CV & Experience

Research & Professional Appointments

Data Scientist & Research Software Engineer Jan 2026 – Present

Jean Golding Institute, University of Bristol

Providing data science and research software engineering support on collaborative university projects:

  • Package Development: Developed and maintain the digiqual Python package for Non-Destructive Evaluation reliability assessment in EEME.
  • Statistical Analysis: Provide statistics and model-building support to the Diabetes and Metabolism team at the Bristol Medical School.
  • Data Science Support: Work on data pipelines and analysis for the PPADEM Project in the School of Sociology, Politics and International Studies.

Research Associate in Probabilistic Programming Sep 2024 – Dec 2025

The Alan Turing Institute, London

Research on applied statistical methods in ecology and evolution for the SPHERE-PPL project:

  • Community Software: Developed and managed open-source forecasting contests, back-end scoring tools, and developer starter templates.
  • Statistical Modelling: Built Bayesian Hierarchical models and refined Phylogenetic Generalised Linear Mixed Models (PGLMMs) to evaluate biodiversity hotspots and trait-environment filtering.
  • Event Organization: Co-organized the Health Modelling & Forecasting Workshop (Jan 2025) at the British Library.

Senior Consultant, Strategic Analytics Mar 2023 – Sep 2024

AtkinsRèalis, Bristol

Delivered data-driven decision-making and operational research solutions: - Software Capability Lead: Managed the development of custom analytical tools in R, line-managing several teams of analysts. - Operational Research: Served as Simulation Workstream Lead for Heathrow Security and Manchester Airport Group security programs.

Simulation Modelling Specialist & Principal Analyst 2019 – 2021

BNSSG CCG, National Health Service (NHS), Bristol

Developed analytical packages and user interfaces in R to model pathway capacity and patient flow:

  • PathSimR Package: Developed the PathSimR discrete event simulation (DES) package and Shiny application.
  • Operational Analysis: Modeled patient pathways, telehealth implementations, and COVID-19 vaccination clinic queues using queueing theory and stochastic modelling.

Research Assistant Aug 2016 – Dec 2018

Museum für Naturkunde, Berlin, Germany

Collaborated on DFG-funded research tracing niche evolution across African Savannah herbivores (Bovidae):

  • Fieldwork: Led morphometric data collection campaigns in Nairobi, Kenya and Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Education

PhD in Biology 2019 – 2023

Milner Centre for Evolution, University of Bath, UK

  • Thesis: “Phylogenetic Diversity, Morphological Disparity & Niche Adaptation in Seabirds”
  • Supervisors: Prof. Matt Wills, Dr. Nick Priest (Bath) & Dr. Jane Younger (Tasmania).
  • Key Methods: R programming, geometric morphometrics, phylogenetic comparative methods, and species delimitation.

Master of Earth Sciences (MEarthSci) 2011 – 2015

Exeter College, University of Oxford, UK

  • Classification: 2.i (First Class Masters Thesis on Pterosaur Macroevolution).
  • Fieldwork: Pembrokeshire, Arran, Dorset, Assynt, Corsica, Spain, and Bermuda.

Training & Teaching Materials

PGLMMs for Biodiversity Modelling Workshop StanCon 2024

Workshop Developer & Instructor

Created and delivered training materials on using Stan and R to build Phylogenetic Generalised Linear Mixed Models (PGLMMs) for species trait distribution modelling.

Maths for Life Sciences Imperial College London (2025)

Course Instructor

Taught foundational mathematical techniques, differential equations, and statistical modelling to first-year undergraduate Life Sciences students.

SPHERE-PPL Forecasting Contest Materials Alan Turing Institute (24-25)

Lead Developer

Developed notebooks, tutorials, and starter code for researchers entering probabilistic forecasting challenges.

Grants & Awards

  • Research Grant (£20,000 Consumable Grant) | Royal Society London (2021)
  • Visiting Research Scholarship ($3,900 Travel Grant) | Chicago Field Museum (2020)
  • Future Research Leaders Grant (£2,509 Travel Grant) | University of Bath (2019)
  • Evolution Education Trust PhD Studentship | University of Bath (2019)

Student Supervision

  • BSc Biotechnology Co-Supervisor | Imperial College London (24/25)
    • Project: Understanding and forecasting NHS A&E patient load (Student: Gabriela Lemos Vargas)
  • BA Biology Co-Supervisor | University of Bath (21/22)
    • Project: Morphological Variation in Skeletal Elements (Students: Jack Hardy, Sam Jones, Harley Mitchell)
    • Project: Phylogeography & Cryptic Species in Malagasy Birds (Students: Georgina Russell, Louis Martin, Nefeli Karonis)
  • MSc Bioinformatics Co-Supervisor | University of Bath (21/22)
    • Project: Global Patterns of Biodiversity and Diversification in Fungi (Students: Gabriel Crabb, Enea Jorgji)
  • MSci Palaeobiology Thesis Co-Supervisor | University of Bristol (20/21)
    • Project: Locomotor evolution in Miocene horses (Student: Gwen Franklin)

Professional Development & Workshops

  • Statistical Rethinking: Course on Bayesian Data Analysis & Causal Inference (Online, 2023)
  • SVPCA 3D Data Workshop: Morphosource & FAIR principles (University of Oxford, 2021)
  • Public Engagement with Science Workshop: (The Royal Society, UK, 2020)
  • Phylogenetics in Evolution and Ecology Course: (Natural History Museum, Berlin, 2018)