Christopher Jeffs

Insect ecologist

My research aims to understand how climate change may affect animal communities in tropical forests, our richest and highly threatened ecosystems. In particular I look at insects, which are the majority of animal life on Earth and perform many functions integral to healthy ecosystems. Insects are the most fascinating group to me and have enabled me to work in some wonderful places around the world.

I was always interested in nature as a kid, and constantly wanted to know more after Biology lessons in school. This led to my undergraduate degree in biology at Oxford. Here I was exposed to so much I’d never encountered before, and ecology – the study of how organisms interact with each other and their environment – quickly became my favourite subject. As I was instinctively drawn to examples involving insects, I went on to do a masters degree in Entomology (the study of insects) at Imperial College London before returning to Oxford for my DPhil (PhD) in Ecology.

I love to teach, and I work for the Royal Entomological Society’s ‘National Insect Week’ (http://www.nationalinsectweek.co.uk/) where I’ve created a series of podcasts showcasing the wide range of careers available to those fascinated by insects (goo.gl/KnkmI3). I have also appeared on BBC’s The One Show, Countryfile, Gardeners World and Channel 4’s Sunday Brunch to share about the importance of insects.

Check out some of Christopher’s podcasts here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqE5yUT6LNx_ESTACUqHViQ