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menta<!DOCTYPE html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8" />
<meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1" />
<title>Perryn Richardson | Research Scientist CV</title>
<meta
name="description"
content="Research scientist CV: developmental biology, modelling in R, Python data workflows, and ML-assisted phenotyping."
/>
<link rel="stylesheet" href="styles.css" />
</head>
<body>
<a class="skip-link" href="#main">Skip to content</a>
<header class="site-header">
<div class="container header-grid">
<div class="header-text">
<h1>Perryn Richardson</h1>
<p class="subtitle">Doctoral candidate (Zoology) • Computational biology • ML-assisted phenotyping</p>
<ul class="contact-list" aria-label="Contact details">
<li><span class="label">Location:</span> Stellenbosch, Western Cape, South Africa</li>
<li><span class="label">Phone:</span> (+27) 71-333-6414</li>
<li>
<span class="label">Email:</span>
<a href="mailto:perryrich@sun.ac.za">perryrich@sun.ac.za</a>
</li>
<li>
<span class="label">LinkedIn:</span>
<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/perryn-richardson" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer">
linkedin.com/in/perryn-richardson
</a>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="button-row">
<a class="button" href="#education">Education</a>
<a class="button button-outline" href="#projects">Focus areas</a>
</div>
</div>
<div class="header-photo">
<img src="assets/profile.png" alt="Portrait of Perryn Richardson" />
</div>
</div>
</header>
<main id="main" class="container">
<section class="card" id="summary">
<h2>Summary</h2>
<p>
PhD candidate in Zoology (developmental biology) specialising in computational analysis of complex biological
datasets to understand how developmental environments shape adult phenotype and performance. I combine
mechanistic experimental measurements with high-resolution time-series data and build reproducible pipelines
for data cleaning, modelling, and reporting.
</p>
<p>
I’m particularly drawn to roles that involve building end-to-end analytical pipelines and applying machine
learning thoughtfully (with careful validation and interpretability) to complex biological questions.
</p>
</section>
<section class="card" id="projects">
<h2>Key strengths</h2>
<ul class="bullets">
<li>
<strong>Computational biology & modelling:</strong> statistical modelling, model comparison, and diagnostics in R;
translating biological questions into quantitative frameworks.
</li>
<li>
<strong>Machine learning & data engineering mindset:</strong> feature construction from time-series/environmental data;
Python/SQL for wrangling and structured data handling.
</li>
<li>
<strong>Mechanistic + predictive integration:</strong> linking trait assays (reflectance spectroscopy, heating-rate assays)
with fine-scale environmental drivers to explain and predict phenotype variation.
</li>
<li>
<strong>Reproducibility & communication:</strong> well-documented code, versioned workflows, clear scientific writing;
comfortable collaborating across wet–dry teams.
</li>
</ul>
</section>
<section class="grid">
<section class="card" id="publications">
<h2>Publications in preparation</h2>
<ol class="numbered">
<li>
Richardson P., Clusella-Trullas S. <em>Examining sex-specific plasticity of melanisation in Harmonia axyridis across time.</em>
</li>
<li>
Richardson P., Clusella-Trullas S. <em>Changes in the melanisation of field populations of Harmonia axyridis: Testing theoretical predictions of developmental plasticity and thermoregulation.</em>
</li>
<li>
Richardson P., Terblanche J. S., Bierman A., Bosua H. J., Ismail A., Owen C.
<em>Autogenic control of stress resistance and life history by gut microbes in an African pest insect (Lepidoptera: Thaumatotibia leucotreta).</em>
In preparation for submission to <em>Journal of Insect Physiology</em>.
</li>
<li>
Disney H., Richardson P., Clusella-Trullas S. <em>Identification of a new Phoridae species in South Africa.</em>
</li>
</ol>
</section>
<section class="card" id="affiliations">
<h2>Professional affiliations</h2>
<ul class="bullets">
<li>Insect Welfare Research Society (IWRS), Early Career Committee (2025–present)</li>
<li>Society for Experimental Biology (SEB) (2023–present)</li>
<li>Entomological Society of Southern Africa (ESSA) (2023–present)</li>
<li>Golden Key International Honour Society (2020–2023)</li>
</ul>
</section>
</section>
<section class="card" id="education">
<h2>Education</h2>
<div class="entry">
<div class="entry-header">
<h3>Stellenbosch University — PhD Candidate, Zoology (Developmental and Thermal Biology)</h3>
<p class="meta">Jan 2023 – Jul 2026</p>
</div>
<p class="meta">
Project: <em>Developmental plasticity of melanisation in insects: effects on thermoregulation</em><br />
Supervisor: Prof. Susana Clusella-Trullas
</p>
<ul class="bullets">
<li>
Investigate how larval developmental temperature shapes adult melanisation, cuticular reflectance, and thermal performance
in the invasive ladybeetle <em>Harmonia axyridis</em>.
</li>
<li>
Built integrated datasets combining multi-year microclimate logger time series (15-minute resolution) with phenotypic and physiological measurements.
</li>
<li>
Designed and executed controlled experiments using visible and near-infrared light sources approximating solar spectra to test how melanisation
and cuticle optics influence heating rates and insect fitness.
