Dr Penelope J Watt
Tel: +44 (0)114 222 0076
Fax: +44 (0)114 222 0002
email : p.j.watt@sheffield.ac.uk
Career
BSc (1986) University of Newcastle Upon Tyne;
PhD (1989) University of Leeds
PDRA, Imperial College, University of London (1989-1993)
Lecturer, De Montfort University, Leicester (1993-1998)
Lecturer, University of Sheffield (1998-present)
Key Research Interests
- Mate choice and sexual selection
- Dominance and reproductive success
- Predator avoidance behaviour
Teaching
Dr Penny Watt is L1 Tutor for APS, the Disability Liaison Officer, Staff member of the Student Staff Committee and a member of the exams team. She won the APS Departmental Teacher of the Year award in 2010.
At L2 I teach APS272 (Animal Diversity) and APS260 (Animal Diversity Practicals). As a zoologist, I have a real passion for animals and I hope to put this across in my teaching. APS272 covers invertebrate and vertebrate groups and deals with aspects of their evolutionary relationships, structure and function and natural history. My research interests are in behavioural ecology, particularly of fishes, though I have also worked on amphibians and some invertebrate groups in the past, and I hope to reflect this in this module. APS260 also covers invertebrates and vertebrates and is designed to develop observational and identification skills in the field. This module involves lab and museum work as well as field trips to the coast and to a bird reserve.
At L3 I supervise projects (APS330) in fish behavioural ecology in areas close to my research such as personality traits, learning and mate choice. I have an interest in science education in primary and secondary schools, which stems from being a school governor and being involved in science outreach, and I supervise students taking APS340, the University Ambassador Scheme. I am always impressed by the commitment shown by the students taking this module and the fantastic ideas they have that inspire the children they interact with.
I have supervised a number of L4 MBiolSci students and recent projects have been involved with investigating the genetic basis of various behaviours in the zebrafish.
Current Research Students
Tolulope Ariyomo (2009 - )
Personality traits in fish.
Visit Tolulope Ariyomo's website
Level 4 Student
Anna Parry (2009-2010)
Olfactory clues and dominance in fish
Recent Publications (2001 to date)
Shohet AJ, Watt PJ (2009). Female guppies prefer males that can learn fast. Journal of Fish Biology 75, 1323-1330.
Guevara Fiore P, Skinner AJ, Watt PJ (2009) Do male guppies distinguish virgin females from recently mated ones? Animal Behaviour 77, 425-431.
Romey WL, Walston AR, Watt PJ (2008). Do 3-D predators attack the margins of 2-D selfish herds? Behavioral Ecology 19, 74-78.
Skinner AJ, Watt PJ (2007). Strategic egg allocation in the zebra fish, Danio rerio. Behavioral Ecology 18, 905-909.
Skinner AJ, Watt PJ (2007). Phenotypic correlates of spermatozoan quality in the guppy, Poecilia reticulata. Behavioral Ecology 18, 47-52.
Shohet AJ, Watt PJ (2004) Female association preferences based on olfactory cues in the guppy, Poecilia reticulata. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 55, 363-369.
De Wijer P, Watt PJ, Oldham RS (2003) Amphibian decline and aquatic pollution: effects of nitrogenous fertilizer on survival and development of larvae of the frog Rana temporaria. Applied Herpetology 1/2, 3-12.
Watt PJ, Shohet AJ, Renshaw K (2001) Female choice for good genes and sex-biased broods in guppies. J. Fish Biol. 59, 843-850.