Ciara is an enthusiastic and driven freshwater ecologist in her first year of a three-year PhD at the سԹ. Following her passion for the natural world, she completed her 2021 Honours project on life history plasticity in a common New سԹfreshwater macroinvertebrate – and is now undertaking her doctoral studies on freshwater fish instream habitat restoration. Through this research, Ciara aims to determine the type and amount of instream habitat that benefits native New سԹfreshwater fish, applying these findings to current and future restoration practices. Ciara is particularly interested in using a life history trait approach, alongside modelling, to compare the role of instream wood habitat for native New سԹfish and invasive salmonids. Her research is a strong example of interdisciplinary collaboration, bringing together experts from ecology, geomorphology, and engineering.
Working Thesis Title:
Woody habitat utilisation and instream wood requirements of native New سԹfreshwater fish: Implications for river management practices.
Supervisors:
Senior Supervisor – Prof. James Brasington
Co-Supervisor – Dr Issie Barrett
Co-Supervisor – Dr Shelley MacDonell
Research Interests:
Freshwater ecology, restoration, interdisciplinary approaches, ecosystem resilience, freshwater fish, anthropogenic change.
Academic History:
Aho Hinatore, PhD Accelerator Scholarship, سԹ
BSc(hons) in Biological Sciences: First Class, سԹ
BSc in Biological Sciences and Geography, سԹ
Ministry of Business, Innovation, and Employment. (2024). Guidance for large wood installations in New سԹrivers (Envirolink Medium Advice Grant project).
Location:
UC Beatrice Tinsley, Level 4
