Dr Jacob C Dunn is an Associate Professor of Evolutionary Biology at Anglia Ruskin University's School of Life Sciences. Formerly a Senior Lecturer at Anglia Ruskin (2016–2020) and Lecturer at the University of Cambridge's Division of Biological Anthropology (2012–2016), he leads the Primate Evolution and Ecology Research Group and directs the Behavioural Ecology Research Group . His research focuses on primate vocal communication, language evolution, and conservation applications of bioacoustics, with international collaborations including the Fitch Lab at the University of Vienna. Research Interests: Bioacoustic analysis of primate vocal anatomy Macroevolutionary hypothesis testing Comparative studies of fear evolution Eco-acoustic approaches to animal welfare Phylogenetic comparative methods Notable Grants: £15,000 from Accelerate-C2D3 (2022–2023) £65,000 QR Funding (2021–2022) £340,000 Hydrophis Gas grant (2019–2022) £66,000 Anglia Ruskin University grant (2019–2020) Teaching: BSc (Hons) Zoology, Animal Behaviour, and Ecology & Conservation.
Dr Rachel Grant is a Senior Lecturer and Course Director in Bioscience at London South Bank University (LSBU), affiliated with the Bioscience and Bioengineering Research Centre within the School of Human Sciences. She joined LSBU in 2020 after academic roles at Oxford, Cambridge, Anglia Ruskin, and Northampton Universities. Senior Lecturer, LSBU (2020–present) Course Director, Bioscience Research focus: behavioural and evolutionary ecology Her educational background includes: BSc (Hons) Biology (1986–1990) PG Dip Animal Behaviour (2000–2003) PhD (2003–2010) PG Cert LTHE (2012) Rachel's research spans behavioural and evolutionary ecology , with a focus on amphibians, reptiles, and birds. She investigates the influence of geophysical variables on animal behaviour—work relevant to conservation and hazard forecasting. A significant portion of her recent work centers on psittacine bird welfare and personality models, as well as exotic pet welfare models like the Five Domains. She also explores human behavioural ecology , particularly the evolutionary origins of patriarchy and deimatic displays in humans. Her expertise supports the UN Sustainable Development Goals in education and planetary protection. The recent publication trends highlight her interdisciplinary approach, combining zoology, conservation, animal welfare, and evolutionary theory . Her work frequently intersects with public policy, media, and ethical considerations in pet ownership and research inclusivity. Articles from 2024 demonstrate her engagement with both scientific journals and public-facing platforms, addressing topics from reptile expos to disabled researchers' career progression during the pandemic. Scientific engagement and recognition include: Media contributor: Channel 5's "Tsunami", Discovery Channel, NASA Unexplained Files News and radio interviews on animal behaviour and conservation Public engagement through documentaries and outreach Rachel leads curriculum development as Course Director and teaches modules such as Aetiology of Disease, Foundation Biology, Employability, and Level 6 Project. She mentors student research and integrates research methods and statistics into her teaching. While no formal grants or students are listed, her leadership in the DISCOVerY Project indicates involvement in equity-focused research initiatives. She is actively contributing to academic discourse through peer-reviewed publications and public science communication. She is associated with the Bioscience and Bioengineering Research Centre , where her work contributes to understanding animal-environment interactions, improving welfare standards, and promoting inclusive research practices. Her team collaborates on interdisciplinary projects linking biology, geophysics, and social sciences, particularly in risk forecasting and conservation applications.
Patrick Bennett is a Professor in the Department of Psychology, Neuroscience & Behaviour at McMaster University , focusing on visual perception, aging, and cognitive neuroscience. His research explores how aging affects visual processing mechanisms, face identification, and perceptual learning. Key Research Areas : Aging effects on vision, Face processing, EEG dynamics, Biological motion perception, Perceptual learning Recent Publications : Analyzed visual crowding in older adults (2025), Investigated 3D target detection mechanisms (2024), Studied face mask impacts on emotion recognition (2023) Teaching : Instructs advanced statistics and research design courses for psychology students. His work combines computational methods with behavioral experiments to understand neural processing changes across the lifespan.
