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Mark Adrian Elgar is an Australian behavioural and evolutionary ecologist, based at the University of Melbourne since 1991. He established his reputation with research on bird foraging strategies[3] and sexual cannibalism in spiders,[4][5][6][7] but now explores a variety of evolutionary questions around sexual selection, social behaviour and chemical communication.[2]
Professor Mark Adrian Elgar | |
|---|---|
| Nationality | Australian |
| Alma mater | Griffith University |
| Known for | Research on sexual selection, social behaviour and chemical communication |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Evolutionary biology |
| Institutions | University of Melbourne |
| Thesis | Flocking and foraging strategies in house sparrows Passer domesticus L (1985[1]) |
| Doctoral advisor | Nick Davies[2] |
| Website | http://markaelgar.com/ |
In January 1980, Elgar completed his Bachelor of Science with Honours at Griffith University.[8] From 1982 to 1985, he undertook his PhD research at Cambridge University under Nick Davies, studying the flocking and foraging strategies of house sparrows.[1] According to Elgar, Davies taught him "the value of asking questions that can be resolved by simple experiments, and of treating colleagues respectfully."[2] Elgar was also influenced by evolutionary biologist John Maynard Smith, who attended one of Elgar's seminars at Sussex University and was enthusiastic about his research.[2]
Following the completion of his PhD, Elgar served as a Science and Engineering Research Fellow at University of Oxford (1985-1987).[8] He then returned to Australia, working as a University Research Fellow (1987-1989) and Queen Elizabeth II Research Fellow (1989-1990) at University of New South Wales.[8] He joined the University of Melbourne in 1991,[9][10] where he became a professor in 2005.[9] There he has served in several roles including Elected Member, University Council (2004-2007); Associate Dean (Graduate Programs), Faculty of Science (2006-2009); and Domain Leader (Ecology & Evolution), School of BioSciences (2018-2019). From 2013 to 2016 he was Member, College of Experts, Australian Research Council.[11]
Elgar has served as President of the Australasian Evolution Society and Councillor for the International Society for Behavioral Ecology.[10] He was editor-in-chief of the journal Behavioral Ecology (2006-2011),[12][11] and has also been editor-of-chief for the Australian Journal of Zoology.[8] As of 2016, he is Field Chief Editor for Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution.[10]
In 2021 Elgar opined that an increase in wasp numbers in residential areas may be due to bushfires destroying their nests in natural environments.[13]
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