I'm a Senior Lecturer of Tropical Marine Science at Newcastle University in the UK. My research concerns the evolution of social and mating systems in coral reef fishes. Originally from Germany, I completed my PhD at James Cook University in Australia and spent two years at Boston University as a Marie Curie Fellow before starting my research group at Newcastle University in 2022.

I’m a behavioural ecologist interested in why animals sometimes cooperate, and why they sometimes do not. While I draw on behavioural data, my recent work relies heavily on analytical modelling to explore how local interactions scale up, and how relatedness and demography influence the evolution of social traits.

As part of my research in the Rueger lab, I’ve been helping develop theory to explain variation in cooperative strategies across animal groups—especially how individuals allocate effort between short term gains and investment in the future. This builds on my broader aim to integrate evolutionary theory with observed patterns of social complexity across species. Website: https://dwsankey.wixsite.com/collectiveecology

I’m a marine biologist currently pursuing a PhD at Newcastle University, where I research the role of acoustic cues in anemonefish social hierarchies. My work aims to better understand how social fish use sound to maintain group structure and how increasing levels of anthropogenic noise may disrupt these vital communication systems. My academic interests span animal behaviour, ecology, and environmental conservation, and  I’m especially passionate about science communication and outreach.

Hi! I’m a PhD student at Newcastle University, and I am interested in understanding nuance and context, especially during environmental disturbances. As part of my PhD research, I’ve monitored inshore anemonefish populations to study their response to environmental stressors and disturbance events. I was working on marine research and wildlife conservation projects across Central America and South-East Asia, before wandering over to Newcastle in 2022 to join Theresa’s research group. 

I am currently completing my PhD at Newcastle University, UK. My research interests are understanding the evolution of sociality and cooperation in animals. My PhD topic explores the function of colouration as a social signal in anemonefishes (Amphiprion spp.), aiming to advance our understanding of the evolution and maintenance of complex social societies in marine fishes.

I am a PhD student at Newcastle University, focusing my research on the behavioural mechanics of anemonefish and anemone interactions. I focus on how these behaviours may aid the anemone's resilience to bleaching events and whether there is evidence of personalities in either species. 

Before I joined the lab, I was a Marine Science Officer at Eastern IFCA and I previously studied at University of Exeter for both BSc and MSc .