I started my PhD studies at Stockholm University in 2019. In my PhD project, I will be investigating the structure and function of polarization vision in different pollinator groups. Insect pollinators such as bumblebees and butterflies use a specialised part of the eye, known as the dorsal rim area, to detect polarised light from the sky and to use this for orientation and navigation. However, little is known about how the structure and function of this area varies between individuals of the same species, between species or even between taxa. The goal of my project will be to use a range of methods to describe the anatomy and physiology of the dorsal rim area as well as to explore its function using behavioural experiments. With my comparative approach, I aim to improve our understanding how insects use polarised light to find their way through their world.

I grew up in Malaysia, moving to England in 2013 where I received an Honours degree in Marine Biology at Plymouth University. In 2018, I received a first-class Masters degree in Marine Biology at Plymouth University before working as a research assistant in the Ecology of Vision Lab with Prof. Nick Roberts and Dr Lauren Sumner-Rooney where I developed methods for investigating polarisation vision in spiders.