Dr Peter Kennedy
Research Fellow
p.kennedy@exeter.ac.uk
07977 221071
Environment and Sustainability Institute desk 93, 2.03
Environment and Sustainability Institute, University of Exeter, Penryn Campus, Penryn, Cornwall, TR10 9FE, UK
Overview
I am a behavioural ecologist interested in how insect behaviour affects their survival in a heterogenous and changing environment. My research has focussed on beneficial insects, in particular social and pollinating insects, the ecosystem services they provide, and the interaction of mutliple factors - whether natural or man-made - on their survival. To this end, I utilise a range of technologies to study the movements and foraging patterns of insects. Since 2017, this has included the invasive Asian hornet.
I am a member of the Environment and Sustainability Institute.
Link to my Google Scholar page: https://scholar.google.co.uk/citations?user=IqVCWCAAAAAJ&hl=en
Qualifications
1990 PhD (University of Bristol) Thesis: 'The effect of molluscicides on the abundance and distribution of ground beetles (Coleoptera, Carabidae) and other invertebrates'.
1985 BSc Biology (University of Southampton)
Career
2013 to present Research Fellow in the Environment and Sustainability Institute
2010 - 2013 BBSRC postdoctoral researcher, Rothamsted Research
2008 - 2010 Commercial Business Development Specialist, Rothamsted Research
2007 Seasonal Bee Inspector, National Bee Unit, APHA
2005 - 2007 Terrestrial Field Ecology Specialist, Syngenta
1998 - 2005 Ecotoxicology Study Director, Syngenta
1993 - 1998 MAFF/PSD postdoctoral researcher, Rothamsted Research
1989 - 1992 NERC postdoctoral researcher, University of Aberdeen
Research group links
Research
Research projects
BBSRC-Follow-on-Fund project: 'VespAI - an alert system for invasive Asian hornets based on artificial intelligence'; 2023 - 2024
Univ Exeter IDSAI research award: 'VespAlert: developing an automatic detection system for surveillance of the invasive Asian hornet, Vespa velutina'; 2022-2023
BBSRC-funded project: 'Asian hornets: measuring and modelling the new emerging threat to managed and wild pollinators'; 2020 - 2023.
EU Interreg Atlantic Area programme project: 'Atlantic-POSitiVE: Conservation of Atlantic pollination services and control of the invasive Vespa velutina'; 2019 - 2023.
Defra-funded project: 'Assessing the impact of the Asian hornet (Vespa velutina); 2019.
Defra-funded project: 'Evaluation of off-the-shelf technologies for their potential to track Asian hornets (Vespa velutina); 2017 - 2018.
BBSRC-funded project: 'A systems approach to understanding the impacts of sublethal doses of neonicotinoids on bumblebees and honeybees'; 2014 - 2017.
BBSRC/IPA-funded project: 'Honeybee population dynamics: Integrating the effects of factors inside the hive and in the landscape'; 2010 - 2013.
Research networks
Member of the Velutina Task Force of the international, non-for-profit research association and network COLOSS since 2017.