimen curation, taxonomic work, and museum genomics. I also undertook a knowledge exchange placement with The Parks Trust in Milton Keynes, supporting the development of ecological data collection and analysis workflows to inform applied conservation management.

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2019 - 2020

Oxford Brookes University 

Master of Science with Distinction in Conservation Ecology

My MSc thesis focused on the metapopulation viability and long-term trends of five woodland specialist butterfly species across sites in Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire. Population viability analysis using VORTEX was used to explore persistence, extinction risk, and future trajectories, with models parameterised using species-specific life-history traits, dispersal scenarios, and breeding rates.

Long-term abundance data were combined with woodland habitat characteristics to examine relationships between population density, habitat structure, and landscape configuration, drawing on UKBMS and site-level monitoring alongside spatial metrics such as woodland area, ride length, and connectivity between sites. The analysis also considered model sensitivity and limitations, and was supported by advanced taxonomic training completed with distinction, covering woodland flora and invertebrates.

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2014 - 2019

The Open University 

Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science with Second-Class Honours

My BSc thesis studied woodland plant phenology in an ancient woodland, focusing on first flowering dates and pollinator visitation during spring 2019, and compared with long-term records from the Woodland Trust’s Nature’s Calendar to place local patterns in a broader temporal context. Related undergraduate research in sustainability also informed applied outcomes, contributing to the installation of solar panels at two schools in Milton Keynes. 

Relevant work

2025 - Present

OpenLiving Labs Project Officer

The Open University

I work as a Project Officer for The Living Labs, an on-campus initiative focused on urban biodiversity and biophysical monitoring combined with community engagement. In this role, I contribute to the sampling, identification, and plating of insects as part of the Wellcome Sanger Institute’s BIOSCAN project, provide technical support (including writing and maintaining the website) and generate high-quality datasets for use in teaching materials, alongside writing and producing public-facing educational content and website resources. 

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2021 - Present

Associate Lecturer

The Open University

I have worked as an Associate Lecturer at the Open University since 2021, teaching across undergraduate ecology and environmental science modules in a distance-learning and blended environment. My role includes delivering tutorials, supporting formative and summative assessment, and providing detailed written and verbal feedback. I teach interdisciplinary and core ecology modules covering biodiversity, ecosystem services, food security, and quantitative skills, and supervise undergraduate dissertation projects from design to submission, with eight students supervised to completion since 2025. I also plan and lead in-person field day schools, mentor students through postgraduate and career applications, and have supported progression into postgraduate study, doctoral training, and professional teaching roles. My inclusive, research-informed teaching practice is recognised through Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA).