I am a Postdoctoral Research Associate at the University of Sydney, where I study how interactions between organisms shape their responses to environmental stress under climate change. Much of my current work focuses on how belowground microbes influence the resilience of seagrasses, but I’ve also worked across terrestrial plant systems, as well as with insects and fish. This mix has given me a broader perspective on how species interactions play out across ecosystems.

What really drives my research is a curiosity about how these interactions work in the real world and how they can help explain why some systems cope with change while others don’t. Ultimately, I want to use this understanding to contribute to better conservation and restoration of natural ecosystems.

My work combines fieldwork, laboratory experiments and molecular tools to understand the hidden processes that shape how organisms grow, interact and respond to environmental change. I especially enjoy the fieldwork side of ecology: getting outside, running experiments and actually being in the systems I study.

Collaboration and mentorship are also central to my work. I’ve worked with colleagues across Australia and internationally and I really value building supportive, inclusive research environments. I enjoy mentoring students as they develop their own ideas and confidence (and learning a lot from them in the process). Beyond academia, I like sharing my research with wider audiences through conferences, public talks, festivals and school events, because science is far too interesting to be kept in the lab.