My interests span ecology, behaviour, conservation and genetics. I enjoy implementing my skills as a population geneticist to answer conservation relevant questions. The research I have carried out to date has involved both field and laboratory aspects, something I hope to continue. My experience of research started from an ecology background, undertaking an honours project as part of my zoology degree radio-tracking Nyctalus leisleri with the aim of discovering hibernacula. My PhD moved on to implementing genetic techniques to address questions on phylogeography, population genetics and social structure in N. leisleri in Ireland and Europe, providing information for management and conservation recommendations, raising interesting new perspectives on the postglacial colonisation history of Ireland. My current position as a postdoctoral researcher for the Centre for Irish Bat Research (CIBR) again puts me at the interface of ecology and genetics. The centres flagship project is investigating several aspects of the ecology and conservation genetics of three of Ireland¿s rarest bat species Myotis mystacinus, M. nattereri and M. brandtii. Including, their movements and habitat associations, roost selection, diet, echolocation call analysis, identification of swarming sites, population genetic structuring within Ireland, social structure within Irish roosts, phylogeography of these species in Europe and the origins of Irish populations. As well as coordinating and assisting in these aspects of the project, my research focuses on assessing the use of non-invasive samples to the study of population genetics in bats and developing a reliable method for continuous population monitoring of these rare species with non-invasive techniques.