My interest in genetics began with science fiction fantasies: from the de-extinction of species (dinosaurs, obviously) to engineering organisms for survival in impossible environments, like crops on Mars. As I learned that genetics underpins virtually every biological process, from simple inheritance to development and complex disease, those early imaginings became a belief that the field could fundamentally change how we approach real-world challenges in health, agriculture, and the environment.
I am currently in the second year of an MSc in Genetics at the University of Otago investigating the genetic architecture of methane emissions in sheep. My project uses population genomic methods to detect signatures of selection and identify candidate loci in divergent low- and high-methane flocks, with findings that could inform breeding programmes aimed at reducing agricultural methane emissions, New Zealand's largest single source of greenhouse gases.
I am grateful to receive the Dr Patrick Shannon Scholarship, which will allow me to dedicate myself fully to this research and pursue opportunities to contribute to the broader scientific community as I work toward a PhD in quantitative genetics.
