My pronouns are she/her
Like humans, fish form cooperative, affiliative, and antagonistic relationships with each other, that shape their roles and connections within underwater communities. Some species, for example, run ‘cleaning stations,’ offering client fish a spa-like service by removing parasites, while others act as security guards, aggressively controlling access to certain habitat areas. But what drives these different social roles, and how do they shape entire ecosystems? My research integrates field observations, experiments, artificial intelligence, and bio-robotics to examine how fish presence, traits and behaviours shape social interactions. Ultimately, I aim to answer two key questions: (1) What drives animals to cooperate, compete, or even consume one another? and (2) How do these diverse interactions interconnect to shape fish communities?
I am currently a postdoctoral research associate working with Dr Rob Heathcote to understand how fish colouration directly and indirectly shapes fish social behaviours and their interactions with predators.
