Contact
Hi! Want to chat wasps, or ask about a community or school visit?
I’m based at The University of Adelaide – feel free to send me a message below, or email me.
About me
I’m currently an Australian Biological Resources Study funded Postdoctoral Fellow at The University of Adelaide, and an Honorary Research Associate at The South Australian Museum.
I study the taxonomy and systematics of parasitoid wasps. This means I describe new species, giving them names and a formal description so that they can be identified by scientists and the public, and also look at how those species are related to each other through time. I completed my PhD at The University of Adelaide on a group of wasps called Microgastrinae in 2019, and continue to work on describing and documenting their biodiversity. These wasps are parasitoids of butterfly and moth caterpillars, and are important in the environment for controlling caterpillar populations.
I am passionate about outreach, and hold a Masters in Science Communication Outreach from the Australian National University, where I spent a year travelling around to schools and helping to run public science exhibitions with the Questacon Science Circus.
I have worked as a science communicator for a not-for-profit science outreach organisation, developing and presenting workshops and interactive science shows to school children and the public.
I give numerous talks and interactive lectures on insects, wasps and biodiversity every year to community groups or schools, and love sharing the wonderful world of insects with people.
Find out more about my day-to-day life whilst I was completing my PhD from 2015-2018 at my blog (suitable for school students) or check out my published research, or there’s some videos and media links here!
I do work in the lab, but my favourite part of entomology is being in the field – follow my Instagram and TikTok to come into the field with me!
Outreach
I love to talk about wasps, entomology, taxonomy and biodiversity! I enjoy giving community lectures and have given talks for groups such as Butterfly Conservation Society South Australia, Friends of the Arid Lands Botanic Gardens, the Junior Field Naturalists, and Bright Sparks Science Club. I have won science communication competitions including the Faculty of Science Three Minute Thesis at The University of Adelaide (2017) and Famelab Australia (2016).
Below are some selected videos that explore my research.
Children’s University – a short video on my research
SCOPE TV: 2017
Australia Famelab Winner 2016
Scope 2019
Selected articles about my research:
Australian Geographic Women in Entomology
Crinkling News story on parasitoid wasps
The Advertiser story on Famelab
Selected Radio:
The Science Show (2016) – recording of FameLab Australia Final