Seirian Sumner

• Professor of Behavioural Ecology, UCL

I am a Professor of Behavioural Ecology. I am based in the UCL Centre for Biodiversity and Environmental Research (CBER), in UCL Genetics, Evolution & Environment (GEE). I have a particular fondness of wasps.

I lead a research group of PhD students and postdocs in research on the evolution and ecology of sociality, mostly focused on behavioural innovations in social insects (wasps, bees, ants and more wasps). We combine welly boot behavioural ecology (from tropical rainforests to UK gardens and heathlands) with genomic analyses to gain a genes-eye view of social behaviour, ecology and evolution.

I co-founded and co-run the Big Wasp Survey, an annual citizen science project with Prof Adam Hart, University of Gloucestershire. I wrote a popular science book on wasps in 2022, 'Endless Forms: Why you should love wasps' (William Collins).

I am also Co-founder of Soapbox Science, an initiative that aims to simultaneously promote equality in science and bring science to the masses.

• 2020–present Professor, UCL

• 1999 University College London, PhD

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