Rate My Professor Amy Adams

Dr. Amy Adams serves as a Teaching Fellow for first-year science papers CELS 191 and CELS 199 in the Sciences Division at the University of Otago. She completed her PhD in Zoology at the University of Otago in 2013, with a thesis entitled 'Spatial ecology and genetic population structure of the common brushtail possum (Trichosurus vulpecula) within a New Zealand urban environment,' supervised by Professors Bruce Robertson and Yolanda van Heezik. Her earlier qualifications include a Bachelor of Science in Zoology from the University of Otago (2004–2008) and a Diploma in Animal Management from Unitec Institute of Technology (2009). In addition to her teaching role, Adams works as a Research Assistant in genetics and ornithology at Museums Victoria. She was awarded the University of Otago Scholarship in Science (Zoology) and a Postgraduate Scholarship during her doctoral studies.

Adams' research specializations encompass wildlife ecology, invasive species management, urban ecology, conservation biology, biodiversity monitoring, and the application of ancient DNA to reconstruct historical avifauna. Her doctoral work investigated home range behavior, resource selection, and population genetics of invasive brushtail possums across urban-rural gradients, contributing to improved pest control strategies in New Zealand. Recent publications include 'Reconstructing ecological niche and feeding ecology of pre-contact New Zealand avifauna from Harwood, Otago Peninsula' (New Zealand Journal of Ecology, 2025), co-authored with Richard Walter and Michael Richards; 'Ancient DNA and morphometrics reveal a new species of extinct insular shelduck from Rēkohu (Chatham Islands)' (2025), with Lara Shepherd, Theresa Cole, and others; 'Wildlife disease surveillance from village to peak: Trypanosome infections of mammals on Sulawesi' (2025); 'Trypanosoma infections in rodents, bats, and shrews along an elevation and disturbance gradient in Central Sulawesi, Indonesia' (2023); 'The admixed brushtail possum genome reveals invasion history in New Zealand and novel imprinted genes' (2023); and 'Do domestic cats impose an unsustainable harvest on urban bird populations?' (2010), with Yolanda van Heezik, Amber Smyth, and Joanna Gordon. These works advance knowledge of ecological impacts, extinction patterns, and disease dynamics in wildlife.