I am a quantitative ecologist specialising in population and ecosystem health, with a primary focus on marine systems. I am a Lecturer in the University of Glasgow’s School of Social & Environmental Sustainability (SES) based at the Dumfries Campus.

Before joining SES, I held research positions as a Research Fellow at SRUC and as a Postdoctoral Researcher at the University of Glasgow’s Gilmorehill Campus. Prior to my research career, I built a successful teaching career, working in further and higher education for over a decade at Bell College (now the University of the West of Scotland) and Oatridge College (now SRUC).

I hold a PhD (2018) in Population and Ecosystem Health from the University of Glasgow, where my research focused on demographic distribution changes in marine fish. As part of this, I developed a novel, state-of-the-art statistical method for analysing otolith microchemistry data to track fish movements. I also hold an MRes (2013) in Marine and Freshwater Ecology and a BSc (Hons, 1999) in Zoology, both from the University of Glasgow.

My research and teaching is underpinned by extensive field experience across diverse marine and terrestrial environments, including in the Caribbean, Cambodia, Bangladesh, Egypt, Thailand, Malaysia, and Indonesia as well as here in Scotland. I employ a range of data collection techniques, including SCUBA diving surveys and underwater stereo video camera systems, to study fish populations, habitat use, and ecosystem dynamics. This hands-on approach informs my quantitative research, integrating field observations with advanced statistical methods to enhance our understanding of marine ecosystems.

My research investigates population processes related to animal distributions, movements, and connectivity in marine environments. By examining marine spatial patterns and population dynamics, I aim to understand how human activities drive environmental changes and how these perturbations impact ecosystem health and services. I strive to connect my research findings to broad-scale ecological concepts in population and community ecology.

Recent research projects include:

• Linking juvenile fish distributions to habitat diversity in Scotland.
• Quantifying the effect of seascape mosaic configurations on fish abundance and coral reef health in the Caribbean.
• Understanding the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Indonesian tuna fisheries.

My work adopts an interdisciplinary approach, collaborating with colleagues from other scientific disciplines and social science colleagues where I integrate state-of-the-art statistical methods with qualitative techniques.

I have a broad range of research interests, including:

• Understanding animal distributions and movements.
• Applying novel analytical methods to address challenging problems in ecology.
• Fisheries ecology and ecosystem health

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Prior publications

I currently supervise 4 PhD researchers:

• Graeme Cullen: A seascape approach to understanding fish distributions.
• Esther Brooker: Rewilding the Sea: Perceptions, Values and Challenges.
• Ireen Asad: Source and sink dynamics of microplastics in mangrove ecosystems.
• Albert Smith: Sedimentation and erosion as drivers of juvenile fish diversity in dynamic ecosystems.

Course Convenor:

• Level 5: Ecology, Environment and Conservation (DUMF5108)
• Level 3: Dissertation (DUMF3007P)

Contribute to:

• Level 4: Environmental stewardship project (DUMF4008P)
• Level 4: Tropical Marine Biology - Field Course (BIOL4126)
• Level 3: Aquatic Environment: Processes, Monitoring, and Management (DUM3084)
• Level 1: Introduction To Global Environmental Issues (DUMF1008)