Dr. Sarah Catherine Paul

I used models of horse and human vision to improve fence safety in equine jump sports, whilst working closely with individuals from across the racing and eventing industries. Findings from the project have been rolled out as a trial across selected racecourses in the UK, in a move to improve the safety and welfare of horses and jockeys.

Head of the ‘Small Mammal Research Team’ for Operation Wallacea: designing data collection methods and working with small teams of students, volunteers and local guides throughout the cloud forest and managing the logistics of trap setting over rugged mountainous terrain.

Day to day project administration, teaching and coordination of students and volunteers, scientific research (data analysis using R and ArcGIS, report writing, and writing papers), otter dissection, website management, and project promotion (talks and social media). Between Feb-Nov 2011 covered project managers’ maternity leave.

My PhD used techniques of behavioural, chemical, and colour analysis to reveal the role of parental effects in the determination of offspring phenotype, in the ladybird Adalia bipunctata . I maintained an insect system over the three years of my PhD, designed and carried out experiments, managed students, built collaborations with other scientists, sourced additional funding (including for a research trip to India), analysed data, gave presentations, and published papers (see publications).

4yr course with NERC funded placement year at Centre for Population Biology, Silwood Park, Imperial College London (2008-09). Three certificates of merit in last three years of study and both the 2008 and 2010 Centenary Prize for the highest ranking second year and final year student in BSc Biology. Final year modules in: Global Change Biology, Fisheries & Global Change, Conservation Biology, and Animal Behaviour (Sensory Ecology). NERC placement year work published (see publications).