Dr Penelope Watt

School of Biosciences

Senior Lecturer in Zoology

p.j.watt@sheffield.ac.uk

Full contact details

Dr Penelope Watt
School of Biosciences
Alfred Denny Building
Western Bank
Sheffield
S10 2TN
Profile
  •  Senior Lecturer in Zoology (2014-)
  • Lecturer, University of Sheffield (1998-2014)
  • Lecturer, De Montfort University, Leicester (1993-1998)
  • Post Doctoral Research Assistant, Imperial College at Silwood Park (1989-1993)
  • PhD Zoology (Leeds) (1989)
  • BSc (Hons) Zoology (Newcastle) (1986)
Research interests

I am a behavioural ecologist with interests in the genetic control of behaviour and responses to stress. My research has focused on aquatic systems (fish, amphibians) and terrestrial invertebrates (earthworms). We use environmental DNA to assess species diversity in terrestrial systems, specifically soil managed under different regimes, and aquatic habitats.

Publications

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Journal articles

All publications

Journal articles

Preprints

Research group

Current graduate students

  • 2025 - Sabina Schneider. Using environmental DNA to assess soil
    health bioindicators and their relationship to crop nutrition and
    production under different agricultural regimes. PhD.
  • 2023 - Ghada Fhaid. Monitoring European ell populations using eDNA. PhD.
  • 2022 - Naiyou Xu. Impact of early life stress on zebrafish behaviour. PhD.
  • 2022 - Yu Zhao. Monitoring earthworm populations using eDNA. PhD.
  • 2021 - Roberta Bray. Drivers and costs of aestivation in earthworms. PhD.
  • 2021- Abdullah Alsulaiman. Assessing marine diversity in the eastern
    province of Saudi Arabia using eDNA. PhD.
  • 2020 - Ali Alamri. Population ecology of great crested newts. PhD.
Teaching activities

In L2, I teach BIS204 (Invertebrates) and BIS216 (Vertebrates), and on the L2 Mediterranean field course in France and the L3 marine field course in Anglesey. As a zoologist, I have a real passion for animals, and I hope to put this across in my teaching.

I supervise L3 and L4 projects in behaviour and ecology.

Professional activities and memberships
  • Chair of Faculty of Science Senior Tutor Group (2019-)
  • Member of the University Discipline, Appeals and Faculty Student Review Committees
  • Member of Inner International Assessment Board, Irish Research Council, Dublin (2017-)
  • External Examiner, University of Nottingham (Zoology) (from 2017-2022)
  • Member of the Field Studies Council Executive Committee (from 2011-17)
  • Member of the Field Studies Council Education Committee (from 2011-17) & Chair (2016-17)