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New Caledonian crows can infer the weight of objects from their movements in a breeze.

(Jelbert, Miller et al. 2019, Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences)

Qualifications

March 2012-February 2016

PhD in Cognitive Biology

University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria

September 2010-August 2011

MSc in Evolutionary and Comparative Psychology

University of St Andrews, St Andrews, UK

September 2008-June 2010

Advanced National Certificate in Zoo Animal Management

Sparsholt College, Sparsholt, UK

September 2004-August 2008

MA in Psychology

University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK

Professional Career

1 February 2021 - date

Principal Investigator on 2 independent research projects, Anglia Ruskin University and University of Cambridge, UK

  • Animal Cognition/ Behaviour & Applied Conservation research: as set out below, including securing funding to support my research team. 

  • 1. “Cognition in Animal Conservation” Project: combining cognition/ behaviour research in captive Bali myna (inc UK zoos) to integrate with conservation initiatives and achieve improved reintroduction success with this species in Bali, Indonesia, to save and protect these birds and other threatened species. Confirmed collaborations with 2 reintroduction programmes in Bali (Friends of the National Park Foundation) & with Prof Stuart Marsden (Manchester Metropolitan University). 1 publication to date: publication 33 on neophobia and innovation in Bali myna.

  • 2. “ManyBirds” Project (www.themanybirds.com): a multi-site Big-Team Open Science collaborative project on the evolution of avian cognition & behaviour (responsible for Twitter handle: @TheManyBirds), aim to increase accessibility, reproducibility, transparency and inclusivity of science. 50+ international collaborators. 3 publications to date: publication 29 with avian cognition review & project infrastructure, publication 31 a multi-lab study on socio-ecological correlates of neophobia in 10 corvid species, and publication 32 on increasing animal cognition research in zoos.

1 December 2021 - 31 May 2022 (50% FTE, fixed-term), 1 June 2022 - date (60% FTE, permanent role)

Lecturer in Biology (Animal Behaviour), Anglia Ruskin University, UK

  • Teaching: Module Leader for a) Practical Skills in Animal Behaviour (2021-22; 2022-23)  and b) Animal Physiology and Behaviour (2022-23) on BSc (Hons) Courses including Animal Behaviour. Including designing and giving lectures, running practical sessions, marking assignments, day field trips and 1-week residential field trip. Contributing to overall course design, as well as marking and running of field trips for other modules. Both in-person and online. 

  • Course Leader for MSc Animal Behaviour: Applications for Conservation (June-Sept 2022)

  • Animal Cognition/ Behaviour Research: Continuing my PI and other projects, developing new collaborations and projects (publications 29,31, 32), 5 manuscripts in progress (4 lead & 1 senior author). Giving invited talks for ARU, including Biology Seminar Series and Employability Seminar (2022). Secured £10,000 internal Research Development Support Grant (2022). 

  • Supervision: Co-/supervising student projects and providing personal support for students.

  • Administration: School Research Ethics Panel committee member and (June-July 2022) deputy chair

1 August 2021 - 31 Dec 2021, 31 May 2022 - 30 May 2023

Visiting Researcher* and Temporary Lecturer, University of Cambridge, UK

  • 2022-2023: Cognition and Covid-19 Project, hosted by Dr Cheke's Lab.

  • 2021: Animal Cognition/ Behaviour & Child Development research with birds and children, hosted by Prof Clayton's Lab. Continuing my in preparation/ submitted manuscripts with 1 publication on cross-cultural cognitive development in young children (publication 28) * Full affiliation rights.

  • 2021: Teaching: Continuing teaching Undergraduate courses (in-person & live streaming) – positive student feedback received.

4 October 2021 - 31 December 2021 (27% FTE), 1 June 2022 - 31 August 2022 (13% FTE)

Independent Researcher, Rethink Priorities, USA

​Animal Welfare research as part of Moral Weight and Animal Sentience Project: review and theoretical work on capacity for welfare in 10 farmed animal species (e.g. pain, sentience, cognition), including feature operationalization to determine proxies for quantitative interspecies welfare comparisons. Remote position (2021 - on contractor basis; 2022 on consultant basis via ARU buy-out).

