[1] Chilvers graduated with a Bachelor of Agricultural Science from Lincoln University in 1994.
She moved to James Cook University in Townsville, Queensland to study for a PhD which she completed in 2002.
Her thesis was titled "Behavioural ecology of bottlenose dolphins, Tursiops aduncus, in S.E.
Queensland, Australia: Adaptations to ecological and anthropogenic influences".
[2] Returning to New Zealand, Chilvers joined Massey University where she was appointed full professor with effect from 1 January 2019.