Hironori Shimada is Professor at Waseda University’s Faculty of Human Sciences and a member of the Science Council of Japan. Holding a Ph.D. from Waseda, he has served continuously on the faculties of Waseda, Niigata and Hiroshima Universities since 1996, specialising in clinical psychology, cognitive-behavioural therapy, stress management and public-health education. Education: 1996 – Ph.D. in Health Sciences, Graduate School of Human Sciences, Waseda University Research interests: Shimada’s work integrates cognitive-behavioural models with public-health approaches to develop and validate interventions for stress, anxiety, addiction, sexual offending, gambling disorder, and childhood behavioural problems. He investigates mechanisms such as cognitive fusion, self-compassion, and contingency perception, and translates findings into scalable manuals, smartphone apps, and school-based programmes. Recent articles (2024-2025) reveal concentrated effort on: Forensic CBT (sex-offender and adolescent-delinquency programmes), Addiction CBT (gambling, internet-gaming, kleptomania) utilising ACT and mindfulness components, Stress-management education in schools and workplaces (self-compassion, help-seeking, teacher mental-health), Psychometric development (Japanese versions of IORNS, cognitive-fusion scales, gambling-urge scales). Scientific awards: JSSM Awards 2018 JAHP Awards 2018 JABCT Awards 2017 Japan Society for Stress Management Award (joint) 2017 JABT Awards 2006 & 2004 JACS Awards 2001 JSBM Awards 2001 JSPM & JAHP Awards 1997 Advising & grants: While individual student names are not listed, Shimada leads large-scale school-based intervention trials and forensic treatment projects implying substantial graduate supervision; funding sources are implied through continuous institutional and ministerial committee appointments. Labs & teams: He heads clinical-psychology laboratories within Waseda’s Faculty of Human Sciences, coordinating multi-site projects on CBT dissemination, stress-management scale development, and forensic risk assessment, while collaborating with correctional and educational authorities nationwide.
Dr. Ondi Crino is a Lecturer in the School of Biological Sciences at Flinders University, where she serves as Topic Coordinator for Introduction to Animal Behaviour (BIOL1711) and Animal Handling and Husbandry (BIOL2106). Her research examines the physiological mechanisms that regulate animal behavior, with a focus on understanding how conditions experienced during development shape endocrine responses that affect behavior and physiology across life history stages with consequences on fitness and life history strategies. Education PhD in Organismal Biology and Ecology, University of Montana (USA), 2013 Masters in Zoology, University of Florida (USA), 2008 Bachelors in Biology, Lewis & Clark College (USA), 2002 Research Focus Dr. Crino takes a whole organism approach by integrating studies of animal behavior and physiology to tackle large-scale questions at the nexus of behavioral ecology, physiological ecology, and evolutionary biology. Her work primarily investigates how developmental conditions shape endocrine responses that affect behavior and physiology across life history stages. She also examines the impact of anthropogenic disturbances on wild animals, contributing to conservation physiology with important applications for endangered species management. Dr. Crino works across taxonomic groups including birds, reptiles, mammals, and fish, with particular emphasis on birds and lizards. Publication Trends Dr. Crino's recent publications (2024-2025) demonstrate deepening integration of mitochondrial function with behavioral ecology. Her work increasingly explores how cellular energy production mechanisms relate to fitness outcomes and sexual selection. There's a clear pattern of examining both avian and reptilian models, with particular attention to how early environmental conditions affect stress responses, cognitive abilities, and reproductive strategies. Her research shows growing emphasis on conservation applications, particularly regarding anthropogenic disturbances on wildlife physiology and behavior. Teaching and Research Activities As Topic Coordinator for key courses in animal behavior and handling, Dr. Crino plays a significant role in training future biologists. Her teaching aligns closely with her research expertise, providing students with both theoretical knowledge and practical skills. She holds a Visiting Fellow position at Australian National University (since June 2023) and has published extensively since 2006, with increased output in recent years (5 publications in 2024 and 7 in 2025). Her work frequently appears in high-impact journals including Journal of Experimental Biology and Proceedings of the Royal Society B.
Prof. Dr. Sabine Begall is a Researcher at the Department of General Zoology , Faculty of Biology , University of Duisburg-Essen. With over 25 years of experience, she focuses on the sensory ecology of subterranean mammals, particularly Fukomys anselli , exploring magnetoreception , acoustic communication , visual adaptations , and physiological responses to underground environments . Key Research Areas: Subterranean mammal sensory ecology Thyroid hormone regulation in aging Magnetic field orientation mechanisms Comparative auditory and visual systems Domestication syndrome in rodents Evolutionary adaptations in burrowing species Recent Article Trends: 2025 study on retinal ganglion cell diversity in microphthalmic mammals 2024 thyroid hormone and hypoxia research in mole-rats 2023 comparative analyses of burrow acoustics and dental structures Scientific Awards: Honor for outstanding dissertation (2001), University of Essen Fritz Frank Prize (2001), German Society for Mammalogy She serves as a reviewer for journals including Journal of Morphology , Animal Behaviour , and Scientific Reports , and has contributed to major publications on subterranean rodent ecology.
