Student Council Members
SETAC UK Student Council works alongside the SETAC UK Council to create the an annual meeting in relation to student activities. The SETAC Student Council also engages with the student community via the SETAC UK website and regular social media posts (co-ordinating with the SETAC UK Communication Officer). Some of the Council Members also have extra core responsibilities.
The SETAC UK Student Council has regular teleconference meetings (bimonthly or monthly near to an event) and is not required to have face to face meetings.
Taylor Lane
President
University of York
Priyesha Tank
University of Sussex
Taylor is a PhD student in the Department of Environment and Geography at the University of York. His research is investigating how abiotic factors in water and sediment influence chemical fate and uptake into organisms with diverse species traits. Originally from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada, Taylor completed a BSc in Biology and an MSc in Environmental Toxicology while studying at the University of Saskatchewan. During his BSc, Taylor became interested in research whilst volunteering with the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute in Gamboa, Panama.
After his BSc graduation, Taylor worked as a research technician at the Toxicology Centre at the University of Saskatchewan on a project that characterised the toxicity of a diamond mine effluent to freshwater organisms across multiple trophic levels. He then began his MSc research which focused on the development of an embryo injection exposure model for studying the effects of maternal transfer of selenium in early life stage fish. Throughout his time at the Toxicology Centre, Taylor was able to assist and collaborate on many different projects involving MSc, PhD and post-doctoral researchers, such as volunteering at the Nechako White Sturgeon Conservation Centre, collecting sediment cores from Buffalo Pound Lake to assess phosphorous efflux and the EcoToxChip project. These experiences have inspired and motivated him to continue to conduct research within the field of environmental toxicology and chemistry.
Priyesha completed her BSc in Zoology at the University of Leicester and an MSc in Ecology, Evolution and Conservation at Imperial College London. Following her MSc, Priyesha worked as a research assistant focusing on the phenological impacts on blue tit breeding behaviour. Priyesha became interested in working with birds during her MSc and this led to her current role as a PhD researcher the University of Sussex. She is investigating the impact of pesticides on avian species. The impacts of pesticides have been extensively researched in invertebrate species and pollinators; however, we know little about their effects on vertebrate species which also inhabit areas treated with pesticides. The infamous example of DDT has presented the dangers that pesticides can pose to non-target wildlife in the past but currently, pesticides with much greater toxicity are being utilised and it is vital to understand if wildlife is yet again under threat.
Priyesha’s past academic experience varies from neuroscience to behavioural ecology but has become highly interested in ecotoxicology during her PhD and aims for her research to have a positive impact for avian and other vertebrate species that may be impacted by agrochemicals.
Cannelle Tassin de Montaigu
University of Sussex
Cannelle completed a BSc in Biology and an MSc in Ecology, Biodiversity and Evolution from the Pierre & Marie Curie University in France, as well as studying the effect of neonicotinoids on House Sparrows fertility at the University of Neuchatel, Switzerland. Her interests vary from animal behaviour to evolution, and after her MSc she became a research assistant for the Max-Planck institute in Tenerife, working on animal cognition and more specifically focusing on problem-solving in parrots. Throughout her studies and various work experiences, she confirmed her interests in ecotoxicology and environmental studies and her wish to have more impact on biodiversity, avian and other vertebrates’ conservation.
She is currently a PhD student and Associate Fellow at Department of Evolution, Behaviour of Environment, University of Sussex. Her research focuses on ecotoxicology and conservation by studying the impact and exposure of agricultural and domestic pesticides on birds, funded by the Song Bird Survival Society.
Ogemdi Chinwendu Anika
De Montfort University
Ogemdi is a PhD student in the Institute of Energy and Sustainable Development at De Montfort University (DMU), Leicester, United Kingdom. Her research is investigating the roles bioadditives play in enhancing the biodegradation of lignocellulosic waste biomass from the agricultural sector. She is very passionate about the environment and has a huge research interest in the Microbial Processes Underpinning Renewable and Sustainable Energy Production that was inspired by her MSc training in Industrial Microbiology at the University of Abuja, Nigeria. In her previous research, she successfully converted organic wastes into renewable energy using the anaerobic digestion technology. However, there is a need to further improve the process in a sustainable way, such as using bioadditives. Therefore, she is using her PhD research time at DMU to make important discoveries that will contribute to the sustainable production of quality renewable energy from agricultural wastes and at the same time achieve an enhanced decarbonization of the sector.
After completing her BSc in Microbiology at the University of Abuja, Nigeria, she took up a graduate teaching assistant position at University of Calabar where she assisted faculty members to carryout various research, teaching and administrative activities whilst completing a master’s degree study in Industrial Microbiology. In 2020 she was offered a PhD scholarship award by De Montfort University to carry out doctoral research study in Energy and Sustainable Development.