Dr Jodie Gruber
Lecturer
Biography
Dr Jodie Gruber is a Lecturer in Animal Behaviour within the School of Natural Sciences at the University of Chester. In this role, she is the module leader for the first year 'Introduction to Animal Behaviour' and third year 'Physiology and Behaviour' modules; she also supervises undergraduate and postgraduate students. Dr Gruber is also an active researcher with a broad range of interests and expertise within the field of behavioural and evolutionary ecology. Prior to joining the University of Chester in 2024, Dr Gruber was a postdoctoral research fellow at the University of Exeter where she explored various aspects of the ecology, evolution and social behaviour of primitively eusocial bees. Dr Gruber also held a postdoctoral research position at the Australian National University where she examined fiddler crab behaviours such as context-specific leadership and dishonest signalling. Dr Gruber obtained her PhD from the University of Sydney in 2018. Her PhD investigated the rapid evolution and geographic divergence of behavioural traits in invasive cane toads. At the University of Chester, Dr Gruber enjoys the opportunity to combine her passion for teaching and research.
Teaching and Supervision
Dr Gruber is the module leader for BI4118 Introduction to Animal behaviour and BI6132 Physiology and Behaviour. She also contributes to other modules by teaching students about various aspects of amphibian behaviour, ecology and evolution. She is an ardent practitioner of inclusive teaching and has a particular interest in developing teaching techniques to accommodate the broad range of requirements inherent in neurodiverse student groups. Dr Gruber is also dedicated to working with and empowering students to gain the knowledge and practical skills required for them to succeed in a diverse range of future career paths.
Research and Knowledge Exchange
Dr Gruber's research expertise and interests are diverse and fit under the broad theme of how individuals respond to, and interact with, their physical, climatic, and social environments, and consequences for survival, fitness, and trait evolution. Dr Gruber conducts research in areas ranging from animal behaviour, sociality and cognition to invasion ecology and the effects of anthropogenic environmental change on life history traits, gene expression, and fitness in wild animal populations. She studies a broad range of taxa to suit her research questions from crabs and bees to lizards and amphibians. Dr Gruber enjoys combining techniques such as field surveys and observations, field and lab-based experiments, microCT brain scanning, and genotyping and genomics for gene expression analyses in her research. Dr Gruber's current research includes examining the effects of anthropogenic disturbance and environmental contaminants on behaviour and cognition in amphibians, birds and invertebrates; investigating the benefits, maintenance and evolution of social behaviour, long-term social bonds and cooperation; testing the efficacy of ‘toads on roads’ programs to mitigate the effects of traffic on UK toad populations; and using a combination of population modelling, field-based behavioural trials and genetics to understand key factors threatening reptile populations in the UK and their conservation.