Gary completed his B.Sc. in Biodiversity and Ecology at the University of Stellenbosch, after which he completed his Honours in 2010. Gary then went on to a molecular ecological study on an African parasitoid fig wasp genus, to test their host specificity to African fig tree species. In 2011 Gary interned for City of Cape Town Nature Conservation, where he managed the Cape Town Biodiversity Database, as well as the species data capturing of Cape Town nature reserves. In early 2012 Gary was a conservation-assistant on Fregate Island in Seychelles, which involved the tagging of Leatherback Turtles, and the monitoring of their nests, eggs and hatchlings. 

 

Gary's scientific interest is very broad, but mainly centers around ecological- and evolutionary-processes and -interactions in nature, as well as the multi-level inter-connectivity thereof. He completed his M.Sc. through the University of Pretoria, with Theresa Wossler as co-supervisor. His project investigated the diversity and distribution of South African bee species in the Savannah biome, using bee museum data and utilizing ecological niche modelling techniques. Gary graduated in December 2016.