22 November 2021 - 30 May 2022 (20% FTE)

Research Associate in Psychology, University of Cambridge, UK

  • Cognition and Covid-19 Project: Leverhulme Trust funded position with Dr Lucy Cheke, focussing on research into the effects of Covid-19 on cognition in adults and children.  

  • Lab Management: Assisting in running the lab and Long Covid Project

1 August 2019 - 31 July 2021 (50% FTE: maternity leave August 2019-July 2020)

Research Associate/ Lab Manager in Psychology, University of Cambridge, UK

  • European Research Council (ERC) funded position with Prof Nicola Clayton.

  • Animal Cognition/ Behaviour & Child Development research with birds & children: 5 publications (publications 24-27, 30)

  • Formed new research collaborations, inc Dr Nishant Kumar (Wildlife institute of India) - co-applicant on grant recently secured

  • Lab Management and Administration: Responsible for co-managing the lab (currently 8 PhD students, 3 Postdocs, 1 MPhil student, as well as several collaborators in other labs), including COVID-19 related administration, grant and lab finances administration, training birds and students.

  • Teaching: Designing, delivering & organising Undergraduate courses primarily online (due to covid-19 pandemic), including exam assessor and use of Moodle, Panopto, Teams and Zoom for online lectures (live & pre-recorded), setting learning objectives, participating in/ chairing seminar style discussions, meetings, and discussion forums. Gained positive student feedback.

  • Supervision: Supervising PhD and Undergraduate research projects.

  • Administration & Lab Management: co-managing culturally diverse lab of 15+ members plus external collaborators – securing funding for bird research facilities (£50,000), organising & chairing lab meetings, ERC grant & lab administration e.g. Home Office non-regulated procedures, AWERB ethics bird use reports, responsible for bird welfare, testing schedules, grant financial reports and overseeing lab finances, lab pre-registration admin, health & safety compliance inc Occupational Health & COVID-19 risk assessments, hosting virtual lab yoga during the pandemic.

1 March 2015 - 31 July 2019 (100% FTE then 70% FTE from Jan 2018: maternity leave Oct 2016-Sept 2017)

Postdoctoral Research Associate in Psychology, University of Cambridge, UK

  • ERC funded research position with Prof Nicola Clayton investigating cognition comparatively in corvids and humans: 10 publications (publications 6, 9, 14-17, 19-22)

  • Designed and conducted research studies in line with the ERC proposal on causal reasoning, including highlighting the impact of prior reward-stimulus associations on corvid, though not child, performance.

  • Enhanced level of project research output by leading studies on new research lines. These novel comparative studies included: investigating how self-control underpins cognitive performance, social learning of tool-use behaviours, and flexibility in planning and decision-making.

  • Teaching: Prepared for and delivered lectures on Undergraduate Animal Cognition courses and supervised related practical sessions.

  • Supervision, lab management and administration: Significantly contributed to performance of lab and productive outcomes through: supervision/co-supervision of PhD and BSc-level students & Junior Researchers/ Assistants, ERC grant administration, HR matters e.g. leading six staff recruitment appointments, taking on lab management responsibilities for corvid lab including administration, staff training and liaison role, ensuring compliance with animal regulations such as obtaining Home Office Personal License, and providing stability of lab research by leading hand-rearing & training of 16 Eurasian jays for new research group.

  • Presented research at conferences, meetings, through media outlets, and public engagement at various schools and nurseries in South of England.

  • Continued to maintain academic connections and promote professional collaborations, including with Auckland and Vienna Universities.

March 2012-February 2016

PhD in Cognitive Biology, University of Vienna, Austria

  • Vienna Science & Technology Fund (3-year) funded position with Prof Thomas Bugnyar & Dr Christine Schwab: thesis on the role of identity, social context and development on corvid behaviour; 6 publications

    (publications 10-13, 18, 23). Awarded 1st Class for PhD Viva.

  • Leading own research, including literature review, research design, obtaining ethical approval, data collection (wild & captive birds), bird training, ringing wild crows, hand-rearing 22 common ravens & carrion crows and bird care, video coding, data analysis using R and SPSS, and manuscript preparation. Presented this research at conferences.

