Team

Richard Reina Professor and Research Group Leader

My research focuses on understanding how animals respond to challenges from their environments and from human activity and then using this knowledge to inform better conservation and management.

Sean WilliamsonPostdoctoral Fellow

Sean’s research focuses on three broad areas of ecophysiology, spatial ecology, and conservation science and planning.

Natarsha BabicPhD candidate

Natarsha’s PhD research aims to investigate the influence of habitat quality and differential hunting regimes on Eurasian brown bear (Ursus arctos) ecophysiology in the Dinaric Mountains.

Adam Yaney-KellerPhD candidate

Adam’s PhD aims to explore how plastic entanglement impacts marine predator populations by studying the effects of entanglement on the health and behaviour of Australian fur seals. As part of this, he is testing new methods for the use of drone-brone thermal and colour imaging techniques to better detect and quantify rates of entanglement in Australian fur seal populations.

Julia Braga MoraisPhD candidate

Julia’s PhD project will investigate how changes in the environment influence the foraging and breeding performance of little penguins in the urban colony of St Kilda. This study will focus on their spatial distribution, foraging performance, dietary diversity, diving behaviour and reproductive outcome.

Camille KynochPhD candidate

Camille’s PhD research explores the effects of climate change on flatback sea turtle mating systems and population viability. Her research interests include conservation genetics and species’ response to climate change.

Sophie MillsPhD candidate

Sophie’s PhD research aims to understand how mitigation strategies can assist sea turtles as they adapt to a changing climate with a focus on hatchling production and performance.

Max Ronan Honours Student

Max’s honours project is focused on the life history consequences of accelerated growth during early development of Little Penguins on Phillip Island, Victoria.