I completed my BSc (Hons) in Biological Sciences at Murdoch University in 1986. For my honours project I studied the captive behaviour of hamadryas baboons at the Perth Zoo.

After 3 years working as a research assistant at the University of Newcastle (NSW) on the visual systems of pigeons, I began my PhD at Monash University (Melbourne, Vic) in 1990. I studied the foraging behaviour of Little Penguins. I moved back to WA after completing my PhD, and since then I have:

1)      had 3 post-doctoral research fellow positions (two at Murdoch University, one at UWA),

2)      relatively consistent part-time research positions at Murdoch University and UWA (dependent on availability of external funding for the project, including my salary),

3)      been involved in several industry-based consultancy projects, either being subcontracted through university or through my own business,

4)      borne and raised 2 children.

Since completing my PhD I have radio-tracked, micro-chipped, tagged, caught, counted and sampled thousands of Little Penguins across some 10 separate projects in the Perth region. All the projects have focused on different aspects of the conservation ecology of the Little Penguins, ultimately providing an understanding of the impacts of natural, human-induced and climate-change threats on the penguins. Recently I have begun to research the ecology of Little Penguin colonies in southern Western Australia.

I have also spread my wings to investigate the foraging ecology of other seabird species in NW WA, including brown boobies, lesser frigatebirds and wedge-tailed shearwaters; and monitored the seabirds and shorebirds at Ashmore Reef, approximately half way between Broome (WA) and Indonesia.

I am a Research Fellow at UWA and currently have an adjunct position at Murdoch University.