I graduated from my BSc degree in Wildlife Biology from the Munster Technological University in 2022. After this, I undertook a MSc by Research at the University of Galway from 2022 until 2024. My MSc research project investigated changes in the plant diversity and species composition of a selection of semi-natural grassland sites between the 2007–2012 Irish Semi-natural Grassland Survey and the 2022-2023 surveys. This helped me develop my interest in agri-ecology, habitat conservation and botany.
While past research is very botany focused, I am further developing my interest in reducing the impact of agriculture on the environment through my current endeavors. Building on interests and skills obtained in my BSc, and my research experience from my MSc, I joined with MFRC in September 2024. Here my research focuses on evaluating the efficacy and efficiency of “break the pathway measures”. These are mitigation strategies aimed at preventing agricultural pollutants from entering surface waters, and to protect and improve water quality. Specifically, my research will use a selection of biological and physico-chemical parameters to determine if these measures are working adequately and protecting the water quality and ecology of recipient freshwaters. This research will help inform the implementation of strategies to prevent pollution in critical source areas; and design a set of parameters and bioindicators for monitoring the water quality.
This 4-year PhD is part of a larger Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine funded project. The project is supervised by Dr Heather Lally, Dr Emma Gray of ATU Galway City, and Dr Dolores Byrne of ATU Sligo.
