Social behaviour underpins the evolution of animal and human societies, and hence interactions with the environment more widely. For example, Avian influenza is passed on between birds, causes losses in the billions for poultry holders, and has the potential of causing new influenza that humans have no immunity for. Yet we know next to nothing of how social bird congregations contribute to transmission patterns.

We study how animals socialise, mate, fight and raise their offspring in groups, using state-of-the-art technology, sensors and machine learning to quantify behaviours and analyse social network data. Current research spans from assortment in sparrows, same-sex sociosexual behaviour in monkeys, to mosquitoes, bees and even humans.

Key Academics

Dr Julia Schroeder, Department of Life Sciences, Faculty of Natural Sciences
Prof. Vincent Savolainen, Department of Life Sciences, Faculty of Natural Sciences
Dr Lauren Cator, Department of Life Sciences, Faculty of Natural Sciences
Dr Richard Gill, Department of Life Sciences, Faculty of Natural Sciences