Experience

Global Surface Intelligence

• United Kingdom
• IT Services and IT Consulting
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Forest Specialist

  • Feb 2022 - Present

  My role at GSI is to help the production and sales teams to deliver high quality products to meet client needs. Responsibilities include: • Clean, filter and interpret client forest data – for example, cruise plots and forest inventories • Develop an understanding of the relationship between input and outputs of GSI’s models • Provide critical quality analysis of ForestNow datasets • Gather, investigate, and interpret client requirements in support of the sales team • Interpret & summarise data products for presentation to clients in support of contract delivery • Inform and contribute to product development and applications Show less



Coillte

• Ireland
• Renewable Energy Semiconductor Manufacturing
• 200 - 300 Employee

• Tree Breeder

  • Jun 2015 - Jun 2018

  My role at Coillte is to develop continued genetic improvement of Sitka spruce in Ireland and improve its deployment to the Coillte estate. Responsibilities included: • Run a tree breeding facility and somatic embryogenesis lab to supply improved material. • Manage staff members, budgets and health and safety on site. • Oversee and report on tree improvement trials, design and implement new trials. • Pursue funding and participate in external projects. • Provide advice on species selection to the operation team. Show less



Forestry Commission

• United Kingdom
• Government Administration
• 700 & Above Employee

• Plant health

  • Jan 2014 - Jun 2015

  My role at the Forestry Commission was to lead project work and provide recommendations to address new potential tree pests or import pathways and to lead consultation with key stakeholders. Projects included: • Surveying firewood merchants to determine the bio-security risk posed by firewood imports and consequently inspecting premises for legislative compliance. • Disseminating plant health legislation through import and export guidance, updating of website to a more user friendly format. • Writing detailed forest pest specific contingency plans in conjunction with stakeholders and researchers. • Conducting a consultation to revoke council powers to enforce removal of trees infected with willow watermark disease. • Surveying the spread of ash dieback and phytophthora species across Scotland and updating stakeholders as to current policy and disease status. • Hosting biosecurity and disease training events to increase awareness and understanding of plant health policy and best practice. Show less


Self-employed
• Real Estate
• 1 - 100 Employee
• Forest geneticist

  • May 2013 - Dec 2013


Scion

• Forest geneticist

  • 2010 - 2013

  My role at Scion was to undertake scientific research in the areas of tree improvement, quantitative genetic analyses, genetic gain estimation, data analysis and implementation and development of breeding programmes. In the role I developed written and verbal communication skills through journal publications, reports and presentations to industry. I established and developed research proposals with key clients including the Radiata Pine Breeding Company and Future Forest Research. I was responsible for Douglas-fir research which was centred on improving suitability for structural timber. This work required me to quantify density and acoustic velocity across New Zealand which highlighted deficiencies in the wood stiffness of Douglas-fir in the colder regions of New Zealand where it is grown. I worked to improve the wood stiffness of Douglas-fir through tree breeding and modelling branch size to establish optimal management regimes to maintain branch diameter below critical thresholds. I was also involved in genetic selection for a number of other species including: cypresses, eucalypts and redwoods. In addition, I undertook research for the Radiata Pine Breeding Company in two main areas; firstly integration into the breeding programme of non-key traits important to the finishing properties of appearance grade products such as internal checking and heartwood and secondly breeding for needle disease resistance. Show less

• Forest geneticist

  • Jan 2010 - May 2010

  Investigate the potential benefits of running the British Sitka spruce full-sib material in one large analysis to generate breeding values. Investigate the potential benefits of running the British Sitka spruce full-sib material in one large analysis to generate breeding values.