I graduated from the International Master of Science in Marine Biological Resources (IMBRSea) in 2019 – and undertook my Bachelor of Science in Biology in 2016 at the Heinrich-Heine University Düsseldorf, Germany. Both prior to and after undertaking my masters, I obtained experience in a wide range of diverse projects in Europe, Latin America and Africa. Experiences included molecular techniques in the research lab on genetic and miRNA pathways of human nephrologic diseases at the University Hospital Erlangen (Germany), population monitoring of Sotalia and Franciscana Dolphin through Projeto Toninhas at the Marine Laboratories of University of Joinville Region (Brazil), and bycatch monitoring project of the Instituto de Ciencias del Mar y Limnología – UNAM Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (Mexico).
I was awarded my Irish Research Council PhD scholarship in 2021, which investigates temporal changes in common dolphin diet and resulting nutritional impacts. For this purpose, I carry out conventional stomach contents analysis and progress novel molecular approaches for detecting prey DNA and in conjunction with spatial analysis, I assess occurrence of dietary shifts, annual energy requirements and prey biomass consumption. The PhD is in collaboration with the University of Brest, France, University College Cork and University of Aberdeen. Besides my PhD research, I am currently engaged in ongoing work with the University of Iceland’s Research Centre in Húsavík, as well as the Marine Megafauna Foundation in Mozambique.
