Taya Forde ~ Taya is a senior lecturer in bacterial disease ecology, applying a range of molecular and genomic tools to understand patterns of transmission in different pathogen systems. She is one of the leaders of the OHRBID lab at Garscube campus (One Health Research in Bacterial Infectious Diseases). Taya has been the leading light for the Naturally Speaking team since 2018.
Graeme Cullen ~ Graeme is a PhD student researching the seascape ecology of juvenile gadoids (cod, haddock and whiting) on the West coast of Scotland. He is developing knowledge of which combinations and arrangements of habitat patches are important nursery habitats, which can help inform more effective spatial management and protection measures. Graeme has a keen interest in maximising research impact through the communication of science.
Rachel Lennon ~ Rachel is a PhD student focusing on the health of marine mammals in Scotland. She will be using stranding data and pathology reports to access the impacts of disease, contaminants, and anthropogenic stressors on these marine megafauna. She graduated from the University of York with a BSc in Biology and then continued on to her MSc in Marine Vertebrate Ecology and Conservation at the University of Exeter.
Mar Pineda ~ Mar is a PhD student at SBOHVM whose research focuses on fisheries and environmental change. Alongside her PhD, she also has a great interest in science communication and teaching.
Nic Strowbridge ~ Nic is a PhD student interested in the study of adaptation using genomic and transcriptomic techniques. He is now focused on investigating the underlying molecular mechanisms of colouration in fire salamanders. Nic graduated with a Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Biology from Dalhousie University (Nova Scotia, Canada) and completed his Masters of Zoology at the University of British Columbia, Canada, before coming to Glasgow to do his PhD.
Holly Niven ~ Holly is a PhD student and quantitative ecologist working on population dynamics and spatial modelling. In her PhD, she is investigating the impacts of disturbances in metapopulations from a theoretical perspective, and an applied perspective using the example of seabirds and renewables. She studied Mathematics and Physics BSc (Hons) before migrating towards ecology from her Masters onwards.
Praise Adeyemo ~ Praise is a PhD student working on the facilitators and barriers to the implementation of policies guiding schistosomiasis interventions. She has a background in Veterinary Medicine (undergrad) and One Health (masters). She enjoys writing and travelling.
~ Additional active members: Shennice Deandrea Knight, Anna Formstone, Lucy Gilbert
~ Support provided by: Nathan Miller
Many thanks to past contributors to Naturally Speaking ~
Original founders: Zara Gladman, Shaun Killen, James Buckley, James Grecian and Sjúrður Hammer, with thanks to the Institute of Biodiversity and Animal health for providing the initial funding.
Previous team members: Lydia Bach, Laurie Baker, James Burgon, Jim Caryl, Eleni Christoforou, Ana Costa, Megan Griffiths, Max Hadoke, Karen Hotopp, Ellen Hughes, Joey Humble, Jacqueline Jacot, Miks Kundegorski, Stephen Larcombe, Konstantina Linardopoulou, Elle Lindsay, Paddy McCleave, Will McLellan, Kirsty McWhinney, Keila Meginnis, Lizzy Mittel, Pat Monaghan, Katherine Needham, Emma Plant, Martina Quaggiotto, Ruben Riosa, Alexa Roditi, Kit Russell and Mohammad Saiful Islam Sajib.
Naturally Speaking 