A bit about me

I’ve loved animals for as long as I can remember. As I started learning about their role in nature and the importance of keeping them around, my interest shifted from vet science to zoology. Throughout my time in undergrad, as we’ve learned about the evolution of life, biodiversity, Australia's unique flora and fauna, and the functions of healthy ecosystems, my appreciation for the diversity of life around us has grown enormously. My first taste of research was in a semester-long project in the Wilson Performance Lab in 2019 looking at comparative foraging behaviours between Northern quolls and Northern Brown Bandicoots.

Adventure Time

In 2017 I travelled to Borneo, Malaysia, to volunteer on a forest restoration project. This was the first time I had seen so many unique animals in the wild. We were taught all about the challenges of conserving these species in a nation where palm oil plantations and animal poaching and illegal trading practices are so common and really the only source of income for many families. We learned about the importance of restoring nature corridors for animals like Orangutans to safely travel through the forest. My passion for conservation grew during this trip, as did my appreciation for biodiversity hotspots. I fell in love with Sun Bears on this trip as well, and I hope to do some kind of work with these guys in the future. More recently, I spent 5 weeks travelling through southern India, but that was mostly to fill the void of cows (right photo for proof) and kingfishers in my life – mission accomplished.

Gabs vs. Honours

I’m currently in the tail-end of my Honours year, and boy has it been a whacky time. I started my year with a focus on performance in human athletes, looking the trade-offs between speed and agility. I was incredibly lucky to get to travel to Brazil with Robbie, Chop and Thiago to test young football players at Atletico Paranaense in Curitiba, and Bahia Football Club in Salvador. It was such a cool experience – hot, loud, vibrant and boozy, it was an amazing way to start my honours.

The second wave of the COVID-19 meant human collections were off the table. So, with a change of study system and research questions (and a handful of panic attacks later), I’m finishing my year off looking at the trade-offs between bite force and sprint speed in Northern Quolls. Turns out quolls and some humans are alike in their sprinting and biting performance (I’m looking at you Luis Suárez).

Personal Interests

The changes COVID has brought to my life this year (working from home being the major one) has let me realise my love for cooking, bike riding, and gardening. I also love hiking, so growing up on the Gold Coast, with the hinterland and rainforest in my backyard, has been a blessing – not to mention Rathdowney Pub following a morning spent with Mount Maroon or Barney. With restrictions to international travel I hope to explore more of my Australian backyard to see the incredible natural gifts she has to offer.