</li>
<li>
Analysed reflectance spectra across cuticle regions and linked spectral variation to warming dynamics and developmental history.
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<div class="entry">
<div class="entry-header">
<h3>Rhodes University — MSc (Entomology), distinction</h3>
<p class="meta">2021 – 2022</p>
</div>
<p class="meta">
Project: <em>Gut microbiota composition and physiological roles in the False Codling Moth (Thaumatotibia leucotreta)</em>
</p>
<ul class="bullets">
<li>Linked physiological, microbial, and performance datasets to evaluate host metabolism, survival, and thermal tolerance across treatments.</li>
<li>Worked within a multidisciplinary team connecting insect physiology, thermal biology, and microbial ecology.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<div class="entry">
<div class="entry-header">
<h3>Stellenbosch University & HyperionDev — AI & Software Engineering Bootcamp (part-time)</h3>
<p class="meta">Mar 2025 – Jun 2026</p>
</div>
<ul class="bullets">
<li>Python programming, object-oriented design, debugging, and unit testing; version control and collaborative workflows.</li>
<li>Basic SQL and database design for structured data handling (working knowledge).</li>
<li>Built small applications (task manager in Python with unit tests; basic Django web app demonstrating MVC/MVT and CRUD operations).</li>
</ul>
</div>
<div class="entry">
<div class="entry-header">
<h3>Rhodes University — BSc & Honours, distinction</h3>
<p class="meta">2016 – 2020</p>
</div>
</div>
</section>
<section class="grid">
<section class="card" id="awards">
<h2>Awards & honours</h2>
<ul class="bullets">
<li>SU Rector’s Award for Excellent Achievement in Social Impact (2025)</li>
<li>Best PhD Presentation — School for Climate Studies Annual Research Meeting (2024)</li>
<li>Best PhD Presentation — Botany & Zoology Departmental Annual Research Meeting (2024)</li>
<li>Science Faculty Travel Grant (2025)</li>
<li>SU School for Climate Studies bursary (2024–2025)</li>
<li>SU Postgraduate Scholarship Programme (2024–2025)</li>
</ul>
</section>
<section class="card" id="presentations">
<h2>Recent presentations</h2>
<ul class="bullets">
<li>
Science Faculty Postgraduate Conference (2025) — top presenter (biology category);
“Decoding temperature-driven plasticity in a beetle by combining experimental biology and machine learning.”
</li>
<li>
Second Annual School for Climate Studies & CIB Annual Research Meeting (2025) — invited talk on ML-assisted phenotyping and thermal biology.
</li>
<li>
Statistical Ecology and Conservation Research Conference (2025) — Best speaker prize;
“Decoding insect melanisation through pixels, developmental plasticity and seasonal temperature patterns.”
</li>
<li>
Entomological Society of Southern Africa Congress (ESSA 2025) — “Decoding temperature-driven developmental plasticity in the Harlequin ladybeetle.”
</li>
</ul>
</section>
</section>
<section class="grid">
<section class="card" id="teaching">
<h2>Teaching & mentoring</h2>
<ul class="bullets">
<li>Co-supervised Honours research projects (Biodiversity & Ecology; Bioinformatics & Computational Biology), Stellenbosch University (2024).</li>
<li>Course demonstrator and invigilator (Biodiversity & Ecology year 3), Stellenbosch University (2023–2025).</li>
<li>Academic tutor and demonstrator, Rhodes University (2019–2022) — supported practicals, marking, and student mentoring.</li>
</ul>
</section>
<section class="card" id="leadership">
<h2>Community engagement & leadership</h2>
<ul class="bullets">
<li>Stellenbosch University Disability Unit: Neurodiversity student mentor and Certified Autism Specialist (IBCCES: CAS24403034) (2024–2025).</li>
<li>STEMulator: Content writer for public-facing STEM education platform (2023).</li>
<li>
Small Group Facilitation, CHERTL Engage, Rhodes University (2021) — accredited tutor development short course (NQF Level 5).
</li>
<li>Rhodes University Community Engagement (RUCE): Mentor and tutor for Khanya Math’s and Science Club (2019–2022).</li>
<li>Social Responsibility: Community Engagement short course (SCA 8381) (2021).</li>
<li>RUCE: Community Engagement and Higher Education short course (2020).</li>
</ul>
</section>
</section>
<section class="card" id="references">
<h2>References</h2>
<ul class="bullets">
<li>Main supervisor and mentor: Professor Susana Clusella-Trullas — <a href="mailto:sct333@sun.ac.za">sct333@sun.ac.za</a> • <a href="https://climelab.net/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer">climelab.net</a></li>
<li>Prof. Kanshukan Rajaratnam — <a href="mailto:kanshu@sun.ac.za">kanshu@sun.ac.za</a></li>
<li>Prof. Hugh Patterton — <a href="mailto:hpatterton@sun.ac.za">hpatterton@sun.ac.za</a></li>
<li>Professor Martin Hill — <a href="mailto:m.hill@ru.ac.za">m.hill@ru.ac.za</a></li>
</ul>
</section>
<footer class="site-footer">
<p>
<span class="muted">Last updated:</span>
<time datetime="2026-01-01">2026</time>
</p>
</footer>
</main>
</body>
</html>