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Lynn Dicks

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Lynn Dicks
Alma materUniversity of Oxford (BA) University of Cambridge (PhD)
Scientific career
InstitutionsUniversity of Cambridge, University of East Anglia

Lynn Dicks is a conservation scientist and ecologist in the UK.[1] She is a Professor of Ecology at the University of Cambridge, Honorary Reader at the University of East Anglia, and an expert in sustainable farming and insect conservation.[2]

Education and career

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Dicks was educated at Great Yarmouth High School and won a scholarship to Norwich High School for Girls for sixth form. She studied at New College, Oxford, and was awarded a first class degree in Biological Sciences in 1995. She graduated from the University of Cambridge with a PhD in the community ecology of flower-visiting insects in 2002.[2]  She worked as a science writer[3] before returning to academia as a postdoctoral researcher and then NERC research fellow at the University of Cambridge. Dicks moved to the University of East Anglia in 2016 as a research fellow and in 2019 was appointed a Reader in the School of Biological Sciences.[4] In 2019 she moved back to Cambridge as a Lecturer in Animal Ecology and NERC Independent Research Fellow and is a visiting lecturer at UEA.[5] In 2020, she became a Fellow of Selwyn College, Cambridge. In 2023 Dicks was appointed Board Member to non-departmental public body Natural England.[6] In June 2023 she was promoted to Professor of Ecology within the University of Cambridge.[7]

Research

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Dicks' research focuses on insect conservation, agricultural ecology, agricultural policy and the food and farming industry. She supports evidence based practice and policy for sustainable agricultural management[8] and conservation interventions.[9] Dicks' research has shown a need for redundancy in natural ecosystems, that is a need for extra resources and species to create longterm resilience.[10]

She collaborates internationally, and was a 'Coordinating Lead Author' for the international assessment of pollinating animals in conjunction with the IPBES in 2016.[11] Dicks has highlighted the importance of insect pollinators for food crops such as chocolate and coffee[12] and supported the 2013 EU moratorium and subsequent ban on neonicotinoid insecticides.[13] Dicks has also researched the importance of vertebrate pollinators such as birds and bats[14] and has been involved in horizon scanning to find future threats to pollinators such as agricultural expansions, use of agrochemicals and emerging disease.[15] Her research has shown a lack of awareness of how pollinator decline could affect food supply chains.[16]

As well as pollinating insects, Dicks also promotes the important of insects for biological control and decomposition[17]

Awards

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In 1999, Dicks won the Daily Telegraph Young Science Writer of the Year Award.

Dicks was awarded the John Spedan Lewis Medal in 2017 for making a significant and innovative contribution to conservation.[18]

In 2018 Dicks was awarded the DEFRA Bees' Needs Champion Award for raising public awareness of the needs of pollinators.[19]

In 2022 Dicks was awarded the British Ecological Society's Ecological Engagement Award which recognises an ecologist who has bridged the gap between ecology and other groups.[20]

References

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  1. ^ "Lynn Dicks | Cambridge Conservation Initiative". www.cambridgeconservation.org. 16 December 2016. Retrieved 17 December 2019.
  2. ^ a b "Lynn Dicks - Research Database, The University of East Anglia". people.uea.ac.uk. Retrieved 17 December 2019.
  3. ^ "Lynn Dicks | New Scientist". www.newscientist.com. Retrieved 17 December 2019.
  4. ^ reaa2@cam.ac.uk (20 November 2015). "Dr Lynn Dicks — Cambridge Forum for Sustainability and the Environment". www.cfse.cam.ac.uk. Retrieved 17 December 2019.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  5. ^ "Dr Lynn Dicks". www.zoo.cam.ac.uk. 3 December 2019. Retrieved 15 September 2020.
  6. ^ "Three appointments made to Natural England board". GOV.UK. Retrieved 9 March 2023.
  7. ^ "Academic promotions". Selwyn College. Retrieved 17 June 2023.
  8. ^ Dicks, Lynn; Benton, Tim. "The 'greening' of Europe's farms has been a failure". The Conversation. Retrieved 17 December 2019.
  9. ^ "Lynn Dicks - Zoology". Pelagic Publishing. Retrieved 17 December 2019.
  10. ^ "We are heading towards a world without animals". www.newstatesman.com. 5 September 2017. Retrieved 17 December 2019.
  11. ^ Oberhaus, Daniel (27 February 2016). "Bee Extinction Is Threatening the World's Food Supply, UN Warns". Vice. Retrieved 17 December 2019.
  12. ^ Hunt, Gordon (26 February 2016). "The bees are still in trouble, so we are too". Silicon Republic. Retrieved 17 December 2019.
  13. ^ "'Victory for bees' as European Union bans neonicotinoid pesticides". The Independent. 29 April 2013. Retrieved 17 December 2019.
  14. ^ "Study highlights importance of vertebrate pollinators". phys.org. Retrieved 17 December 2019.
  15. ^ Briggs, Helen (9 August 2016). "Call to 'future-proof' pollinators". Retrieved 17 December 2019.
  16. ^ Br, Sustainable; read, s Published 1 year ago About a 4 minute (13 April 2018). "Report: Pollinator Decline Threatening Supply Chains, Especially Cocoa". Sustainable Brands. Retrieved 17 December 2019.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  17. ^ foodnavigator.com. "'Insect apocalypse' poses risk to food production". foodnavigator.com. Retrieved 17 December 2019.
  18. ^ "25th May 2017: Medal Winners 2017". The Linnean Society. 26 May 2017. Retrieved 17 December 2019.
  19. ^ "Bees Needs Champion Award - Research Database, The University of East Anglia". people.uea.ac.uk. Retrieved 17 December 2019.
  20. ^ "British Ecological Society announces 2022 award winners". British Ecological Society. British Ecological Society. 2 September 2022. Retrieved 2 September 2022.
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