I am interested in behavioural ecology of vertebrates in anthropogenic environments, in the context of biodiversity conservation and mitigation of human-wildlife conflict. My research currently focusses on mammals in urban landscapes, in particular concerning intra and inter-specific interactions and the implications of these for community dynamics and disease transmission. I am currently investigating niche partitioning between foxes, badgers, domestic cats and hedgehogs, and between foxes and the intermediate gastropod hosts of helminth diseases. I am also involved in developing novel technologies for investigating urban ecological processes, including the use of wireless sensor networks to monitor resource selection and social behaviour. I am interested in Citizen Science as a tool for wildlife monitoring and public engagement with nature, particularly in the context of increasing global urbanisation.

I like to teach in as interactive a way as possible, and particularly enjoy project supervision, leading small group tutorials, and field trips. I include topical issues and examples in my teaching and link theory with real-world scenarios wherever possible. I use a variety of resources including video and audio media sources, online and in-class quizzes, field demonstrations, and discussion of scientific and popular science articles. I try to connect with students by using reference points that they are familiar with. I expect my students simply to engage with me and with the subject matter, and be mentally as well as physically present!

I am open to supervising students and researchers in any aspect of behavioural ecology, but particularly that which aids our understanding of how wild animals interact with humans. Current/previous BSc., MRes and PhD students have investigated a diverse range of topics under my supervision including: leopard population estimation using Citizen Science, novel devices for reducing domestic cat predation of garden birds, effects of supplementary feeding on urban foxes,  social interactions and stress in domestic cats, effects of deforestation on neotropical lizard and bird communities, and agricultural change and farmland bird conservation in Europe.