CV

last updated: January 2013

Current appointment

Post-doctoral Research Fellow. September 2012 – present

  • Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, NSW, Australia.
  • Project title: Linking plant traits with rates of stem herbivory.
  • Advisor: Dr. Mark Westoby.

Education

PhD in Ecology. 2007 – 2012.

  • Department of Zoology & Biodiversity Research Centre, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
  • Thesis title: “Distributions and interactions of insect herbivores as influences on host plant density and performance”.
  • Advisors: Drs. Judith Myers and Diane Srivastava.

MSc(Hons) in Zoology. 1999 – 2001.

  • School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand.
  • Thesis title: “Pseudocoremia (Lepidoptera: Geometridae: Ennominae): Systematics, biogeography and host plant associations”.
  • Advisor: Dr. George Gibbs.

BSc in Ecology and Geography. 1996 – 1998.

  • Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand.

Work Experience

Research Associate, Biosecurity Team, HortResearch (now Plant & Food Research), New Zealand. 2003 – 2007.

  • Advisor: Dr. D. Max Suckling FRSNZ.
  • Projects: a wide range of invasive-species related projects, focusing on current and potential invasive insect species covering (1) trophic interactions; (2) investigation of control options and; (3) quantifying the threat to NZ presented by potential invaders.

Database technician, Maanaki Whenua Landcare Research, New Zealand. 2001 – 2002.

  • Advisor: GM Barker.
  • Project: developing databases for a model to assess the likely establishment of invasive species.

Scholarships & Awards

  • University of British Columbia, International Partial Tuition Scholarship (2011-12).
  • University of British Columbia, Dennis H. Chitty Memorial Graduate Scholarship in Ecology (2011).
  • University of British Columbia, Faculty of Graduate Studies, Conference Travel Award (2011).
  • Entomological Society of Canada Conference Travel Award (2009).
  • University of British Columbia, University Graduate Fellowship (2009-11).
  • University of British Columbia, PhD Tuition Fee Award (2007-11).
  • Calgary University, Deans Entrance Award (2007, declined).
  • New Zealand Entomological Society, Bruce Given prize for best student paper presented at the New Zealand Entomological Society Conference (2001).
  • New Zealand Entomological Society, KJ Fox Travel Grant to attend the New Zealand Entomological Society Conference (2001).
  • Victoria University of Wellington, Izard Scholarship (2000).
  • Enderby Trust Scholarship for Young People to visit the Subantarctic region (2000).

Teaching & Mentorship

I have been a teaching assistant for a number of different courses covering a variety of areas of ecology, zoology and biostatistics. These courses include field-based, formal laboratory and tutorial style courses.

  • School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington (1999 – 2001).
  • Department of Zoology, University of British Columbia (2007 – 2011).

I have mentored a number of students at a range of levels

  • Four secondary school students through the Prince of Wales Mini School Science Mentorship program.
  • Four UBC undergraduate as “Work –Study” students or summer field assistants.
  • Four incoming graduate students through the UBC Department of Zoology Graduate Mentorship Program.

Scientific Service

  • Representitive for the Department of Zoology, University of British Columbia on the organising committee for the Vivien M Srivastava Career Mentoring Workshop for Graduate Students,
  • Organiser of the Department of Zoology Graduate Mentorship Program (2010-2011).
  • Representitive for the Department of Zoology to the Graduate Student Society, University of British Columbia. October 2009 – July 2011.
  • Co-organiser of the prestigious Chitty Lecture in Ecology (2008-09) in the Department of Zoology, UBC.
  • Reviewer for New Zealand Entomologist, Journal of Insect Behavior, Crop Protection, Biological Conservation, Acta Oecologia, Ecological Entomology.

Selected presentations (from 2007). * = presenter.

  • Stephens, AEA* Ecological Society of Australia Conference, Melbourne, Australia. Dec. 2012. Talk.
  • Stephens, AEA* PhD exit seminar. Biodiversity Lunchtime Internal Seminar Series. Biodiversity Research Centre, University of British Columbia. Feb. 2012. Talk.
  • Stephens, AEA* & JH Myers. UBC-SFU-UVic Ecology and Evolution Retreat, Breckendale, BC, Canada. Nov. 2011. Poster.
  • Stephens, AEA* & JH Myers. The Ecological Society of America Annual Meeting, Austin, Texas, USA. Aug. 2011. Talk.
  • Stephens, AEA* & JH Myers. Joint Annual Meeting of the Entomological Societies of Canada and British Columbia. Nov. 2010. Talk.
  • Stephens, AEA* & JH Myers. Joint Annual Meeting of the Entomological Societies of Canada and British Columbia. Nov. 2010. Poster.
  • Stephens, AEA*. BC Weed Coordinators working group. Jul. 2010. Talk.
  • Stephens, AEA*. ZGSA Symposium, University of British Columbia. Apr. 2010. Talk.
  • Stephens, AEA*. UBC-SFU-UVic Ecology and Evolution Retreat, Breckendale, BC, Canada. Nov. 2009. Talk.
  • Stephens, AEA* & JH Myers. Joint Annual Meeting of the Entomological Societies of Canada and Manitoba. Oct. 2009. Talk.
  • Stephens, AEA* & JH Myers. UBC-SFU-UVic Ecology and Evolution Retreat, Breckendale, BC, Canada. Nov. 2008. Data blitz (3 minute talk)
  • Stephens, A*, J Myers & P Krannitz Invasive Plant research in BC, current projects and future trends. Richmond, Canada. Oct. 2008. Poster.
  • Stephens, AEA*, JH Myers & P Krannitz. Canadian Society for Ecology and Evolution Conference, University of British Columbia. May 2008. Poster.
  • Stephens, AEA,* P Krannitz & JH Myers. ZGSA Symposium, University of British Columbia. Apr. 2008. Talk.
  • Stephens, AEA*. UBC-SFU-UVic Ecology and Evolution Retreat. Nov. 2007. Poster

Refereed Publications

Please see Publications page