Who's Who?
Always under construction and hopelessly out of date! If you are a member of IUSSI North-west European section and wish to be included on this page, or to be updated, send brief details to DRNash (at) bio.ku.dk
| Dr. Michael E. Archer lesley (at) mearcher.fsnet.co.uk 17 Elmfield Terrace, York YO31 1EH, England, U.K. Tel: +44(0)1904 424773 | Research Interest: Social wasps with particular reference to the Vespinae: Taxonomy, Behaviour especially foraging activities, population and colony dynamics, simulation modelling of colony growth and activity. Currently writing a book on my researches in the vespine wasps. |
| Prof. David E. Bignell work: d.bignell (at) qmul.ac.uk home: d.bignell (at) ntlworld.com School of Biological Sciences, Queen Mary & Westfield College, University of London, Mile End Road, London E1 4NS, U.K. Tel: 020 7882 3008 Fax 020 8983 0973 | Research Interests: Interested in all aspects of termite biology |
| Prof. Jacobus J. (Koos) Boomsma JJBoomsma (at) bio.ku.dk Centre for Social Evolution Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen Universitetsparken 15 DK-2100 Copenhagen Ø, Denmark Tel: +45 35321340 Fax: +45 35321250 web site | Research Interests: Social evolution, Evolutionary ecology of social insects, Kin selection, Mating systems of insects and vertebrates, Co-evolution of insects and fungi, Reproductive investment and diet optimization, Evolutionary aspects of genetic diversity and symbiosis, Evolutionary ecology of butterflies and moths, Population fragmentation and conservation biology, Arctic ecology |
| Prof. Andrew Bourke A.Bourke (at) uea.ac.uk School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich NR4 7TJ, UK Tel: +44 (0)1603 591868 Fax: +44 (0)1603 592250 | Research interests: My research concentrates on the evolution, ecology, behaviour and genetics of social insects. I am particularly interested in social evolution (e.g. kin-selected conflicts over reproduction, sex ratio evolution), the genetics of caste determination, and social insect conservation. Ants and (more recently) bumble bees are my favoured study organisms for empirical work. |
Dr. Mark Brown | Research interests: Dynamics and virulence in social insect host-parasite systems, particularly with respect to the bumble bee Bombus terrestris and its parasites. Conservation biology of insects, particularly bees and specifically bumble bees. General biology of social insects |
| Norman Carreck norman.carreck (at) btinternet.com New Hall, Small Dole, Henfield, West Sussex. BN5 9YJ, U.K. Tel: +44 (01273) 492206 Mobile: +44 (07918) 670169 web site | Interests: Most aspects of bees, especially management of farmland for bees and other beneficial insects, use of honey bees to disseminate biocontrol agents, and relationships between Apis mellifera, Varroa jacobsoni and viruses. |
| Prof. Lars Chittka l.chittka (at) qmul.ac.uk School of Biological & Chemical Sciences Queen Mary College University of London Mile End Road London E1 4NS, UK Tel: +44 (0) 20 7882 3043 Fax: +44 (0) 20 8983 0973 web site | Research interests: Sensory Ecology, Communication, Cognition, Behavioural Ecology of Bees, and Interaction with their Plants. |
Dr. Margaret J. Couvillon |
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| Dr. Sarah Donovan sarah.donovan (at) plymouth.ac.uk Faculty of Science, Biology Department B405 Portland Square, University of Plymouth Plymouth, Devon PL4 8AA, UK Tel +44 (0)1626 325 880 Fax +44 (0)1626 325 616 web site 1, web site 2 | Research interests: My current research interests are primarily on rain forest termites, particularly the soil feeding species, which make up the majority of termites. I am looking at their influence on soil properties, their spatial ecology and their interaction with other soil fauna, especially earthworms. |
| Anna Dornhaus A.Dornhaus (at) bristol.ac.uk School of Biological Sciences University of Bristol Woodland Road, Bristol BS8 1UG Tel.: 0117 928 8443 Web site | Research interests: Communication and information flow in bumble bee colonies, recruitment and it's benefits in honey bees, and collective decision-making in ants (Leptothorax) - more generally, proximate mechanisms of coordination in collective behaviours as well as ultimate (ecological) reasons for trying to achieve such coordination. |
| Dr. Mariane Elias marianne.elias (at) helsinki.fi Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences University of Helsinki P.O.Box 65, 00014 Helsinki, Finland tel +358(0)9-191 57695 fax: +358(0)9-191 57694 Web site | Research interests: Social evolution in ants, evolutionary ecology of polydomous populations of ants |
