Image credit: Professor Christine Miller 

Christine Miller appointed as Professor of Biotic Interactions

The Department of Zoology is delighted to announce that Christine Miller has been appointed by the University as a Professor of Biotic Interactions. She will be joining us in the Department from 1 October. Christine will work closely with Sebastian Eves-van den Akker, who has also been appointed as a Professor of Biotic Interactions in the Department of Plant Sciences. Together these two co-ordinated appointments are designed to further strengthen the success of the interdepartmental Organisms, Evolution and Planetary Resilience Research Theme in the School of Biological Sciences. 

Christine trained for her PhD at the University of Montana. She then moved to the University of Florida to take up a post-doctoral position, before being appointed to a faculty position there in the Entomology and Nematology Department. Christine was promoted to Full Professor at the University of Florida earlier this year. 

Christine's interdisciplinary research programme links ecology, behaviour and evolution with biomechanics and materials research. Her focus is on the large family of leaf-footed bugs, whose member species exhibit extraordinary and diverse weaponry and include significant crop pest in Africa. In addition to her significant research accomplishments, Christine has received national awards in the US for her innovations in teaching and she has a distinguished track record of collaborative and collegial working. She is therefore, ideally qualified to take a significant co-leadership role in the School of Biological Sciences' Research Theme in Organisms, Evolution and Planetary Resilience (formerly known as OEE), creating new collaborative opportunities for us all. 

We are very fortunate that Christine will soon be joining our community in the School of Biological Sciences. I'm sure all members of the Department will want to join me in celebrating this appointment, and in congratulating Christine and welcoming her to Cambridge. 

Professor Rebecca Kilner 
Head of the Zoology Department