I am a Lecturer in Marine Conservation delivering research led teaching and supervision within the School of Biological and Marine Sciences. My main research is based on the ecology and behaviour of whales and dolphins (cetaceans) and how anthropogenic noise effects their behaviour. I work on collaborative projects with colleagues in the UK and the USA with the aim to better understand the effect of human use of our oceans. The main topics of my research assesses the effects of military sonar activity on whale behaviour and I am particularly interested in developing novel tools for advancing our understanding of these complex animals and how they react to noise in their environments. I use data from on-animal tags to better understand diving behaviour and have published on Extreme diving in beaked whales Journal of Experimental Biology 2020 and the behavioural Responses of beaked whales Behavioural responses of beaked whales (Ecosphere 2026)

I am also a long standing collaborator with the Scottish Bottlenose dolphin project run by the University of Aberdeen and University of St Andrews where we use longitudinal data to better understand the ecology and popualtion structure of the dolphins suing novel approach such as drones (Ecosphere 2022) Spy in the Sky

• Member of the Society for Marine Mammalogy (SMM)
• Member of the SMM Diversity and Inclusion Committee

• Associate editor for the Journal Remote Sensing in Ecology and Conservation (2018-present)
• Associate editor for the Journal Endangered Species Research (2020-present)

I am Module Leader for

- MAR513 and BIO5131 Research Skills and Methods

I regularly contribute content across a range of modules including

• OS109: Introduction to Biodiversity and Marine Ecosystems
• OS205: Managing Human Impacts in the Marine Environment
• MBIO339: Ecology and Conservation of Marine Vertebrates
• MBIO505: Marine Conservation Theory
• MAR532: Marine Conservation Practise

Qualifications:

CURRENT POSITIONS

• Lecturer in Marine Conservation University of Plymouth (2022-Present)

• Adjunct Assistant Professor Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University USA (2022 -Present)

• Honorary Research Fellow University of St Andrews (2009-Present)

PREVIOUS POSITIONS

• Research Scientist Duke University, USA (2016-2021)
• Postdoctoral Associate Duke University (2014-2016)
• Senior Research Scientist and Principal Scientist SMRU Ltd, University of St Andrews (2007-2014)
• Researcher, University of Aberdeen (2002)
• Cetacean Specialist, Fisheries Research Services, Scottish Government (2001-2002)

Qualifications

• PhD, University of St Andrews 2002-2006. Vocal Behaviour and abundance of bottlenose dolphins in St Andrews Bay
• MSc Marine and Fisheries Science, Distinction. University of Aberdeen 2000-2001
• BSc Marine Biology, 2i (Hons), University of Wales, Swansea 1994-1997