Originally from the US, I have lived in the UK for over 16 years. I obtained my BSc in zoology from North Carolina State University in 2008, and obtained my PhD in psychology from the University of Stirling in 2015.

Since 2018, I have been working as a full-time lecturer at the University of Hull. My research is published in world-leading journals for animal behaviour and cognition, and attracts major global media attention, including the BBC, The Guardian, TIME, and National Geographic. My work has been funded by grants from different organisations, such as the UKRI’s Natural Environment Research Council, Wild Animal Initiative, and the prestigious Newton Fund. In 2022, I was awarded a ‘Research Excellence Award’ from the University of Hull.

My research primarily focuses on understanding the behaviour and problem-solving abilities of wild carnivores, particularly foxes, badgers, and pine martens in the United Kingdom through a programme I established in 2021 called the British Carnivore Project (SEE HERE).

In addition to my own research, I am the founder and co-director of the recently-established Hull Animal Behaviour Centre, which is comprised of research programmes in the UK, mainland Europe, and North America. I am the founder and convenor of the Behaviour & Ecology Research Group at the University of Hull, which was establish in 2023 in light of my growing track record for research on wildlife psychology and conservation. Since 2023, I have served as an associate editor for Royal Society Publishing and as a member of the Scientific Advisory Group of the UK’s national Badger Trust.

In terms of teaching, I have a postgraduate certificate in higher education practice and over twelve years of experience teaching university students. I am a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and I was awarded an Honorary Lectureship at the University of Stirling in 2018. Over the years, I have written, developed, and managed modules on a range of topics related to animal/human psychology and wildlife conservation. 

At the University of Hull, I presently supervise 4 PhD students and 4 MSc students. I oversee the BSc Psychology research dissertation programme and teach on topics related to animal behaviour, cognition, and human-nature connections. I have a passion for teaching and routinely incorporate my own research experiences with wild primates, cetaceans, and carnivores into my lectures to help students engage with theoretical material on a deeper and more applied level.

For more information, check out my University of Hull staff profile: