Ash Murphy
He/Him
I am gay and I am a conservation biologist. //
I’m a life sciences manager at Healesville Sanctuary, part of Zoos Victoria, a zoo-based conservation organization in Australia. I manage captive breeding programs for ten endangered Australian endemic species, including Tasmanian devils, Leadbeater’s possums, orange-bellied parrots, and corroboree frogs, and also collaborate on a range of research projects to improve conservation outcomes. I completed my PhD in evolutionary ecology and population genomics at Monash University in Australia, following my undergraduate study (BSc Hons in Zoology & Ecology) at Massey University in New Zealand. While my experiences as a gay man in STEM at university and in the conservation sector have been positive, and my colleagues very supportive, as a student I was not aware of visible queer scientists. I hope this project can highlight LGBTQ+ role models in STEM and inspire the next generation of queer scientists.
Twitter: @Ecology_Ash; Instagram: @Ecology_Ash