My research:
Climate change is leading to changes in animal phenology, ranges, and survival, among other things. One of the less studies areas where animals are showing changes in response to climate change is morphology. Morphology has a complex relationship with thermoregulation, including the size of extremities such as tails and bills. Larger extremities tend to be associated with warmer temperatures, a patterns also known as Allen’s rule, and as such it is theorized that climatic warming’s higher temperatures may induce changes in extremity size. One animal that shows some evidence of climate change-driven alterations in body shape are birds. My project focuses on changes in bill and leg size of birds in response to climate change over the past 100 years, looking at a wide range of species and a wide distribution across Australia. The project will try to answer several important questions, including to what extent birds are changing morphology in response to climatic warming, what factors are causing these changes, and why some birds are or are not changing.
Co-supervisors: Professor Marcel Klaassen
Q&A
Describe yourself in three words or less Goofy, dedicated, and sentimental.
What is your earliest memory? My grandparents visiting for Christmas when my family lived in the US. They gave me a giant Curious George plush toy, which I still have.
What (or who) inspired your interest in biology? Dinosaurs! Like all kids, I loved dinosaurs but never quite outgrew it. Instead, it transformed into a broader biology love.
What was your favourite book as a child? Wolf Brother by Michelle Paver
Name your three favourite films The Godfather, You’ve Got Mail, Hidden Figures
Which do you prefer – Cheese or chocolate? Cheese
Who would play you in a film about your life? Amy Poehler, if I’m lucky.
Which three people would you invite to your dream dinner party? Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Chris McCandles, and whoever wrote the Voynich manuscript.
What is your fancy dress costume of choice? Rosie the Riveter
What would your super power be? Flying, so I can travel while being environmentally friendly.
What TV programme best describes your personality? Daria, although I think it better describes a younger version of me.
If you could bring something extinct back to life, what would it be? Azhdarchids, probably.
The Symonds Lab 