Associate Professor James N. Kirby is a Clinical Psychologist and Co-Director of the Compassionate Mind Research Group at the School of Psychology, University of Queensland. He holds affiliate positions at the Parenting and Family Support Centre, Early Cognitive Development Centre, and Centre for Health Outcomes, Innovation and Clinical Education (CHOICE), all within the Faculty of Health, Medicine and Behavioural Sciences. Additionally, he maintains a Visiting Fellowship at the Center for Compassion and Altruism Research and Education at Stanford University and is an Honorary Member of the Compassionate Mind Foundation UK. Dr. Kirby earned his Bachelor (Honours) of Psychological Science and Doctor of Philosophy from the University of Queensland. His expertise spans clinical psychology with a specialization in compassion research and interventions. Dr. Kirby's research focuses on compassion and its applications in mental health. His work examines factors that facilitate and inhibit compassionate responding, with particular attention to how compassion-focused interventions help address self-criticism and shame underlying depression and anxiety disorders. His research spans multiple domains including parenting, athlete well-being, mental health in the performing arts, and compassion in healthcare settings. He investigates compassion from multiple angles: as a transdiagnostic treatment target, its neurophysiological correlates, its relationship to social rank and attachment, and its application in diverse populations including autistic adults and fathers. His recent publications reveal a strong emphasis on practical compassion-focused interventions across diverse contexts. There's a clear trend toward examining compassion's physiological correlates (particularly heart rate variability), its application in specific populations (autistic adults, athletes, performing artists), and its role in addressing specific mental health challenges like weight stigma in lipoedema. His work increasingly incorporates digital assessment tools and examines compassion in everyday life through experience sampling methods. The research demonstrates how compassion functions as a cross-cutting therapeutic mechanism applicable across multiple mental health conditions. Associate Editor, Mindfulness journal Associate Editor, Psychology & Psychotherapy: Theory, Research & Practice Author of Choose Compassion (2022) Co-editor of Making an Impact on Mental Health (2020) Co-author of Essentials of Compassion Focused Therapy: A Practice Manual for Clinicians (2024) Dr. Kirby is actively involved in research supervision, currently overseeing multiple PhD candidates across diverse projects related to compassion. His current supervision includes research on deepening self-compassion, online compassion skills training, compassion in healthcare, gender and sexuality perspectives on body image, and compassion-based interventions for caregivers of children born preterm. He has successfully supervised several PhD students to completion, with research focusing on social and affective impacts of attachment, compassion-focused therapy for body weight shame, neurophysiological correlates of compassion, and compassion in parenting contexts. His grants portfolio includes projects funded by Australian Red Cross Lifeblood, Anglicare Southern Queensland, Metro North Hospital and Health Service, and YoungCare Ltd. As Co-Director of the Compassionate Mind Research Group, Dr. Kirby leads a multidisciplinary team dedicated to advancing the science and application of compassion. His current research examines compassion in blood donation, the justice system, traumatic pregnancy, and compassionate decision-making, demonstrating the breadth and impact of his work across multiple domains of human experience.
Alexei Maklakov is a Professor of Evolutionary Biology and Biogerontology at the University of East Anglia, School of Biological Sciences. He is an active faculty member and principal investigator leading a research group focused on the evolution of ageing and life histories. He is affiliated with several research centers, including the Norwich Institute for Healthy Aging, the Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Conservation, and the Organisms and the Environment research group. Research Interests: His research centers on fundamental questions in evolutionary biology, particularly: Why do organisms age? Why do males and females exhibit different life histories and lifespans? How do trade-offs shape the evolution of ageing? His lab investigates the evolution of life histories, sexual dimorphism, and conflicts between the sexes, integrating evolutionary theory of ageing with sexual selection theory. Current interests include age-specific nutrient-sensing signaling, transgenerational effects of lifespan extension, and sex differences in ageing. Research is conducted using diverse organisms such as roundworms (C. elegans), beetles, fruit flies, birds, and human population data. Research Trends: His recent publications reveal a consistent focus on experimental and theoretical approaches to ageing. Key themes include transgenerational fitness effects, cost-free lifespan extension, and trade-offs between early-life fitness and reproductive ageing. The work combines molecular genetics (e.g., RNAi, gene expression), experimental evolution, and long-term ecological studies, demonstrating a multidisciplinary approach bridging molecular biology and evolutionary ecology. Scientific Awards: No specific awards or fellowships are mentioned in the provided text. Advising and Grants: Alexei Maklakov is accepting PhD students and actively supervises research. He leads several major externally funded research projects, including: Leverhulme Trust: The mechanisms and adaptive value of transgenerational epigenetic effects (2023–2027) BBSRC: I see / smell / touch / hear and therefore I am: sex differences in perception alter survival and reproduction (2022–2025) NERC: Testing classical and emerging evolutionary theories of ageing in ecologically relevant environments (2022–2025) NERC: Understanding the breadth and depth of heatwave damage to reproduction across insect systems (2020–2024) BBSRC: The cost of longevity: transgenerational consequences of parental lifespan extension for offspring fitness (2018–2021) These grants reflect sustained funding and leadership in evolutionary gerontology. Labs and Teams: He leads his own research lab, accessible via alexeimaklakov.com . He collaborates closely with researchers such as Professor Tracey Chapman, Dr. Simone Immler, and Dr. Edward Duxbury. He is also a member of the BIO Executive and serves as Director of Research within his school, indicating significant administrative and leadership responsibilities.
