Staff Profile

Zelda is a statistical modeller with five years postdoctoral research experience. Her research interests are in analysing complex systems using hierarchical & spatio-temporal methods within mixed models, with a particular interest in their application to wildlife ecology and conservation.  

Qualifications

PhD 2013 Ecological Modelling. (Newcastle University) 

MSc 2009 Wildlife Biology and Conservation  (Napier University)

Zelda is currently employed on an EU LIFE 14/ Heritage Lottery Funded project called Red squirrels United (http://www.wildlifetrusts.org/redsquirrelsunited). The project aims to conserve the iconic red squirrel through management of the invasive grey squirrel. 

Previous work has included the analysis of aquatic systems (Salmonids in the Tyne, collaboration with Environment Agency) using models to investigate trends in Salmon and sea trout migration in the Tyne, analysis of disease occurrence in aquaculture systems (with Uni of Hawaii and RUSVM St Kitts),  but also the application of those analysis techniques in the context of medical intervention assessment (Babyclear, http://tobaccocontrol.bmj.com/content/early/2017/02/10/tobaccocontrol-2016-053476). 

• Bell R, Glinianaia S, van der Waal Z, Close A, Moloney E, Jones S, Araújo-Soares V, Hamilton S, Milne E, Shucksmith J, Vale L, Willmore M, White M, Rushton S. Evaluation of a complex healthcare intervention to increase smoking cessation in pregnant women: interrupted time series analysis with economic evaluation. Tobacco Control 2018, 27(1), 90-98.
• Shuttleworth CM, Mill A, van der Waal Z. A preliminary comparison of Magnum 116 body-grip traps with a live capture trap design during the control of grey squirrels (Sciurus carolinensis). International Journal of Pest Management 2017, 63(4), 316-321.
• van der Waal Z. GInaFit: A user guide. 2015.
• Soto E, McGovern-Hopkins E, KlingerBowen R, Fox BK, Brock J, Antonio N, van der Waal Z, Rushton S, Mill A, Tamaru CS. Prevalence of Francisella noatunensis subsp. orientalis in Cultured Tilapia on the Island of Oahu, Hawaii. Journal of Aquatic Aniimal Health 2013, 25(2), 104-109.
• Adams J, van der Waal Z, Rushton S, Rankin J. Associations between introduction and withdrawal of a financial incentive and timing of attendance for antenatal care and incidence of small for gestational age: natural experimental evaluation using interrupted time series methods. BMJ Open 2018, 8, e017697.