| Dr. Graham Elmes G.elmes (at) ite.ac.uk Institute of Terrestrial Ecology (ITE, NERC) Furzebrook Research Station Wareham, Dorset BH20 5AS UK tel 01929 551518 fax 01929 551087 Web site | Research interests: All aspects of ant biology. Main research in areas of population ecology,myrmecophily and social parasitism. I have a keen interest in the biology and taxonomy of genus Myrmica and maintain a large "working" collection of that genus. I am always interested in receiving material (in alcohol or mounted as gift or exchange) to improve the collection which eventually will be housed in the Hope collection at Oxford University. |
| Dr Elizabeth J.M. Evesham Teacher of Biology, Major in CCF ejme (at) millhill.org.uk Mill Hill School,The Ridgeway, Mill Hill, London NW7 1QS Tel. 0208 959 6386 | Research interests: The behaviour and Ecology of the ant Myrmica rubra. |
| Prof. Jeremy Field j.field (at) sussex.ac.uk Department of Biology and Environmental Science School of Life Sciences John Maynard Smith Building University of Sussex Brighton BN1 9QG, Tel: 01273 877135 (ext.7135) | My special interests are: evolution of eusociality; reproductive skew; primitively eusocial wasps; hover wasps (Stenogastrinae); Polistes; tropics. |
| Dr. Else J. Fjerdingstad Else.Fjerdingstad (at) snv.jussieu.fr Laboratoire d'Ecologie, CNRS UMR 7625 Université Pierre et Marie Curie (Paris 6) 7 Quai St-Bernard, Bâtiment A, 7ème étage, case 237 F-75252 Paris Cedex 05 FRANCE Tel: +33 1 44 27 27 20 fax: +33 1 44 27 35 16 Web site 1, Web site 2 | Main interests: variation in phenotype, behaviour, and fitness of individuals, gene-environment effects, caste evolution, dispersal evolution, reproductive strategies, genetics and ecology of mating systems, sex ratio, individual-level, colony level and kin level selection, ants.Current research: dispersal evolution and sociality in a ciliated protist, caste evolution in ants. |
| Prof. Nigel Franks Nigel.Franks (at) bristol.ac.uk School of Biological Sciences University of Bristol Woodland Road, Bristol BS8 1UG Tel 0117 954 5994 Fax 0117 925 7374 | Research interests: I am interested in mathematical biology and the application of self-organization theory to social insects, particularly how simple rules of thumb employed by individual social insects at a purely local level can generate complex adaptive features at the level of the whole colony. Arising from this is my interest in the development of new computer algorithms based on organization of social insect colonies. Current research: The spatial organization of ant colonies (e.g. brood sorting), their temporal organization (e.g. activity rhythms), self-assembly (e.g. social resilience), division of labour (physical and temporal castes) and individual and collective decision-making (e.g. house hunting and quorum-sensing). |
| Dr. Richard J. Gill rjg24 (at) le.ac.uk Post-Doctoral researcher Department of Biology University of Leicester University Road Leicester, LE1 7RH, UK Tel: +44 (0)116 252 3339 | Current Research: Social Evolution: Investigating the proximate mechanisms regulating social structure in colonies of Leptothorax acervorum. More specifically, looking at behavioural interactions (e.g. aggression), and the genetics underlying variation in reproductive skew. |
| Dr. Nizar Haddad drnizarh (at) yahoo.com Coordinator, Bee Research Unit NCARTT, P.O.Box 620082, 21162 Irbid ñ Jordan Tel: +962 77 327437 Web site | I am the coordinator of the Bee Research Unit at the National Center for Agricultural Research and Technology Transfer, Amman Jordan. I am doing research in the area of Apiculture and beekeeping management, honey bee diseases, honey bee plants, queen rearing and conservation of Apis mellifera syriaca. I am also doing research on the Red Wasp. I am looking for collaborations in any of these areas or in other subject related to them. |
| Dr. Rob Hammond Rh225 (at) le.ac.uk Dept Biology, University of Leicester University Road, Leicester, LE1 7RH, UK Tel: +44 (0)116 252 5302 Web site | Research interests: he evolution of sociality; kin selection; reproductive conflicts; mating systems; the genetic basis of social behaviour; the genetic basis of caste determination. |
| Dr. Adam G. Hart a.hart (at) sheffield.ac.uk Laboratory of Apiculture and Social Insects, Department of Animal and Plant Sciences Sheffield University, Sheffield S10 2TN, UK Tel: 0114 222 0144 fax: 0114 222 0002 Web site | I am currently working on reproductive conflict in Dinoponera and other queenless ponerine ants. This work is both theoretical and empirical. However, I retain an interest in work organization, which was the subject of my PhD and I am also developing ideas of traffic flow on leaf-cutting ant trails. I am also interested in the public understanding of science, and as well as work in National Science Week, I have a regular slot on BBC Radio where I talk about insects and "bugs". |