Mehrad Moeini Jazani is an Associate Professor of Marketing at the University of Groningen, affiliated with the Faculty of Economics and Business and the Department of Marketing. He leads the Scientific Committee of the Business Research Lab and coordinates the Department of Marketing's Brown Bag Seminars. His research focuses on consumer behavior, strategic brand management, and decision-making under intertemporal contexts. He also investigates experimental design and data analysis methodologies. Key research interests include how psychosocial resources like power and financial status influence consumer decisions, as well as the role of situational factors in moral judgments across cultures. Recent work explores opportunity cost salience, economic inequality effects on control preferences, and gut-brain interactions affecting reward sensitivity. Dr. Jazani has contributed to high-impact journals like Nature Human Behaviour and Psychological Science , often collaborating internationally. His work bridges behavioral science and marketing, addressing topics from self-affirmation effects to ego-depletion theory.
Dr. Luke Glowacki is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Anthropology at Boston University, with affiliations to the Center for Innovation in Social Science and African Studies Center. His research focuses on human evolution, warfare dynamics, and social behavior in small-scale societies, particularly among Ethiopian/South Sudanese pastoralists. Education: PhD, Harvard University His work combines fieldwork with computational modeling to understand intergroup violence, cooperation, and cultural evolution. Publications span Science , PNAS , and Nature Human Behaviour , with popular science contributions to New York Times and Washington Post . He co-founded the Omo Valley Research Project in 2019. Research Trends: Recent publications emphasize social network impacts on conflict (2025), cultural evolution of rituals (2024), and subsistence-behavior links (2023). Key themes include warfare origins, cooperation mechanisms, and methodological innovations in studying mobile populations.
Dr Ellen Garland is a Principal Research Fellow in the School of Biology at the University of St Andrews , Scotland. She is affiliated with the Centre for Biological Diversity, the Scottish Oceans Institute, the Sea Mammal Research Unit (SMRU), and the Centre for Social Learning & Cognitive Evolution. She leads multiple research projects funded by The Royal Society and is an active Principal Investigator in marine bioacoustics and animal culture. Research Interests: Her primary research focuses on animal culture , social learning , bioacoustics , and behavioural ecology , particularly in cetaceans. She specializes in the cultural transmission, vocal learning, and function of humpback whale song, using vocal sequence analysis to define population structures for conservation. Her work contributes to UN Sustainable Development Goals related to life below water and biodiversity. Recent Research Trends: Her recent publications (2023–2025) explore humpback whale song complexity, cultural evolution, mating systems, and the parallels between whale song and human language. These studies combine bioacoustics, genetics, and network analysis to understand cultural transmission and population dynamics. Scientific Awards: National Academy of Sciences Postdoctoral Fellowship (2012) Academy of Medical Sciences SUSTAIN career programme (2023) ASA Acoustic Expert Multimedia: Honourable mention (2023) Co-lead, UNEP CMS Expert Working Group on Animal Culture (2023) Executive Officer, South Pacific Whale Research Consortium (2019) Advising and Grants: She supervises research and has led multiple funded projects with The Royal Society, including a University Research Fellowship extension (2022–2025) with over £360,000 in funding. She collaborates internationally and mentors early-career researchers. Her lab generates extensive datasets on cetacean vocalizations and genetics. Laboratories and Teams: She is embedded in the Sea Mammal Research Unit and the Centre for Social Learning & Cognitive Evolution, working with interdisciplinary teams on marine mammal cognition, communication, and conservation.
