PhD, 2001 University of Otago
BSc(Hons), 1997 University of Otago

I did my BSc(Hons) and PhD research in Zoology with Dr David Wharton at the University of Otago, New Zealand, where I worked on the ecology and physiology of alpine and Antarctic arthropods.  I then moved on to a three-year postdoc in the SPACE Lab at the University of Stellenbosch, South Africa, where I worked on many aspects of the evolutionary and ecological physiology of arthropods in a number of habitats, including the Cederberg and Drakensberg mountains, sub-Antarctic Marion Island, and Cape Hallett on the Antarctic Continent. I then spent 18 months as a postdoctoral scholar in stress genomics in the Roberts Lab at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, NV, USA, where I investigated molecular responses to cold stress in Drosophila melanogaster and developed the Drosophila cryopreservation project.  I began at Western in August 2006.

I'm interested in everything that the lab does, and some other stuff besides.  I really like collaborating on projects in different places or on different systems... usually involving insects!  The reason I get up and come to work in the mornings is because it gives me the opportunity to work with my postdocs and graduate and honours students, all of whom are talented, enthusiastic and generally wonderful.  

Recent Awards

2019 - Florence Bucke Science Prize, Faculty of Science, Western University

2017 - NSERC Discovery Accelerator Supplement

2013-2015 - Faculty Scholar, Western University

2012 - C. Gordon Hewitt Award - Entomological Society of Canada

2010 - Canadian Society of Zoologists Boutilier award for new investigators

2010 - Sanofi-Aventis Biotalent Challenge Mentor of Distinction

2009- Early Researcher Award - Ontario Ministry for Research and Innovation

2008- Fellow of the Royal Entomological Society

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