ABOUT ME
Profile
I am an Australian researcher who recently completed my PhD at the University of Tasmania, studying the biogeography of Tasmanian leaf-litter beetles. My work draws on both museum collections and field collected data to explore biodiversity, entomology, palaeobiology, and species distributions. I hold a Bachelor of Science from Monash University with Honours from Deakin University.
Pinning beetles, University of Tasmania, 2022.
Dr Matt McDowell and Tessa Smith, after collecting bones in the Florentine Valley, Tasmania, 2018 (Image Rolan Eberhard).
Tagged Ambrosia artemisifolia plants in University of Fribourg survival study, Turin, Italy, 2016.
Education
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Doctor of Philosophy
University of Tasmania, Hobart, Australia (2020-2024)
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Project title: Biogeography of Tasmanian leaf litter beetles
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Supervised by Prof Barry Brook (UTas) and Prof Chris Johnson (UTas)
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Collaborators: Dr Nick Porch (Deakin University) , Dr Lynne Forster (UTas) and Dr Kieren Mitchell (Manaaki Whenua – Landcare Research)
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Honours, first class
Deakin University, Melbourne, Australia (2013-2014)
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Project title: The consequences of marine-derived avian nutrient input into island ecosystems: Palaeoecological insights from Rimatara, French Polynesia.
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Supervised by Dr Nick Porch
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Bachelor of Science
Monash University, Melbourne, Australia (2010-2013)
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Majors: Plant Science, Geoscience.
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Minor: Biology
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Rotary Youth Exchange Program, Denmark (2008)
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12 months hosted by the Rotary Club of Bangsbostrand, Frederikshavn, Denmark
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Attended classes at a local high school
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Achieved the 'Danish Language Test 3 - Prøve i Dansk 3 level'
Zygomaturus tasmanicus rehousing, TMAH 2024
Beaker St Festival Roving Scientist Bar, Tasmania, 2022.
Imaging Noctuid moths at the University of Hawai'i Manoa Insect Museum, 2022.
Professional Experience
Assistant Collection Manager, Palaeontology
Museums Victoria (2025-2027)
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Worked on the Merri-Bek Flood Recovery project, which included:
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Registeration, labelling and rehousing fossil specimens from the Vertebrate, Invertebrate, Palaeobotany and Micropalaeontology collections.
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Representation of the staff, visitors and contractors as an Elected Health and Safety Representative
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CABAH Cadetship Program, TMAG
Sponsored by the University of Wollongong (2024-2025)
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Worked on various projects at the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery (TMAG) including:
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Reboxing, labelling and database entry of a collection of Holocene Vertebrate Fossils from Macquarie Island and Pleistocene fossils from Tasmanian caves
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Reboxing and labelling a megafauna skeleton
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Cleaning extant vertebrate roadkill skeletons
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Management of Entomology collections (particularly Coleoptera).
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Research Assistant
University of Tasmania (2017-2021, 2023)
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Worked on various projects for the Centre of Excellence in Australian Biodiversity and Heritage (CABAH), including fieldwork collecting palaeoecological bone samples, lab work sorting and identification of subfossil bone samples, and office work doing budget management and team administration.
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Research Assistant
RMIT University (2015-2017)
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Performed lab work, including sorting and identification of insects collected with a sweep net, for The Little Things that Run the City project with Dr Luis Mata, in conjunction with the City of Melbourne.
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You can find more info about the project here http://biodiversity.melbourne.vic.gov.au/insects/index.html
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Research Assistant
University of Melbourne (2017)
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Performed lab work, including sorting and identification of light trap collected insects for Manisha Bharwaj PhD project.
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Intern
University of Fribourg, Fribourg, (2016)
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Collecting data from field experiments in Switzerland, Italy and France. Managing data entry for collected data.
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Teaching​​
​Exam and assignment marking, University of Tasmania (2024)
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KPZ006: Backyard Biodiversity
Demonstrator, University of Tasmania (2020-2024)
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KPZ211: Population and Community Ecology (guest demonstrator)
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KPZ314: Fauna of Tasmania (guest demonstrator)
​Demonstrator, Deakin University (2014-2016)
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SLE101: Techniques in Environmental Sciences
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SLE102: Physical Geography
​Exam and assignment marking, Deakin University (2014-2016)
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SLE101: Techniques in Environmental Sciences
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SLE136: History of Life
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SLE201: Landscape Evolution
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Parks Assistant, Parks Victoria (2010-2012)
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Visitor management and park maintenance of the Mornington Peninsula National Park
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Intern
Earth Systems, Melbourne (2014-2015)
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Various activities including groundwater monitoring, chemical lab work and data analysis on a range of environmental projects.
Opening night of the CABAH Annual Symposium 2023 which I co-organised, Hobart 2023.
Cleaned and rehoused megafauna bones at the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery, 2024.
View from cable car to Piani d'Erna, Italy, a field site visited in 2016 Internship at the University of Fribourg. 2016
Grants
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2024. CABAH Cadetship program (University of Wollongong) $50000 to work with the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery (Hobart) for 6 months (full time equivalent).
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2023. CABAH Mentoring program, professional development grant. $1500 to attend the International Congress of Entomology in Kyoto Japan 2024.
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2023. Ecological Society of Australia Annual Conference Darwin 2023 student travel grant $435 for conference registration.
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2021. Linnean Society of New South Wales, Joyce W Vckery Scientific Research Fund grant $1372 for Leaf-litter beetle collecting on Flinders Island, Tasmania.
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2021. CABAH RT&E Researcher Exchange Grant $1615 to visit the molecular genetics lab at the University of Adelaide.
TOTAL: $54 922