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Staff Profile

Dr Simon Maddock

Lecturer in Ecology and Evolution

Background

I am an organismal biologist, specialising in the ecology, evolution and conservation of reptiles and amphibians.


Positions held

  • Lecturer in Ecology and Evolution. Newcastle University, UK
  • Scientific Associate. Natural History Museum, London
  • Associate Member. Island Biodiversity and Conservation Centre, University of Seychelles
  • Board Member. Amphibian Genomics Consortium
  • Member. IUCN Snake Specialist Group
  • Member. IUCN Skink Specialist Group



Brief CV

  • 2023 - present: Lecturer in Ecology and Evolution. Newcastle University
  • 2018 - 2019: Postgraduate Certificate in Higher Education. University of Wolverhampton
  • 2017 - 2023: Lecturer/Senior Lecturer in Conservation Genetics. University of Wolverhampton
  • 2011 - 2016: PhD. Natural History Museum, London & University College London
  • 2007 - 2011: MZool. University of Wales, Bangor
Research

Research themes

  • Conservation.
  • Biogeographic patterns driving diversification.
  • Systematics and taxonomy.
  • Establishing minimally invasive methods for collecting and isolating DNA.
  • How habitat and environmental change impacts diversity.


Postdoctoral supervision

  • Deepak Veerappan: NERC-NSF funded project on "Origins and expansion of endemic biodiversity in western Melanesia and their relation to tectonic evolution" (2023 - present)


Research Assistant supervision

  • Rebecca Morris: NERC-NSF funded project on "Origins and expansion of endemic biodiversity in western Melanesia and their relation to tectonic evolution" (2023 - present)


PhD supervision

  • Saunak Pal "Phylogenetic relationships and biogeography of the sphenomorphin skinks" (2023 - present) [co-supervisors Dr Fred Kraus (University of Michigan) & Dr Evelyn Jensen (Newcastle University)
  • Nicole Grimason "Trends in population size of Rana temporaria in the UK" (2023 - present) [co-supervisors Dr Natasha Kruger (University of Wolverhampton) & Dr Chris Young (University of Wolverhampton)]
  • Rémi Martin "Back to the future? Unravelling historic, current and potential future declines of the common toad, Bufo bufo, in the UK" (2019 - present) [co-supervisors Dr John Wilkinson (Amphibian and Reptile Conservation Trust) & Dr Robert Jehle (Salford University)]
  • Morgan Hughes "The Assemblages, Fitness and Movements of Bats (Chiroptera, Vespertilionidae and Rhinolophidae) in the Urban Matrix" (2018 - 2023) [co-supervisor Dr Chris Young (University of Wolverhampton)]
Teaching

Module Leader

  • NES2312 Field-based Ecology: designing experiments, and residential field course


Contributed Teaching

  • NES1302 Ecology and Conservation
  • NES1504 Academic and Professional Skills for the Biosciences
  • Research project supervision for BSc, MBiol, MSc and MRes
Publications