| Christine Johnson christine.johnson (at) helsinki.fi Post-doctoral Researcher University of Helsinki Department of Ecology and Systematics, P.O. Box 17 FIN-00014 Helsinki, Finland Phone + 358 (0)9 191 28769 Fax + 358 (0)9 191 28701 Web site | Research interests: Evolution of sociality and social parasitism in ants, particularly the proximate mechanisms that contribute to integration of supernumerary reproductive individuals in colonies of several Formica species and of the slave-maker Polyergus breviceps during the colony founding stage. |
| Yael Lubin lubin (at) bgumail.bgu.ac.il Institute for Desert Research, Ben Gurion University, Sede Boker Campus 84990, Israel tel: 972-7-659-6782 fax: 972-7-659-6772 Web site | I am working on social spiders. Projects: ecology and behaviour of Stegodyphus dumicola and S. mimosarum, two social eresid spiders found in southern Africa, and of Stegodyphus lineatus, a related sub-social species found in the Negev desert of Israel. I am interested in the evolution of socility, namely the ecological conditions and genetic constraints that have promoted or allowed cooperative breeding in this group of spiders. |
| Dr. Stephen Martin S.J.Martin (at) sheffield.ac.uk Laboratory of Apiculture & Social Insects, Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, Sheffield University, Western Bank,Sheffield S10 2TN, UK tel: 0114 222 0137 fax: 0114 222 0002 | I have worked of the population dynamics and thermoregulation of social hornets (Vespa) in the Far East for many years. I spent 4 years studying the population dynamics of the honeybee ecto-parasitic mite Varroa jacobsoni. Currently I am investigating how the mites and the bee viruses they activate and vector, lead to the collapse of the honeybee colony. |
| Dr. David Nash DRNash (at) bio.ku.dk Centre for Social Evolution Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen Universitetsparken 15 DK-2100 Copenhagen Ø, Denmark Tel: +45 35321323 Fax: +45 35321250 Web site 1, Web site 2 | IUSSI Webmaster (North-West European and International sections) My research interest is primarily in the symbionts of social insects, both mutualists and parasites. I am particularly interested in interactions between ants and butterflies in the family Lycaenidae. My current research focuses on the parasitic interaction between butterflies of the genus Maculinea and Myrmica ants. |
| David Nicholson davidn (at) cogs.susx.ac.uk CCNR School of Biological Sciences CRPC, The University of Sussex, Falmer, Brighton.BN1 2EX Tel: 01273 678754 Fax: 01273 678535 Web site | My research interests are insect navigation, view based, magnetic etc. Autonomous behaving systems/robots. |
| Dr. Mogens Gissel Nielsen Assoc. Prof. mogens.gissel.nielsen (at) biology.au.dk Department of Zoology, Institute of Biological Sciences, University of Aarhus, Universitetsparken B135, DK- 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark Tel. +45 89422723 Fax +45 8612 5175. Web site | Research interest: Ecology of Lasius flavus and L. alienus in Denmark. Production ecology and energetic in ants. Biology and adaptation to flooding in mangrove ants in Northern Australia |
| Dr. Robert. J. Paxton r.paxton (at) qub.ac.uk School of Biological Sciences, Queen's University Belfast, Medical Biology Centre, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast BT9 7BL, UK Tel: +44 28 90972127 fax: +44 28 90975877 | Special interests: evolution of sociality in bees host-parasite interactions. Current research: kinship structure of social bees (Halictidae, Meliponinae) using microsatellite DNA markers |
| Dr. Jes Søe Pedersen JSPedersen (at) bio.ku.dk Centre for Social Evolution Department of Biology University of Copenhagen Universitetsparken 15, DK-2100 Copenhagen, Denmark Tel.: +45-35321239 Fax: +45-35321250 Web site | Research interests: The evolution of multiple queen colonies and multiple mating by queens in social insects. In particular, how polygynous and polyandrous systems can be studied by genetical methods. Current work concentrates on the ecological and genetical mechanisms that allows the development of extreme sociality in so-called unicolonial ant species. |
| Dr. Nigel Raine n.e.raine (at) qmul.ac.uk School of Biological Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, 327 Mile End Road, London, E1 4NS, UK. Tel: 020 7882 3293 Web site | Research Interests: I am currently investigating the learning capabilities of bumblebees to understand how (and indeed if) such cognitive traits are adapted to their ecological requirements, especially those related to foraging. I retain a general interest in pollination ecology, and have worked on the potential role of shared pollinators in structuring flowering plant communities (the main subject of my PhD thesis). I am also interested in the evolutionary ecology of ant-plant mutualisms, particularly the resolution of ant-pollinator conflicts, and parasitism of mutualisms. During my first postdoc, I also worked on how reproductive conflicts within social insect colonies are resolved. |
