Bethany Smith

Professional and Research Experience

TEACHING EXPERIENCE

2023 LEVEL 2 PARASITE AS HOST LABORATORY GRADUATE TEACHING ASSISTANT (GTA)

A student-led laboratory where students are provided with mackerel for dissection for the counting of Anasakis simplex worms. Students are given guidance as to proper dissection techniques and identification of the worm, but are provided with the freedom to formulate their own scientific hypotheses and choice of data analyses for the production of a lab report.

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2023 LEVEL 2 BIRD IDENTIFICATION AND SURVEYING LABORATORY GTA

Accompanied students during an excursion to three urban habitats (a river habitat corridor, a large park and a university campus) to perform a survey of observed bid species. Assisted students in learning identification skills for common UK bird species.

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2022 QTL MAPPING LABORATORY GTA

Assisted students in a computer-based laboratory using an example data set to perform a QTL analysis in R.

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2020, 2021, 2022 AND 2023 LEVEL 3 VERTEBRATE LABORATORY, TUTOR AND GTA
Student-led laboratory focusing on vertebrate skeleton anatomy and deducing function from form. In 2020 converted the self-teach module into an online resource using images of museum specimens and then demonstrated online. 2021 and 2022 - in-person teaching

2021 AND 2022 LEVEL 3 MARINE FIELDWORK LABORATORY, TUTOR AND GTA
Worked with other tutors to plan and execute a short marine fieldwork course for undergraduate students and demonstrated on a second course later in the year. Created a lab manual, work schedule and covid-aware risk assessment. Supervised and demonstrated for students through marine invertebrate identification and dissection, tidal zone assessment, marine bird surveying and beam trawling 

2019, 2021 AND 2022 LEVEL 3 INVERTEBRATE DISSECTION LABORATORY, GTA
Prepared the laboratory for invertebrate dissections, assisted students in their technique and offer demonstrations and information 

2020 LEVEL 3 INVERTEBRATE ANIMAL DIVERSITY LABORATORY, TUTOR
Converted a previously in-person self-teach module using museum specimens into online materials that could be accessed by students at home during Covid-19 restrictions 

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2020 LEVEL 3 ONLINE MARINE FIELDWORK LABORATORY, GTA
Led online zoom sessions guiding students through the making of an ethogram for behavioural observations and discussions of issues affecting marine environments. Also involved use of Microsoft Teams and Trello for organising

2019 - 2020 LEVEL 1 BIOLOGY LABORATORY, GTA
Assisted students in first-year biology laboratories covering a range of biological topics, including vertebrate anatomy and basic laboratory techniques 

 

RESEARCH EXPERIENCE

2017-2018 PART-TIME LABORATORY/AQUARIUM TECHNICIAN, DR PARSONS LAB, UNIVERSITY OF GLASGOW
Assisted in the husbandry of three-spine sticklebacks from egg clutches to adulthood. Learned the principles of the maintenance of laboratory aquaria, including monitoring of water parameters and assessment of fish for health and illness. Assisting in experiments including appetite trials and photography for morphological analysis

2014: SUMMER STUDENT RESEARCH PROJECT, UNIVERSITY OF GLASGOW 
Supervisors: Dr Barbara Helm & Dr Davide Dominoni
Performed a series of experiments on effects of light at night on the reproductive physiology of great tits (Parus major). Performed histological staining, morphological analysis and candidate gene expression analysis using real-time PCR. Also assisted in field work including assessment of nesting stage in blue and great tits and measurement of provisioning rate.   

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ORGANISATIONAL SERVICES

2023-PRESENT: MEMBER OF THE SBOHVM SOCIAL COMMITTEE 

Assisting in the organization of social events for the School of Biodiversity, Once Health and Veterinary Medicine

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2022: CO-CHAIR, IMPACTS OF ANTHROPOGENIC STRESSORS ON FISH BEHAVIOUS AND ECOLOGY SESSION, FSBI ANNUAL SYMPOSIUM

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2021-2022: PGR STUDENT REPRESENTATIVE, IBAHCM
Acted as representative of IBAHCM’s postgraduates, assisted students with concerns and help requests, set up welcome events for new students and regular social events and organised the student led Darwin Day event with invited speaker. Additionally, organised a mini-conference for PGR students which involved securing funding, booking a location, calling for abstracts, arranging for refreshments and creating the agenda and abstract booklet for the event.

    
2021-2022: FISH BIOLOGY SPECIAL INTEREST GROUP ORGANISER, IBAHCM
Organised monthly SIG meetings with talks and article discussions

2019 – 2022: SOCIAL ORGANISER AND TREASURER – WEEKLY SOCIAL, IBAHCM
Organised an inclusive weekly socialising and networking event within the department, as well as additional welcome events for new postgraduate students and holiday events. Involved managing funds, maintaining stock and organising volunteers.

2019 – 2020 SOCIAL ORGANISER – MONTHLY SOCIAL MEETINGS, IBAHCM
Ran a monthly film showing, which involved acquiring the appropriate legal license, arranging surveys and setting up lecture theatre technology for showings

2019 SOCIAL ORGANISER – IBAHCM PHD AWAY DAY
Organised a three day long away trip to Rowardennan Youth Hostel for incoming and established PhD students to meet each other. Gathered information, organised students, liaised with food and activities subcommittees and provided information to attendees.

2019 SCOTTISH ECOLOGY, ENVIRONMENT AND CONSERVATION CONFERENCE VOLUNTEER, UNIVERSITY OF GLASGOW
Volunteered in a student led and organised conference. Managed presentation slides and set up projectors for talks during the event. Assisted in the general set-up and running of the conference.

2017 GLASGOW SCIENCE FESTIVAL - “TO PEE OR NOT TO PEE – JELLYFISH STING TREATMENT”
Took part in an outreach event bringing research to the general public

 

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Awards and Funding

2021 FSBI-AFS EXCHANGE fellowship

2018 Fisheries Society of the British Isles PhD studentship 

2017 David Arthur Prize for Best Ornithology Project, University of Glasgow
2014 Head of College Scholar’s list, University of Glasgow
 

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Conference Presentations

2022; Smith, B. A., Kristjánsson, B. K., Costa, A. & Parsons, K. J. Performance consequences of adaptation in geothermal sticklebacks. FSBI 2022 Annual Symposium, Oral presentation
2022; Smith, B. A., Kristjánsson, B. K., Costa, A. & Parsons, K. J. Performance consequences of adaptation in geothermal sticklebacks. Euro Evo Devo, Naples, Poster presentation
2021; Smith, B. A., Kristjánsson, B. K., Costa, A. & Parsons, K. J. Performance consequences of adaptation in geothermal sticklebacks. AFS Annual Meeting, Online, Oral presentation
2021; Smith, B. A., Kristjánsson, B. K., Costa, A. & Parsons, K. J. Performance consequences of adaptation in geothermal sticklebacks. FSBI 2021 Annual Symposium, Online, Oral presentation
2020; Smith, B. A., Kristjánsson, B. K., Costa, A. & Parsons, K. J. Performance consequences of adaptation in geothermal sticklebacks. BES Festival of Ecology, Online, Poster presentation
2020; Smith, B. A. & Parsons, K. J.  The plasticity and evolution of gene expression in geothermal stickleback populations. FSBI 2020 Annual Symposium – Accepted for presentation, cancelled due to COVID-19
2019; Smith, B. A. & Parsons, K. J. The plasticity and evolution of gene expression in geothermal stickleback populations. The Scottish Ecology, Environment and Conservation Conference, Glasgow, Scotland. Poster Presentation.
 

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