MsKaytlyn Davis
Postdoctoral Fellow
School of Biological Sciences
Orcid identifier0000-0002-8488-0345 (opens in a new tab)
- Postdoctoral FellowSchool of Biological Sciences
- +6433690891 (Work)
BIO
Skye Davis is a conservation geneticist interested in how emerging genomic tools can be used to improve the conservation of waterbirds living in challenging and dynamic ecosystems. As a postdoctoral research fellow at the University of canterbury, my research uses whole-genome sequencing to study the population structure of emperor penguins in the Ross Sea, Antarctica. Understanding the genetic connectivity and health of emperor penguin populations is essential for predicting how mesopredator species will respond to environmental change in the future.
I completed my PhD in 2024 at Macquarie University in Australia, where I utilized population genomics and metagenomics to help improve monitoring schemes for native waterbirds that rely on remote, ephemeral wetlands. This work strengthened my interest in molecular ecology, environmental DNA applications, and the conservation of wetland bird species. I have also applied landscape and population genomic tools to geographically isolated terrestrial bird populations, such as the endangered southern black-throated finch and the NSW North Coast emu, to inform conservation strategies that promote long-term species resilience.
TE WHARE WĀNANGA O WAITAHA - UNIVERSITY OF CANTERBURY APPOINTMENTS
- Postdoctoral FellowUniversity of Canterbury, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science1 Sep 2025 - present
FACULTY
- Faculty of Science