Professor Martin Stevens

My work covers sensory ecology and evolution, especially vision and adaptive coloration. Much of our current research focusses on coloration, behaviour, and human impacts in marine invertebrates.

I am currently Director of Business, Engagement, and Innovation for the Centre for Ecology and Conservation.

I have extensive experience of working with industry and the media, including on a variety of applied projects, TV series, and have published several popular science books, including one (Life in Colour) to accompany the recent David Attenborough BBC 1 TV series.

In 2019 I was awarded the Zoological Society of London's Science Medal.

The research conducted in my group and with our collaborators covers a broad range of areas, including:

• adaptive coloration and behaviour in marine animals, especially intertidal invertebrates, and human impacts on this
• animal vision, in both the natural world and increasingly in an applied context
• methods to analyse and quantify visual information and animal vision, especially from digital images
• animal colour change and camouflage
• anti-predator coloration (camouflage, warning signals, and eyespots)
• benefits of understadning animal vision for improiving animal welfare, safety, and training, and mitigating human impacts on wildlife.

A major current area of research is camouflage in marine species and the mechanisms and function of colour change. We are also investigating how humans are impacting coloration and behaviour through noise and chemical pollution, and invasive species. In addition, I have worked on other applied projects, most notably elated to horse vision and safety in horse sports leading to industry-wide changes.

I work on a wide range of taxonomic groups, currently mostly marine invertebrates, but including birds, reptiles, crabs, insects, primates, and even humans. My work combines empirical and theoretical work in the lab and field, esepcially in the UK and in particular locally around Cornwall. It is interdisciplinary, incorporating theories and methods from several areas of biology, experimental psychology, and computer science.

Please get in touch if you are interested in joining us.

Career:

2017 - Professor of Sensory and Evolutionary Ecology

2015 - Associate Professor of Sensory and Evolutionary Ecology

2012-2014 BBSRC David Philips Senior Research Fellow, Exeter

2009-2012 Fellow, Churchill College, Cambridge

2009-2012 BBSRC David Phillips Research Fellow, Cambridge

2006-2009 Research Fellow, Girton College, Cambridge

2006 PhD Bristol

2003 BSc, Bristol (Zoology)