Research

Research Priorities: Quantitative and experimental behavioural ecology, behavioural ecology of birds, bioethics, population biology, ornithology

John Krebs is a British zoologist that studies the behavioural ecology of birds. He introduced new methods to ornithology, among them optimisation models to predict feeding behaviour, as well as techniques from neurobiology and experimental psychology, to assess the mental capacities of birds and connect it to certain regions of the brain.

During his scientific career in the field of ornithology, John Krebs published more than 130 peer-reviewed works, five books, and 130 chapters, reviews. He then embarked on a career in science policy. John Krebs served as chairman of the Food Standards Agency and criticised the organic food movement in 2000, for example. He caused a stir with his statement that people receive no value for money by buying organic products if they assume that these foods are linked to a gain in quality or safety – as there is no evidence to support such claims. As head of the Randomised Badger Culling Trial, John Krebs became one of the leading experts in bovine tuberculosis. With this field experiment Great Britain tried to exterminate the badger as it was suspected to transmit the disease. In 2012, the research results led John Krebs to oppose the culling of badgers.

In 2006 and 2007 John Krebs was a member of the Nuffield Council on Bioethics, where he served as chair of the working group for public health. He then served as chair for the National Network of Science Learning Centres. After that he was member of the British House of Commons’ Committee on Climate Change until 2017 and chair of the subcommittee Adaptation. Between 2010 and 2014 he served as Chairman of the House of Lords Science and Technology Select Committee.

Career

• since 2005 Principal, Jesus College, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
• 1988-2005 Royal Society Research Professor, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
• 1981-1988 EP Abraham Fellow, Pembroke College, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
• 1975-1981 University Lecturer in Zoology, Edward Grey Institute of Field Ornithology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
• 1973-1975 Lecturer in Zoology, University College of North Wales, Bangor, UK
• 1970-1973 Assistant Professor of Ecology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
• 1970 DPhil, Pembroke College Oxford, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
• 1970 Master, Pembroke College Oxford, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
• 1966 Bachelor, Pembroke College Oxford, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK

Funktionen

• 2012-2013 President, British Science Association, UK
• 2010-2014 Chaiman, Science and Technology Select Committee, House of Lords, UK
• 2009-2017 Member and Chairman, Adaptation Sub-Committee, Climate Change Committee, UK
• 2008-2014 Chairman, Science and Technology Honours Committee, UK
• 2006-2007 Member, Nuffield Council on Bioethics, London, UK
• 2000-2005 Founding Chairman, Food Standards Agency, London, UK
• 1994-1999 Chief Executive, Natural Environment Research Council, UK
• 1993-1994 President, Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour (ASAB), London, UK
• 1988-1990 President, International Society of Behavioural Ecology

Auszeichnungen und Mitgliedschaften

• since 2013 Member, German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina, Germany
• 2011 Honorary Member, Association for Nutrition, London, UK
• 2008 Honorary Member, National Heart Forum, UK
• 2007 Honorary Fellow, University of Wales, Bangor, UK
• 2007 Honorary Fellow, Salters Company and Freeman, London, UK
• 2006 Honorary Fellow, Zoological Society of London, London, UK
• 2006 Harben Gold Medal, Royal Institute of Public Health, UK
• 2006 Honorary Fellow, University of Wales Institute, Cardiff, UK
• 2005 Award for Outstanding Achievement, Society for Food Hygiene Technology, Staffordshire, UK
• 2005 Lord Rayner Memorial Medal, Royal College of Physicians, UK
• 2005 Honorary Fellow, Pembroke College, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
• 2004 Croonian Medal, Royal Society, UK
• 2004 Foreign Honorary Member, National Academy of Sciences, USA
• 2004 Fellow, Academy of Medical Sciences, London, UK
• 2003 Honorary Member, German Ornithologists’ Society, Germany
• 2003 Wooldridge Medal, British Veterinary Association, UK
• 2002 Benjamin Ward Richardson Gold Medal, Royal Society for Promotion of Health, UK
• 2000 Medal, ASAB, London, UK
• 2000 Foreign Member, American Academy of Arts and Sciences, USA
• 2000 Foreign Member, American Philosophical Society, USA
• 1999 Honorary Member, British Ecological Society, UK
• 1999 Honorary Fellow, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
• 1999 Knighthood for Services to Behavioural Ecology, UK
• 1999 Elliott Coues Award, American Ornithologists' Union, USA
• 1997 Frink Medal, Zoological Society, London, UK
• 1995 Member, Academia Europaea
• 1985 External Scientific Member, Max-Planck-Gesellschaft München
• 1984 Fellow, Royal Society, UK
• 1983 Bicentenary Medal, Linnaean Society of London, London, UK
• 1981 Science Fellowship, Nuffield Foundation, London, UK
• 1981 Scientific Medal, Zoological Society of London, London, UK