The Department
The Department of Zoology, within the Mathematical, Physical and Life Sciences Division at the University of Oxford, has a long-standing reputation for world class research and teaching. Research in the Department is organised into several research themes; these span a broad spectrum of biology ranging from ecology and behaviour, through to molecular evolution, development and infectious disease biology. The Department's success in the most recent Research Assessment Exercise resulted in a year-on-year increase in earnings from that source of 43%. The John Krebs Field Station and Wytham Woods are used by several research groups, including the Edward Grey Institute of Field Ornithology (founded 1936) and the Wildlife Conservation Research Unit (WildCRU). The WildCRU have recently established a Research Centre at Tubney House. Molecular and cellular research is supported by excellent laboratory facilities, while several members of the Department are housed in the recently built Peter Medawar Building for Pathogen Research.
The Department participates in teaching a B.A. degree in Biological Sciences. We were awarded full marks, 24 out of 24, in the official Subject Review (formerly known as Teaching Quality Assessment).
The Department of Zoology currently has approximately 70 academic staff. It also houses a very large and interactive group of post docs (~100) and graduate students (~150). Ten members of the Department are Fellows of the Royal Society including Lord May, President (2000-2005).
A history of the department can be found here.
The Head of Department is Professor Paul Harvey CBE, FRS.
News
Professor Alan Grafen will be awarded the 2011 Medal of the Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour for his contributions to the science of animal behaviour.
Dr Judith Mank has been awarded an ERC startup grant.
Professor David Macdonald has been made a CBE.
Dr Dora Biro has won a L'Oreal Fellowship for Women in Science.
Professor Martin Maiden has been elected to a Fellowship of the Royal College of Pathologists.
Iain Douglas-Hamilton will receive the 2010 Indianapolis Award.
Dr Cristian Capelli has been awarded the Italian National Academy 2010 Fabio Frassetto International Prize for Physical Anthropology.
Dr Angela Brueggemann has been given the 2010 Young Investigator's Award of the European Society for Paediatric Infectious Disease.
Professor Sunetra Gupta has been appointed to a Royal Society Wolfson Research Merit Award, commencing April 2010.
Zoological Society of London 2010 Awards:
- Dr Oliver Pybus: Scientific Medal for outstanding research by a zoologist less than 15 years postdoctoral
- Professor David Macdonald: Silver Medal for contributions towards the understanding and appreciation of zoology
- Professor Charles Godfray: Frink Medal for substantial and original contributions to the science.
British Ecological Society 2010 Awards:
- Ailsa McLean: Anne Keymer Prize for the best oral presentation by a postgraduate student at the Annual Meeting
- Dr. Owen Lewis: Founders’ Prize for early-career contribution towards the science of ecology
- Professor Jeremy Thomas: Marsh Award for Ecology recognising research with a significant impact on the development of ecology
Dr Andy Gardner will receive the Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour 2010 Award for Outstanding Contributions by a New Investigator.
Research Fellowships awarded to start in 2010-2011 academic year:
- Dr Tom Bell, Dr Aris Katzourakis and Dr Jess Metcalfe (Royal Society)
- Dr Marco Archetti and Dr Britt Koskella (NERC)
- Dr Cedric Patthey (Svenska Sällskapet för Medicinsk Forskning - Swedish Society for Medical Research)