  • Collaborating with colleagues, both in & outside University, for additional wild crow studies, including co-supervision of five MSc and BSc-level students.

  • Teaching practical courses for Undergraduates.

September-November 2011

Research Assistant in Psychology, Auckland University, New Zealand

With Prof Russell Gray & Dr Alexander Taylor: cognition experiments with New Caledonian crows in New Caledonia (publications 2, 4, 5, 8).

June 2004-August 2011 (part-time 2004-2008 during Undergraduate degree)

Avian Research Coordinator, Qualified Animal Keeper, Animal Trainer
The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS), Edinburgh Zoo, UK

  • Qualified Animal Keeper in rearing, care, management, training (publication 3) & study of animals, primarily birds; completed distance-learning Animal Management degree; conducted cognitive research in collaboration with St. Andrews, Vienna & Strasbourg Universities.

  • As RZSS Avian Research Coordinator, with Dr Amanda Seed and Prof Richard Byrne (St Andrews University), facilitated creation of an Avian Cognition Centre within Edinburgh Zoo, including securing support & funding (July 2009-August 2011). RZSS Research Group Representative for Avian Behavioural Research (2011).

  • Created wild crow field study site in Edinburgh Zoo (March-August 2011); obtained restricted C permit from British Trust of Ornithology for ringing crows.

  • Co-supervision of four BSc and MSc-level students (2011; 2014-2015). Assisted Dr Valerie Dufour (CNRS) & Prof Bugnyar (Vienna University) in delayed gratification study in corvids (publication 1) (2008-2010).

  • Conservation trip to Budongo Conservation Field Station (publication, RATEL magazine) in Uganda (2007); community education trip to Zambia (2006).

September 2009-August 2010

MSc in Psychology, University of St Andrews, UK

With Prof Andrew Whiten (St Andrews University) & Prof Bugnyar (Vienna University): thesis on social influences on behaviour in wild carrion crows (publication 7). Created wild crow field site in Vienna Zoo.

September 2004-June 2008

MA (Hons) in Psychology, University of Glasgow, UK

With Dr Steve Draper (Glasgow University), Prof Bugnyar (Vienna University) & Dr Dufour (CNRS): thesis on raven object permanence understanding. Awarded 1st Class for thesis.

Supervision/ co-supervision and Mentoring

Anglia Ruskin University (2021-date): 2 Undergraduate students (ongoing), 1 MSc student (ongoing)

Cambridge University (2015-date): 3 PhD (3 complete), 1 MSc (complete) & 3 Undergraduate students (complete); 6 Research Assistants (complete); Supporting all lab research and members as Lab Manager; Animal Behaviour Collective Mentor

University of Vienna (2014): 1 MSc & 4 Undergraduate students (complete)

Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (2011): 4 Undergraduate students (complete)

Teaching (lectures, practicals, assessments/ exams)

Anglia Ruskin University, UK

2022: Invited talk at MSc Seminar on Avian Conservation, Manchester Metropolitan University (virtual)

2022-2023: Module Leader in Undergraduate Animal Physiology and Behaviour, including lectures, practicals, field trips and marking assignments, School of Life Sciences

2021-2022 and 2022-2023: Module Leader in Undergraduate Practical Skills in Animal Behaviour, including lectures, practicals and marking assignments, School of Life Sciences 

University of Cambridge, UK 
 

2020-2021, 2021-2022 and 2022-2023: Undergraduate Comparative Cognition Lecture Series, including lectures, live discussion sessions and exams (online in 2020 due to COVID-19 pandemic), Psychology Department (3 academic years)

2021: Undergraduate Methodology and Experimental Design Course - assisting with exam questions, Psychology Department

2019 and 2016: Undergraduate Evolution and Behaviour Practical Course, Zoology Department (2019 as supervisor; 2016 as demonstrator) (2 academic years)

2019: Undergraduate Animal Cognition Lecture Series and exams,

Zoology Department

University of Vienna, Austria

2014: Undergraduate Practicals, Cognitive Biology Department

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Teaching online during Covid-19 Pandemic, 2020

Preparing for human testing for our study on the role of perceptual motor-feedback in water displacement tasks in young children.  

(Miller et al. 2017, Peer J)

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