Dr Shepard is a biologist with a global reputation for her pioneering work on bird flight and bird behavioural responses to the aerial environment. She is an interdisciplinary scientist, collaborating with aeronautical engineers, meteorologists, mathematicians, physicists, and physiologists.

Having been awarded the medal in recognition for her work, Dr Shepard said:

“I started working on flight in 2010 and Swansea University has provided critical support in enabling this research to get going and build momentum. It has been a joy to work within the Welsh academic sector and get hands on with some of the spectacular Welsh wildlife, and I am honoured to have the work recognised through this award”.