Originally from Scotland, I have worked in Asia since 1997 and in Indonesia since 2002. My PhD at Cambridge was focused on the scientific assessment of gibbon rehabilitation – can gibbons raised as pets truly return to the wild? This has led to ongoing work for gibbon rehabilitation and working with a coalition of NGO’s to tackle the illegal wildlife trade in gibbons (online and in markets).  I have a focus on primate ecology and conservation looking into the illegal pet trade of gibbons and studying the rehabilitation and reintroduction successes of these threatened apes as well as focusing on conservation research to inform actions for wild small ape conservation. While working in Indonesia I have built a deep interest in the conservation of wild cats across Indonesian Borneo. As a co-director of Borneo Nature Foundation International, I lead teams working on research and conservation of gibbons, red langurs and macaques and since 2008 on Bornean wild cats and other mammals where we are using camera trap technology to understand the movement, distribution and conservation status of these threatened species.

Since 2015 I am the Vice-Chair of the IUCN Species Survival Commission Primate Specialist Group Section on Small Apes (www.gibbons.asia). The main functions of the SSA are aiding communication between gibbon experts worldwide, providing digital resources and practical help to conservation and education projects, provide help and resources and monitor and evaluate gibbon distributions and populations. I am passionate about using science for conservation action and promoting personal and institutional resilience in the primatology community. I love stand-up paddleboarding and gig rowing and cooking, especially bringing back recipes from my travels.