Dr Simon Oliver
Associate Professor & Programme Leader MSc Marine and Coastal Resource Management
Biography
Simon's doctoral work focused on the behaviour, biology and conservation of pelagic thresher sharks with particular emphasis on their cleaning and hunting strategies. In 2013 his work in this area gained recognition in the scientific community from Nature, Science, and Scientific American, and has attracted considerable media attention (BBC, The Guardian, NERC Planet Earth, National Geographic etc.). In 2008 Simon founded the Thresher Shark Research and Conservation Project (TSRCP) and its field station in the Philippines to promote and disseminate shark research, education and conservation to a broad local, regional and international public and scientific outreach. TSRCP, which is ongoing and has sustained itself since its inception, regularly hosts BSc and MSc students who join its expeditions to assimilate data for their thesis projects. These have enabled Simon to expand the scope of his research interests to encompass the relevance and impact of conservation on local communities, and foster international collaborations.
Teaching and Supervision
Simon's current teaching responsibilities include leading and team teaching on undergraduate modules that are associated with Marine Biology , Zoology, Animal Behaviour, Animal Behaviour and Welfare, Biovet, and Biology degree programmes. At the postgraduate level he leads a programme in Marine and Coastal Resource Management, which is IEMA accredited, and team teaches on a range of MSc and MRes modules across environmental, biological, and conservation specialisms.
Research and Knowledge Exchange
Simon's research interests revolve around using integrated approaches to understanding animal behaviour in the context of their use of habitats, ecological services, cooperation, and predator-prey interactions. He is particularly interested in the behavioural ecology of oceanic sharks in response to their cleaning, hunting, and migration strategies, and applying associated behavioural knowledge to address conservation problems.