Paul Brakefield facts for kids
Paul Martin Brakefield, born on May 31, 1952, in Woking, England, is a famous British scientist. He studies how living things change over time, which is called evolutionary biology. He is a professor of zoology at the University of Cambridge. He also used to lead the Museum of Zoology there. Professor Brakefield is well-known for his work on butterfly eyespots.
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Paul Brakefield's Career Journey
Early Career and Teaching
Paul Brakefield became a professor in 1987. He taught evolutionary biology at Leiden University in the Netherlands. He worked there for 23 years, sharing his knowledge.
Leading a Museum
In 2010, Professor Brakefield moved to Cambridge, England. He became the director of the Cambridge University Museum of Zoology. This museum has many animal specimens. He was also chosen as a Fellow of Trinity College in 2011.
Leading a Scientific Society
From 2015 to 2018, Professor Brakefield was the President of the Linnean Society of London. This is a very old and respected group for natural history.
His Amazing Research on Butterflies
Professor Brakefield mostly studies butterflies and other insects. His main research looks at the special "eyespots" found on butterflies. He often studies a butterfly species called Bicyclus anynana.
These eyespots look like the eyes of bigger animals. They help butterflies scare away predators. His work helps us understand how these patterns develop. It also shows how they help butterflies survive in nature.
A special butterfly species, Bicyclus brakefieldi, was even named after him! This shows how important his work is in the world of science.
Awards and Special Honours
Professor Brakefield has received many important awards. In 2010, he was chosen as a Fellow of the Royal Society. This is a very high honour for scientists in the UK.
He was also elected a foreign member of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences in 2011. In 2014, he became a member of the European Molecular Biology Organization. These honours show how much his work is valued around the world.
