In my current role, I also act as NACWO at Heriot Watt University. I sit on the AWERB and help provide feedback and advice at a University level for aquatics.

Key responsibilities:- Ensuring the health of livestock is monitored and biological requirements maintained.- Adhering to and fully understanding the extensive record keeping requirements relating to the zoo licensing and BIAZA regulations.- Developing and maintaining a strict programme of water quality management ensuring that the Environment Agency guidelines are maintained to at all times. This also includes the safe disposal of waste including animal waste, drugs &… Show more Key responsibilities:- Ensuring the health of livestock is monitored and biological requirements maintained.- Adhering to and fully understanding the extensive record keeping requirements relating to the zoo licensing and BIAZA regulations.- Developing and maintaining a strict programme of water quality management ensuring that the Environment Agency guidelines are maintained to at all times. This also includes the safe disposal of waste including animal waste, drugs & chemicals.- Liaising with suppliers of livestock, feed and associated displays material to ensure the supply of stock, feed and materials, maintaining adequate stock levels throughout the year.- The efficient handling of all orders, delivery notes and invoices as per the company procedure.- Managing the displays and maintenance budgets, ensuring accountability and cost effective working practises.- The routine testing, maintenance and accurate record keeping of all life support, plant equipment and emergency systems relating to displays.- Working with contractors to ensure the equipment is maintained with service and support agreements.- Ensuring that all statutory regulations regarding Health and Safety at work (COSHH, Risk assessments) are adhered to at all times.- Providing training for all aquarist and senior aquarists. Show less

- Carrying out essential health checks and providing veterinary care to livestock under veterinary advice.- Liaising between the displays manager and the team to ensure optimal care for a wide range of organisms.- Carrying out essential plumbing tasks as required, including repairs and maintenance.- Overseeing the feed budget for the site in addition to managing food stocks.- Troubleshooting and maintaining equipment involved in the running of the displays department.

- Working as part of a team to provide appropriate husbandry to all livestock adhering to the SSSMZP.- Assessing and maintaining parameters including temperature, DO, pH, salinity and water quality.- Providing engaging and educational talks, tours and events to members of the public.- Preparing and feeding livestock as per dietary requirements.- Conducting post-mortem dissections and parasite assessments on deceased livestock.

I worked on an ecological modelling project which used models to assess the impact of climate change on bird species in the Eastern Arc Mountain range. We used the program RangeShifter, and prepped environmental data for use using GIS.

Primary research project: How personality and boldness influences the invasive spread of the round goby, Neogobius melanostomus, throughout the Baltic Sea. Units included Advanced Ecological Modelling, Experimental Design and Data Analysis, Fish Biology, Introduction to GIS, Marine Ecology and Ecosystem Management, Network Science, Population Ecology, Statistics for Complex Study Designs.

During the final year of my undergraduate degree, I spent most of my time in the research aquarium. Here I was able to learn how a functioning research aquarium operated, including husbandry skills, equipment maintenance and operational protocols.I was part of the team responsible for maintaining both the freshwater trout and the terrapin tanks. This included working with a reverse osmosis system, checking water parameters, water changes, cleaning and maintenance of the filtration… Show more During the final year of my undergraduate degree, I spent most of my time in the research aquarium. Here I was able to learn how a functioning research aquarium operated, including husbandry skills, equipment maintenance and operational protocols.I was part of the team responsible for maintaining both the freshwater trout and the terrapin tanks. This included working with a reverse osmosis system, checking water parameters, water changes, cleaning and maintenance of the filtration systems and the monitoring of animal health.My final year project assessed the HPI stress response of brown trout, Salmo trutta, to environmental influences. Show less

I interned in the freshwater ecology and fish biology lab for 1 year, where I assisted work both in the field and in the lab, in various countries including Canada, the US and the Bahamas.Laboratory: During this year, I carried out a variety of lab work. Primarily this consisted of proximal body composition analysis on central mud minnow, Umbra limi, and small mouth bass, Micropterus dolomieu.Field research: I acted as field assistant to PhD and Masters students acquiring a… Show more I interned in the freshwater ecology and fish biology lab for 1 year, where I assisted work both in the field and in the lab, in various countries including Canada, the US and the Bahamas.Laboratory: During this year, I carried out a variety of lab work. Primarily this consisted of proximal body composition analysis on central mud minnow, Umbra limi, and small mouth bass, Micropterus dolomieu.Field research: I acted as field assistant to PhD and Masters students acquiring a large set of field skills, in particular the handling of small fish species, fish identification and community assessments. I additionally carried out my own research project on the reflex action mortality predictors (RAMP) of mottled mojarra, Ulaema lefroyi, in response to cold shock in Eleuthera, Bahamas. This involved the care and maintenance of wild caught mottled mojarra and bonefish, Albula vulpes, in captivity. Show less