Miss Rachel Steenson

Research Fellow

Biological and Environmental Sciences 4B184, Cottrell Building

Miss Rachel Steenson

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About me

My current role aims to identify the impact of phosphorus reduction on the ecology of rivers in England, in collaboration with the Environment Agency (EA).

My PhD explored the environmental basis for spatial and temporal change in riverine bird populations, and was co-supervised by the University of Stirling, UKCEH and RSPB as part of NERC IAPETUS2 (see the 'Research' tab for more details).

My main research interests lie in environmental change, human-wildlife conflict and avian life-histories.


Brief Biography

Research Fellow | University of Stirling (2024 - )
Field Technician | RestoreID/WrEN, University of Stirling (2024)
PhD Ecology | University of Stirling (2019 - 2024)
Research Assistant | University of Glasgow (2017 - 2019 FT, 2019 - Oct 2022 PT)
Data Analyst | University of Glasgow (2016 - 2017)
MSc Quantitative Methods in Biodiversity, Epidemiology and Conservation | University of Glasgow (2015 - 2016)
Field Assistant | St Kilda & University of Edinburgh (2015)
BSc (hons) Biology | University of Stirling (2009 - 2013)

Research

PhD | Dippers as bioindicators of freshwater ecosystem health & resilience

My PhD explored the environmental basis for spatial and temporal change in riverine bird populations. This focuses primarily on White-throated Dipper (Cinclus cinclus), but also identifies patterns of change and response to environmental stressors in two other riverine bird species: Common Sandpiper (Actitis hypoleucos) and Grey Wagtail (Motacilla cinerea).


Research Assistant | Rabies monitoring & control in Tanzania

From 2017 - 2019, I worked as a as a Research Assistant in the Katie Hampson Lab, joining a team that researches many aspects of the Rabies virus primarily in Tanzania, but with collaborators worldwide. This role involved providing general support for data management, processing, visualisation and analysis using R, and Github for version control. Through this, I have had the opportunity to contribute to multiple projects that research detection, treatment access and provision, and genetic sequencing of the Rabies virus (see Outputs).


MSc Thesis | Birds, ticks, and Lyme Disease

My MSc thesis explored tick infestation in woodland passerines, and the relative important of various bird species as transmission hosts for Borrelia burgdorferi s.l., the bacterium responsible for Lyme borreliosis in humans. This project utilised mist-netting to capture birds and examine them for ticks at three sites in Central Scotland. Engorged ticks were removed for subsequent identification under microscope, and lab analysis to identify presence and predominant genospecies.

Outputs (3)

Outputs

Article

Hampson K, Ventura F, Steenson R, Mancy R, Trotter C, Cooper L, Abela-Ridder B, Knopf L, Ringenier M, Tenzin T, Ly S, Tarantola A, Moyengar R, Oussiguéré A & Bonfoh B (2019) The potential effect of improved provision of rabies post-exposure prophylaxis in Gavi-eligible countries: a modelling study. Lancet Infectious Diseases, 19 (1), pp. 102-111. https://doi.org/10.1016/s1473-3099%2818%2930512-7


Teaching

2022, University of Stirling
Demonstrator for R (postgrad) and GIS (undergrad).

2021, University of Stirling
Demonstrator for field techniques (postgrad) and GIS (undergrad).

2018, University of Glasgow
Assistant Leader for Level 3 Fieldcourse to Payamino, Ecuador; conducted bird surveys and guided students in experimental design.

2017-2019, University of Glasgow
Demonstrator for field survey techniques and identification on MSc Vertebrate ID module.
Assistant for bird ringing demonstrations.

Research programmes