Dr Miriam Thavarajah

Personal statement

Miriam is a lecturer in Wildlife Conservation and Ecology at Bath Spa University’s School of Sciences. She specialises in teaching animal behaviour, conservation, and academic skills such as communication and data literacy. After completing a BSc in Biology and an MSc in Ecology, Evolutionary Biology and Conservation, Miriam spent several years studying wild meerkats and other mongoose species in South Africa, before completing her doctorate at the University of Manchester. Her PhD focussed on the impacts of climate change on the reproductive biology of salmon and trout.

After completing her PhD, Miriam taught undergraduate Animal Science students at University Centre Reaseheath in Cheshire for 2.5 years and managed a large wildlife rehabilitation centre in Germany for 1.5 years, before joining Bath Spa University in 2021. Miriam’s research interests centre around the interface between animal behaviour and physiology, as well as interactions between humans and animals and how these affect our efforts in conserving species and habitats.

Academic qualifications

• BSc in Biology, University of Cologne (Germany)
• MSc in Ecology, Evolutionary Biology and Conservation, University of Potsdam (Germany)
• PhD in Evolutionary Biology, University of Manchester (UK)

Teaching specialisms and areas of expertise

• Communicating Science (module leader)
• Analysing Nature (module leader)
• Endless forms: Evolution, Diversity and Biophilia
• Biological Systems
• Behavioural Ecology
• Biology in Society
• Conservation Biology
• Dissertation supervision