CV
Cerren Richards
Department of Ocean Sciences, Memorial University of Newfoundland
Ocean Sciences Centre, 0 Marine Lab Road, St John’s NL, Canada, A1C 5S7
Education
2018 MSc Marine Biology
Memorial University of Newfoundland
Title: The link between seabird traits and anthropogenic threats with implications for conservation
2017 BSc Marine Biology with Oceanography, 1st Class Hons
University of Southampton
Title: Manx shearwater rafting behaviour around Skomer Island
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Publications
Richards, C., Padget, O., Guilford, T. & Bates, A. E. (2019) ‘Manx shearwater (Puffinus puffinus) rafting behaviour revealed by GPS-tracking and behavioural observations’, PeerJ, 7:e7863. [Editors’ Pick]
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Awards & Scholarships
2019 Pacific Seabird Group Travel Award $800 declined
2019 Leslie Tuck Avian Ecology Award $5,552
2019 Best Speaker Awards (3), Toastmasters
2016 Friends of Skomer and Skokholm Research Award $340
2014 UWC Red Cross Nordic Academic Scholarship $68,300
2012 Academic Excellence Award, YGBM High School
2012 Gifted and Talented Recognition, YGBM High School
2012 Recognition: Top 5% of the year, YGBM High School
2011 Academic Excellence Award, YGBM High School
2011 Bronze Duke of Edinburgh Award
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Presentations
2019 Not all scientists wear lab coats - Seabird research across the world
Guest Lecture OCSC 1000, St John’s, NL (Oral Presentation)
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2019 Differentiating between traits of globally threatened and non-threatened seabirds
World Seabird Union Twitter Conference (Twitter Presentation)
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2019 Seabirds are in trouble. Is there hope?
Memorial Toastmasters, St John’s, NL (Oral Presentation - Best Speaker Award)
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2019 The Atlantic Puffin: Dynamic Energy Budget predictions and challenges
The Sixth International DEB Thematic School, Brest, France (Oral Presentation)
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2013 Edible macroalgae and its applications
Environmental Global Concerns Conference, Flekke, Norway (Oral Presentation)
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Teaching
2018-19 Teaching Assistant, Ocean Science Lab Program, St John’s, NL
Delivered almost 100 hands-on and immersive 40-minute lab sessions to 700 high school students. Topics include: habitat change, marine adaptation, dissections, dichotomous keys and aquaculture.
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Science Communication & Outreach
2019 Infographics: Designed to highlight seabird threats, >65,000 Twitter impressions
2019 CBC Newfoundland and Labrador: Article on Gull behaviour
2019 CBC Listen: Radio Interview on Gull Behaviour
2019 CBC St John’s Morning Show: Radio Interview on Puffin Populations
2018 Ocean Science’s Day: School engagement sessions
2017 Los Farallones Blog: Writer
2017 MARINElife research trips: Public talk to crew and passengers
2016 Skomer Island: Family activity day and guided nature walk sessions
2016 Skomer Island: Public talks to 250 people a day for three months
2016 Friends of Skomer and Skokholm Newsletter: Writer
2016 The Skomer Island Blog: Writer
2015 Beach Safety Outreach: School engagement sessions
2014 Fjord Touch Tanks, Norway: Public talk and engagement sessions
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Field & Research Experience
2018-19 Wildlife Biologist, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Gull Is., Canada
Contracted and volunteer positions to monitor adult survival, productivity, and deploy GPS, GLS and PIT tags on Leach’s storm-petrels, Atlantic puffins and black-legged kittiwakes.
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2017 Seabird Research Assistant, Point Blue Conservation Science, Farallon Is., USA
Aided the island biologists with long-term monitoring of the population, reproductive success, and diet of 13 Farallon Island seabird species. Had primary responsibility to conduct all field and data work for five projects.
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2016 Long Term Volunteer, Wildlife Trust, Skomer Island, UK
Conducted productivity, adult survival and diet studies of four seabird species. Grey seal population monitoring. Long term dataset management. Whole island biodiversity surveys.
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2016 Field Assistant, University of Oxford, Skomer Island, UK
Assisted the Oxford Navigation Group with deployment and retrieval of over 100 tracking devices (GPS and GLS) from Manx shearwaters. Monitored chick weight, banded adults and chicks.
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2016 Field Assistant, University of Cambridge, Skomer Island, UK
Assisted the Department of Zoology sample for puffinosis, a viral disease that infects Manx shearwater chicks.
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2016 Offshore Research Surveyor, MARINElife, UK & France
Surveyed the distribution, abundance and population trends of cetaceans and seabirds along international vessel routes. Responsible for data sorting and report writing.
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2014-17 Research Assistant, National Oceanography Centre, Southampton, UK
Assisted three PhD students throughout my BSc to expand my laboratory and field skills, and gain first-hand experience of research methods.
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Academic Activities & Services
2018-20 BioTIME Data Compiler and Curator, St John’s, NL
I compile data to fill the global spatiotemporal gaps in BioTIME, the largest open-access assemblage level biodiversity time-series database available in the world. I have curated over 120,000 species records.
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2018-20 Reviewer, Biological Conservation (Reviews: 3)
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2019 Ocean School Science Researcher, St John’s, NL
I research the educational content for Ocean School, a ground-breaking online learning experience that combines innovative technologies with compelling storytelling to immerse youth in the world of ocean science and culture.
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2019 Executive at Large, Women in Science and Engineering Graduate Society, NL
Organization of events to increase the participation of women in STEM.
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2019 Oral Presentations Judge, Aldrich Conference, St. John’s, NL
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2013 Conference Organizer, Environmental Global Concerns Conference, Norway
On the organizing committee of a student-led conference that hosted 300
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Conferences & Workshops
2019 The Sixth International DEB Symposium and Thematic School, Brest, France
Attendee at the advanced two-week international event to train in Dynamic Energy Budget (DEB) theory and modelling, and develop critical thinking, discussion, and statistical skills.
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2019 Nature Masterclass, St John’s, NL
Attended a one-day workshop to develop scientific writing and peer review skills, led by Nature Research journal editors.
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2019 Launch Forth: Leadership and Career Conference, St John’s, NL
One day conference to develop leadership skills.
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2019 Atlantic Canada Seabird Working Group (ACSWoG), St John’s, NL
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2019 Petrel Working Group, St John’s, NL
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Professional Societies
2020 Canadian Society of Zoologists
2019 Canadian Network for Ocean Education (CaNOE)
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