Behavioural Ecology

BIOGRAPHY

ACADEMIC POSITION:
Professor, School of Biology, University of St Andrews

EDUCATION:
BSc, DPhil, University of Ulster

MEMBERSHIPS AND AWARDS:
• Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh
• Beverton Medal (FSBI) 2006
• Member of RAE 2008 sub-panel 14 (biological sciences)
• Editor, Proceedings of the Royal Society, Series B
• Board of Reviewing Editors, Science
• Council member, Marine Biological association
• Royal Society/Leverhulme Trust Senior Research Fellow 2002-2003
• Member of British Antarctic Survey Integrated Programme Review Committee 2001-2006
• Member of Awards Committee, Zoological Society of London
• Member of the Editorial Board of Proceedings to the Royal Society, Series B 1998-2008
• Member of the Royal Society Working Party on Biodiversity Measurement 2002-2003

RESEARCH INTERESTS:
My current research concerns the measurement, evolution and conservation of biological diversity. It focuses on neotropical freshwater fish and I have active research programmes and collaborations in the Brazilian Amazon, in Trinidad and in Mexico. Much of my research relates to the Trinidadian guppy, a model organism in evolutionary biology. A key objective is to unravel the evolution of reproductive isolating mechanisms and social behaviour in these systems. This work involves a range of molecular and behavioural tools. Other research projects concern piranha behaviour and the ecology of invasive species. In addition, I am helping devise strategies to monitor and conserve biodiversity in neotropical environments and working towards the same goals in Scotland.