Geoff Parker facts for kids
Professor Geoffrey Alan Parker (born May 24, 1944) is a famous biology professor. He used to teach at the University of Liverpool. In 2008, he won the important Darwin Medal. People sometimes call him "the professional's professional" because he is so good at what he does.
Professor Parker loves studying how animals behave. This field is called behavioural ecology. He also studies how living things change over time, which is evolutionary biology. A lot of his work uses something called game theory. This helps explain how animals make decisions when they interact with each other.
For example, in 1972, he helped create a big idea about why there are two sexes. He also looked into how animals search for mates. He studied how animals fight and how families sometimes have conflicts.
Early Life and Education
Geoffrey Parker went to Lymm Grammar School in Lymm, Cheshire. He then studied at the University of Bristol. He earned his first degree there in 1965. Later, in 1969, he got his doctorate degree. His teacher was a famous scientist named H.E. Hinton.
A New Way of Thinking About Evolution
When Professor Parker started his work, many scientists thought animals behaved in ways that helped their whole species. But soon, a new idea became popular. This idea said that natural selection works more on individuals and their families. This means animals behave in ways that help them survive and pass on their own genes.
Professor Parker's work was very important in this new way of thinking. It helped shape the field of behavioural ecology.
Career and Awards
Professor Parker started working at the University of Liverpool in 1968. He taught zoology there.
In 1978, he spent some time at King's College at Cambridge University. He returned to Liverpool in 1979. He became a full professor in 1989.
In 1996, he became the Derby Chair of Zoology. He retired in 2009 but kept doing scientific research.
He has won several important awards:
- In 2005, he won the Frink Medal. This award is from the Zoological Society of London.
- In 2008, he won the Darwin Medal. This award recognized his big contributions to behavioural ecology. It honored his work in understanding how animals adapt and what that means for animal populations.
for his lifetime contribution to the foundations and development of behavioural ecology, in particular for understanding evolutionary adaptations and their consequences for natural populations.
He has also received special honorary degrees. The University of Bristol gave him one in 2011. Memorial University of Newfoundland gave him another in 2018.
See also
- Evolutionarily stable strategy
- Resource holding potential