| Prof. Francis L. W. Ratnieks F.Ratnieks (at) sheffield.ac.uk Laboratory of Apiculture & Social Insects, Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, Sheffield University, Western Bank,Sheffield S10 2TN, UK tel: 0114 2220070 (office), 2220149 (PhD students), 2220144 (postdocs) fax: 0114 222 0002 Web site publications & PDFs to download | Research Interests: LASI (Laboratory of Apiculture and Social Insects) research investigates three main areas in social insect biology and social evolution: 1 Reproduction and conflicts within insect societies including processes that reduce conflict (worker policing; sex allocation; queen mating systems; kin recognition; inclusive fitness and game theory modelling); 2) Work organization in insect societies and the organization of complex systems task partitioning; communication; foraging organization; mathematical and computer modelling of complex systems). 3) Apiculture, honey bee diseases, breeding, and conservation of native bees (diseases and resistance; queen mating and rearing; stock improvement; colony management). The research often combines mathematical modelling with empirical testing, and we are also interested in the synthesis of ideas about social evolution.. Field studies by myself and other LASI researchers from 1999-2002 have been carried out in many places including Thailand, Australia, Mexico, Panama, Brazil, South Africa, UK. The main study organisms are Apis mellifera (honey bee), Melipona and other Meliponinae (stingless bees), Dinoponera (dinosaur ants), Atta (leafcutter ants), Monomorium pharaonis (Pharaoh's ants), Formica (wood ants), Vespinae wasps (Vespa, Dolichovespula, Vespula). Some current research projects include: caste fate conflict in stingless bees; worker policing in honey bees; conflict in queenless ponerine ants; foraging organization in Pharaoh's ants and wood ants; conservation and improvement of native British honey bees. |
| Dr Elva J. H. Robinson Elva.Robinson (at) yccsa.org York Centre for Complex Systems Analysis, University of York, Heslington, York, YO10 5DD |
Research Interests: Interested in organisation in social insects, especially self-organisation of foraging by use of pheromone trails in ants, and the organisation of division of labour. My work integrates empirical experiments and agent based models. |
| Dr. Karsten Schönrogge ksc (at) ceh.ac.uk Centre for Ecology & Hydrology CEH Wallingford, Maclean Building, Benson Lane, Crowmarsh Gifford, Wallingford, Oxfordshire, OX10 8BB Phone: +44 (0)1491 692410 Mobile: +44 (0)740 2033657 Web site | Interests: (social insects) Myrmecophile insects, social parasitism and communication, population structures and reproductive strategies (polygynous vs. monogynous). (non-social insects) Multitrophic relationships and the dynamics of parasitoid communities, community structuring processes. Current research: Chemical ecology of a myrmecophile hoverfly and its population effects, co-adaptation on species/sub-species levels. The chemistry and evolution of myrmecophily in Maculinea butterflies. |
| Dr. Ana B. Sendova-Franks Ana.Sendova-Franks (at) uwe.ac.uk Faculty of Computer Studies and Mathematics University of the West of England Frenchay Campus, Coldharbour Lane Bristol BS16 1QY, U.K. tel: (0117) 344 3161 fax: (0117) 976 3860 Web site | Lecturer in Statistics. My research interests are: the social physiology of ant colonies, mathematical and statistical modelling of social organisation and the application of ant algorithms to information technology and minimalistic robotics. |
| Jouni Sorvari jouni.sorvari (at) utu.fi University of Turku, Department of Biology Section of Ecology, FIN-20014 Turku, Finland Phone: +358-(0)2-333 5556 Fax: +358-(0)2-333 6550 Web site | Research interests: The general topic of my research is Ecology and Evolution in Ants. Most of my studies concentrate on behavioural ecology, immune defence, reproduction, and dispersal polymorphism and social polymorphism. Research topics are partly studied in the context of landscape and environmental ecology. In addition, I am studying systematics and distribution of Formica rufa group wood ants. |
| Dr. Seirian Sumner Seirian.Sumner (at) ioz.ac.uk Institute of Zoology Zoological Society of London Regent's Park, London, NW1 4RY, U.K. Tel: +44 (0) 207 449 6617 Fax: +44 (0) 207 586 2870 Web site | Research interests: Evolution of sociality, caste determination, gene expression patterns underlying sociality, reproductive conflicts, reproductive strategies and mating systems. |