Andrea Ashbaugh is an Associate Professor in the School of Psychology at the University of Ottawa and Director of the Centre for Psychological Services and Research. She is a licensed clinical psychologist in Ontario, Canada, with expertise in anxiety disorders, cognitive-behavioral treatments (CBT), and moral injury. Her research spans understanding trauma-related psychopathology, memory processes, and the impact of arousal beliefs on sexual functioning through the Cognition and Anxiety Studies Laboratory (CASL) and the Sex and Anxiety Research Group (SAX-RG). Director, Centre for Psychological Services and Research Former President, Canadian Association of Cognitive and Behavioural Therapies (CACBT) Editorial Board Member, Psychological Assessment and Frontiers in Psychiatry Her work has been funded by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC). She co-developed national CBT training guidelines in 2019 and contributes to global CBT standards via the World Confederation of Cognitive and Behavioural Therapies.
Dr. Tali Spiegel is an Associate Professor in the Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences at Utrecht University , Netherlands. She serves as the Coordinator of the Master's program Sociology: Contemporary Social Problems and Co-director of the FSW Honours Program . Her research focuses on intersectional dynamics in workplace identity management, educational assessment methodologies, and social well-being frameworks. Social Production Function Theory Disability Workplace Integration Academic Examination Design LGBTQ+ Youth Social Dynamics Her publications analyze examination formats' impact on student outcomes, aging population interventions, and stigma coping strategies. She contributes to journals like Journal of Happiness Studies and Frontiers in Aging . Collaborations include researchers from Utrecht University and international institutions. Current affiliations include the Buskens Chair in Social Networks, Solidarity and Inequality , where she explores social needs fulfillment and well-being optimization. She employs mixed-methods approaches across her research spectrum.
Dr. Melike Schalomon serves as Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Science and Professor in the Department of Psychology at MacEwan University, Edmonton, Alberta. Her enduring commitment since completing her PhD has shaped the university's academic trajectory and research infrastructure, particularly through pioneering animal research programs. Her academic foundation includes advanced training in neuroscience: PhD, University of Alberta M.Sc., University of Alberta B.Sc., Laurentian University Dr. Schalomon's research centers on behavioural neuroscience using zebrafish models to investigate anxiety, memory, and neuropharmacological mechanisms. She develops innovative behavioural paradigms to assess pharmaceutical impacts on neural function, bridging neuroanatomy, psychopharmacology, and animal methodology. Her secondary research explores human sexuality in autism spectrum disorder, examining sexual orientation dynamics in neurodiverse populations. Analysis of her publication history reveals a dominant focus on zebrafish behavioural pharmacology since 2016, with increasing sophistication in anxiety and memory testing methodologies. Earlier work (2012-2014) established foundational contributions to autism and sexuality research, while recent publications (2023-2024) demonstrate methodological innovation in behavioural assessment and cross-disciplinary educational studies. Her distinguished contributions include: Distinguished Teaching Award, MacEwan University (2010) Dr. Schalomon actively mentors honours students and supervises senior independent research projects. Her institutional leadership spans multiple high-impact committees including Academic Planning and Quality Assurance (2020-present), Crisis Management Team (2018-present), Deans' Council (2018-2019, 2020-present), and Strategic Enrolment Management Steering Committee (2023-present), reflecting deep engagement in university governance. Her research operations involve specialized zebrafish behavioural neuroscience facilities at MacEwan, supporting collaborative work in anxiety pharmacology and memory mechanisms through standardized testing protocols developed within her team.
Dr. Gabrielle Davidson is a Post Doctoral Researcher at the School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University College Cork (UCC), where she investigates cognitive evolution in avian species using wild great tits and corvids as model systems under Professor John Quinn's supervision. Her educational qualifications include: BSc in Zoology from University College London PhD in Experimental Psychology from the University of Cambridge (2014) Davidson specializes in the intersection of comparative psychology and behavioural ecology, examining how cognitive traits develop, function, and evolve in natural environments. Her work focuses on gaze sensitivity mechanisms in corvids, causal reasoning in Eurasian jays, and individual variation in cognitive abilities within wild bird populations. She employs rigorous field-based cognitive testing to explore how these traits influence foraging strategies, predator avoidance, nesting behaviors, and reproductive success, addressing fundamental questions about intelligence evolution in ecological contexts. Analysis of her publication record reveals a cohesive research trajectory centered on avian cognition, with dominant themes including gaze perception systems, microbiome-cognition interactions, evolutionary drivers of visual signaling, and methodological innovations in measuring behavioral consistency. Her interdisciplinary approach bridges ethology, evolutionary biology, and cognitive neuroscience, frequently utilizing passerine and corvid species to model cognitive processes relevant to broader biological and psychological principles. Davidson actively participates in the UCC Ornithology Research Group and maintains significant public engagement through collaborations with BBC documentaries, National Geographic features, and presentations to ornithological societies. Her science communication efforts translate complex cognitive research for diverse audiences, highlighting real-world applications of animal behavior studies.
