Staff

I started at the university in January 2024 as a post-doctoral research fellow in the RodTickPathMan One Health project. The project investigates the link between grey squirrels, an invasive species in the UK, ticks and Lyme’s disease. I will focus on estimating the abundances of squirrels and other tick carriers using a range of field survey techniques but primarily camera traps.

Prior to this position, I completed my PhD at the University of Aberdeen (2018-2023) supervised by Prof Xavier Lambin (UoA), Dr Thomas Cornulier (Biomathematics and Statistics Scotland (BioSS)), Dr Nicholas Schurch (BioSS), Dr Philip Whitfield (Natural Research Ltd.) and Tom Dearnley (Forestry England). The project assessed the impact of persecution on the population dynamics of goshawks, a forest specialist bird of prey in the UK. I used a range of methods to do this, including field and laboratory work as well as complex statistical methods such as GAMMs and capture-mark-recapture models in a Bayesian framework. Additionally, I delved into the AI world and trained computer vision models to process and label the camera trap images I collected.

In addition to demonstrating on a range of practical and statistical courses at both undergraduate and postgraduate taught levels, I have also managed and lectured a final year undergraduate course titled Wildlife Conservation and Management. This included setting and marking written reports and presentations. I have also co-supervised honours and master’s level students.

In addition to traditional teaching, I have been heavily involved in groups which promote peer learning and development. In particular, I helped to run and hosted sessions with the Aberdeen Study Group who aim to promote knowledge exchange in a friendly setting, focussing primarily on statistics and coding.  

Dr Kika Neuhaus commenced in May 2024 as a Post-Doctoral Research Fellow in Anthropology and Art at the NRI. Kika coordinates workshops and networking activities under the AHRC-funded project ‘Water justice & Indigenous youth mental health resilience: co-creating art-based solutions with Awajún Peoples and Alaska Natives’, liaising with Salud Sin Limites (Peru), McGill University (Canada), the Indigenous organisation ORPIAN-P, Yukon River Inter-Tribal Watershed Council (YRITWC) and Sámi members of Operaatio Arktis. Building on their main area of expertise, Kika co-produces art-based tools with Indigenous youth to reflect on water justice and wellbeing. Bringing members of the project and Indigenous Youths together at one table at a workshop in Helsinki, Kika met the goal of creating space for intergenerational and intercultural dialogues. Throughout the project they supported Indigenous youth in visualising alternative water futures that safeguard the water sovereignty of Indigenous Peoples and improve their mental health and wellbeing with technical assistance.

Simultaneously, Kika joined the 2 Year British Academy award exploring feminist and decolonial ‘Approaches for engaging with Indigenous knowledge processes and holders for disaster risk resilience: The case of the Tasik Chini Biosphere Reserve, Malaysia’ through GIS-mapping and other artistic and digital techniques, collaborating with the University Kebangsaan Malaysia, the University Teknologi Mara, and Lingnan University in Hong Kong.

Kika completed a PhD in visual anthropology at Goldsmiths, University of London. They explored practices of care in the realm of Taekwondo in different urban settings of Buenos Aires. Henrike has ample teaching experience from Goldsmiths, the University of Buenos Aires (UBA) and UCL in regional ethnography of Latin America and research methods with a focus on audio-visual production and multimodal approaches. Kika is keen to establish lasting meaningful professional relationships and dialogues, as emerged from being part of the organising board of the University of San Martin (UNSAM) Science Fair and Short Film Festival 2018 that pushes the boundaries of academic engagement, youth work and artistic expression. Kika has a passion for grassroot organising and commoning. Throughout their life they were part of the founding and setting up of working groups like the International Network of Sport Anthropology, SoLaWi (CSA) Basta in Berlin, cooperatives like Quaggy Housing coop, Latin America is Moving Collective, and the Anthways Journal. Kika organises events that encourage interdisciplinary encounters in which ethical participatory methods bring researchers and interlocutors closer to formulate jointly impactful outputs for social- and environmental justice.

Dr Lauren Farwell joined NRI as a Postdoctoral Researcher in 2024. Her work focuses on investigating the ecology and diversity of plant pathogens, using novel monitoring and diagnostic techniques in the field and researching sustainable management strategies against such pathogens. Lauren is a member of NRI’s Agriculture, Health and Environment Department, working in the Plant Health and Postharvest Science research themes.

Before joining NRI, Lauren was a PhD student with Cranfield University in the Applied Mycology department, and was based at the Pest and Pathogen Ecology department at NIAB East Malling. While based at NIAB East Malling for four years, Lauren researched the epidemiology of Cladosporium on raspberry using sequencing to determine species present, field screens to determine fruit susceptibility, metabarcoding to assess the epicarp microbiome and performed field assays of biological control agents and resistant varieties to determine their efficacy. During her time at NIAB East Malling, Lauren also worked as a research technician, working on pathology and bio-stimulant experiments across various horticultural crops.

Lauren holds a BSc in Plant Science (University of Bristol) and a PhD on the epidemiology and management of Cladosporium on raspberry (Cranfield University in partnership with NIAB East Malling).

Lauren’s expertise includes pathogenicity assays, DNA barcoding, amplicon sequencing, biological control agent assays, airborne spore sampling and detection and the development of diagnostic assays.  

John has over thirty years of experience working as an analytical chemist, primarily within UKAS 17025 accredited laboratories. He has worked within the food enforcement sector analysing samples submitted by bodies such as Trading Standards and Port Health Authorities. He has spent five years establishing and developing a quality control/research laboratory for a successful private company within the global beer industry before moving to the Natural Resources Institute in September 2024.

In addition to food analysis experience, John brings knowledge from other sectors as diverse as pharmaceuticals (specifically cannabis) and forensic explosives.

He is fully conversant with traditional wet chemistry techniques and the latest analytical instrumentation, using both to generate accredited analytical methods of analysis.