I am a Lecturer in Ecology with a focus on mammals. I welcome enquiries from prospective Masters, Ph.D. and postdoc applicants for research projects in mammal ecology and conservation. I currently co-supervise several graduate students and work with postdoc-level scientists on a range of mammal projects across 3 continents. Most of the work has involved terrestrial carnivores and ungulates.

Some of the recent graduate students who completed research projects include:

Stijn Verschueren – Strengthening cheetah population monitoring for biodiversity conservation (Ph.D. completed 2024). Co-supervised with Prof. Dr. Herwig Leirs (University of Antwerp), Dr. Hans Bauer (University of Oxford) and Dr. Laurie Marker (Cheetah Conservation Fund). Current position: Postdoctoral researcher, University of Bern, Switzerland.

Sophie Palmer – The effects of livestock guarding dogs on caracal (Caracal caracal) behaviour in South Africa (M.Sc. completed 2024). Co-supervised with Dr. Nicola Rooney (University of Bristol). Current position: Animal and Plant Health Agency, UK.

Emma Reasoner – Human-wildlife conflict and coexistence of black-backed jackal (Canis mesomelas) and African wild dog (Lycaon pictus) in the Okakarara District Communal Area, Namibia (M.Sc. completed 2023). Co-supervised with Dr. Meed Mbidzo (Namibia University of Science and Technology), Dr. Anne Schmidt-Kűntzel (Cheetah Conservation Fund) and Dr. Laurie Marker (Cheetah Conservation Fund). Current position: Biologist I, Integrated Environmental Solutions, USA.

James Dimbleby – A spatial analysis of cheetah movement patterns across four classes of cheetahs in Namibia (M.Sc. completed 2023). Co-supervised with Dr. Nicola Rooney (University of Bristol) and Dr. Laurie Marker (Cheetah Conservation Fund). Current position: CITES Licensing Assistant, Joint Nature Conservation Committee, UK.

Dallas Ruble – Livestock guardian donkeys in an African savannah (M.Sc. completed 2023). Co-supervised with Dr. Alastair Ward (University of Leeds) and Dr. Laurie Marker (Cheetah Conservation Fund). Current position: GIS Specialist, Talkie Communications, USA.

Eshaan Rao – A study on habitat utilization by different groups of cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus) in bush encroached Namibia (M.Sc. completed 2022). Co-supervised with Dr. Nicola Rooney (University of Bristol) and Dr. Laurie Marker (Cheetah Conservation Fund). Current position: Lead Biologist, Pench Tiger Reserve, India.

Holly Atkinson – Comparison of predation success between two apex predators in a thornbush savanna (M.Sc. completed 2021). Co-supervised with Dr. Nicola Rooney (University of Bristol) and Dr. Laurie Marker (Cheetah Conservation Fund). Current position: Postgraduate researcher, University of Bristol, UK.

My Ph.D. and postdoc positions in Canada, South Africa and USA facilitated a range of research experiences in various terrestrial ecosystems and with several mammalian species, particularly carnivores. After my last posdoc position, I joined the Cheetah Conservation Fund in Namibia where I led research projects on cheetahs and other species, particularly leopards in southern and eastern Africa. I maintain strong collaborations with the Cheetah Conservation Fund on applied research at the human-wildlife interface in rural landscapes of Africa.

In addition to research, I have been involved actively with various professional organizations especially the Society for Conservation Biology where I held leadership roles. I hold editorial roles with scientific journals (currently Frontiers in Conservation Science, PLoS One and Wildlife Biology) and have made professional contributions to IUCN and the EU. I have been involved in designing the first community conservancies (a form of area protection that empowers rural communities in natural resource management) for arid biodiversity areas in the Horn of Africa.