| Prof. Lotta Sundström liselotte.sundstrom (at) helsinki.fi University of Helsinki, Department of Ecology and Systematics, P.O.Box 17, FIN-00014 Helsinki.fi Phone: +358-(0)9-191 28615 Fax: +358-(0)9-191 28701 Web site | Academy Researcher, lecturer Research interests: Social evolution in ants, especially ultimate factors and proximate mechanisms underlying cooperation and conflicts. The main study organisms are Formica ants, but new projects have started on Lasius flavus. |
| Anton Chernenko anton.chernenko (at) helsinki.fi Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences University of Helsinki P.O.Box 65 (Viikinkaari, 1) FIN-00014 Helsinki, Finland phone: +358-(0)9 191 57697 Web site | Current research: social parasitism and recognition system in Formica ants Broad interests: social learning, evolution of social behaviour and its flexibility. |
| Mischa Dijkstra MDijkstra (at) bio.ku.dk Department of Population Biology Institute of Biology, University of Copenhagen Universitetsparken 15 DK-2100 Copenhagen Ø, Denmark Tel: +45 35321318 Fax: +45 35321250 Web site | My research focuses on worker egg laying and worker policing in the fungus-growing ants, especially in the genera Acromyrmex, Trachymyrmex, and Sericomyrmex. |
| Richard J. Gill r.j.gill (at) 2006.hull.ac.uk Ph.D. Research Student Evolutionary Biology Group Dept. of Biological Sciences University of Hull HU6 7RX, UK Mobile: +44 7742358264 | Current Research: Social Evolution: Investigating the proximate mechanisms regulating social structure in colonies of Leptothorax acervorum. More specifically, looking at behavioural interactions (e.g. aggression), and the genetics underlying variation in reproductive skew. |
Minttu Hannonen |
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| Heikki Helanterä heikki.helantera (at) helsinki.fi University of Helsinki Department of Ecology and Systematics P.O.Box 17, FIN-00014 Helsinki.fi Phone: +358-(0)9-191 28777 Mobile: +358-(0)40 75 07 334 Fax: +358-(0)9-191 28701 Web site | Research interests: Social evolution in ants, behavioral and population level studies of worker reproduction and worker policing in Formica, especially F. fusca |
Jacob G. Holland |
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| Alice Johnson johnson (at) eco.umnw.ethz.ch ETH Zürich, Experimental Ecology, ETH Zentrum NW, CH-8092 Zürich, Switzerland Tel: +41 (0) 1 632 69 28 Fax: +41 (0) 1 632 12 71 | Research interests: Interactions and evolution in a host-parasite system (bumblebees and selected parasites). |
| Martin H. Kärcher martin_kaercher (at) yahoo.de Laboratory of Apiculture & Social Insects Department of Biology & Environmental Science School of Life Sciences John Maynard Smith Building University of Sussex Brighton BN1 9QG, UK Phone: +43 316 382448 (landline, Austria), +43 650 3824481 (mobile, Austria), +44 127 387 7198 (landline, England). Web site | Research interests: I am a PhD student of Prof. Ratnieks at the University of Sussex. Currently, I study conflicts and conflict resolution in societies of honey bees and stingless bees. More specifically, I study intracolonial conflicts such as conflict over male production (e.g. worker policing) or female caste fate. I also study the role of nestmate recognition in the context of intercolonial conflicts. (Further interests include predator-prey interactions, traffic organisation and beekeeping.) |
| Emma Napper ekn (at) ceh.ac.uk Centre of Ecology and Hydrology, CEH Dorset, Winfrith Technology Centre, Winfrith Newburgh, Dorchester, Dorset, DT2 8ZD, U.K. Tel.: +44 (0)1305 213584(office) | Interests: Mechanisms used by myrmecophiles (Microdon mutabilis and Maculinea arion) to infiltrate their host ant colonies. |
Martina Ozan | Research interests: My PhD research focuses on reproductive partitioning in black ant, Formica fusca. I am mainly looking at queen traits that may determine queen reproductive share in polygynous colony such as fecundity and egg viability as well as presence and status signalling by queens and the utilization of this information by workers. |
| Angus Stokes angus (at) angus.co.uk Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, Social Insect Laboratory, Sheffield University, Western Bank, Sheffield S10 2TN, UK. tel: 0114 2220149 fax 01298 872823 Web site 1, Web site 2 | Researching improvement of honey bee (Apis mellifera mellifera) queen rearing management: mated queen production, controlled mating, queen introduction, overwintering, stock selection, mating apiary isolation. |
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