A marine ecologist and scientific diver with over 23 years experience bridging industry and academic research in Ireland and the UK, with offshore survey work conducted in Canada, the Caribbean, North and Black Seas. I am a Lecturer in aquatic ecology at both undergraduate and masters levels, and chair of the fourth and final year of the Applied Freshwater and Marine Biology Honours Degree.

My research focuses on the biodiversity of marine coastal habitats, and their resilience and sensitivity to anthropogenic impacts. I am especially interested on the biology and importance of keystone species and ecosystem engineers, creators of biogenic habitats and hotspots of biodiversity, such as native oysters, horse and blue mussels, seagrass and kelp, their conservation and potential for ecological restoration. Most of the projects I am involved relate to sustainable management of wild marine resources and nature based solutions to ecological restoration, based on the use of aquaculture of keystone species.