Qualifications & CV

Table of contents

Qualifications & CV

Education

Doctor of Philosophy, The University of Adelaide: (Expected completion in Early 2024)

Focused on microbial ecology in the Coorong Lagoon South Australia. Click here for more information, including a brief YouTube video summarising my research.

Honours Degree of Bachelor of Science, The University of Adelaide (2020)

Awarded with First Class Honours (H1) in the Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, for a thesis entitled: “Towards Recovery of the Coorong: A Framework for Investigating Denitrification, Diversity & Other Functional Roles of Microbial Communities in Hypersaline Sediments.” Thesis available on request.

Bachelor of Science, The Univeristy of Adelaide (2018)

Undergraduate studies majoring in Microbiology & Immunology. The program was heavily focused on lab-based skills in biomedical research environments, featuring training from senior and early-career researchers at the Research Centre for Infectious Diseases.

Employment

Research & Technical Roles

Laboratory Supervisor (2021 - ongoing)

Volunteer role with ad hoc casual contracts during university-wide lab audits. Involves managing laboratory operations for two adjacent labs (Limnology lab and a plant/microbial genetics clean lab), duties include:

Lab inductions for visiting researchers and commencing students.
Chemical safety management, including maintaining Chemwatch register.
First aid and hazard management.

Graduate Research Assistant (2020 - 2021)

Intensive weekly sampling of lower Murray-Darling zooplankton in response to environmental watering as a subcontractor for the DEW (SA Department for Environment & Water). Involved:

Planning a weekly sampling route with boating/driving between sites.
Training new staff, leading and coordinating several teams.
Weekly data management & reporting to a DEW steering committee.

Undergraduate Research Assisstant (2019 - 2020)

Assistance with water quality sampling as a pilot project with University of Adelaide researchers Involved:

Preparing and calibrating field equipment & sensors.
Multi-day driving to remote sections of the Murray-Darling Basin.

Summer Research Internship (2018 - 2019)

Investigating nitrogen flux in the Coorong lagoon, included:

On-site fieldwork (sediment core sample collection).
Laboratory processing, with experience of DNA/RNA extraction and purification, qPCR and associated lab techniques.
Data analysis and scientific writing.

Retail Supervisor - Rivers Australia (2012 - 2019)

Undertaken on a part-time basis alongside my undergraduate degree, included:

Customer relations and selling, team leadership, budget management and staff rostering.

Teaching Experience

Casual Demonstration - Molecules, Genes & Cells (2022-2023)

Preparation of lab demonstrations, assisting students with data analysis, and marking student work for large cohorts in a first year undergraduate biology course: Molecules, Genes & Cells.

Guest Lecturing - Freshwater Ecology III (2022-2023)

Preparation & delivery of 2 hours of microbiology-based lecture content to 3rd year undergraduate students in Freshwater Ecology III.

Casual Demonstration - Freshwater Ecology III (2021-2023)

Preparation and running of field camp experiments, and marking student work in a third year ecology course: Freshwater Ecology III.

Professional Memberships & Volunteering

President - Biology Society of South Australia (2022 - ongoing)

Volunteer role in a local non-profit organisation (The Biology Society of South Australia (BSSA)) coordinating committee activities and liasing with donors and collaborators. Administration, funding, and marking of an annual grant to facilitate study of conservation and ecology in South Australia.

Cystic Fibrosis Hackathon, Flinders University Accelerator for Microbiome Exploration (FAME) (2023)

Inter-University collaborative project exploring microbial ecology of Cystic Fibrosis patients in South Australia.

Chief Fire Warden - Benham Laboratories (Adelaide) (2021 - 2022)

Managing and directing emergency procedures in the Benham Building. Included undertaking chief warden training, developing of evacuation plans, coordinating building evacuations and regular checking the availability of emergency equipment.

Secretary - BSSA (2020 - 2022)

Volunteer role on the core committee of the BSSA, involved:

Secretarial duties.
Design & maintenance of BSSA website.
Assistant to BSSA podcast team.

Senior Peer Mentor - The University of Adelaide (2016 - 2018)

Preparing large groups of enrolled first-year Science students for University life, through self organised games, weekly contact and peer support.

Scout member - Brisbane, Darwin, Adelaide (2003 - 2015)

A longstanding member of Scouts Australia from a young age, Activities ranged from sailing, bush-craft and survival skills to first-aid and leadership development. I was also involved with many fundraising and community engagement initiatives.