Adam Hart
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Adam Hart is an English scientist, author and broadcaster, specialising in ecology, entomology and conservation, especially in southern Africa. He has co-presented three BBC TV documentaries on social
insects Insects (from Latin ') are pancrustacean hexapod invertebrates of the class Insecta. They are the largest group within the arthropod phylum. Insects have a chitinous exoskeleton, a three-part body (head, thorax and abdomen), three pairs of j ...
(BBC4's ''Planet Ant: Life Inside the Colony'', BBC2's ''Life on Planet Ant'' and BBC2's ''Hive Alive''). Hart has written and presented numerous
BBC Radio 4 BBC Radio 4 is a British national radio station owned and operated by the BBC that replaced the BBC Home Service in 1967. It broadcasts a wide variety of spoken-word programmes, including news, drama, comedy, science and history from the BBC' ...
and
BBC World Service The BBC World Service is an international broadcasting, international broadcaster owned and operated by the BBC, with funding from the Government of the United Kingdom, British Government through the Foreign Secretary, Foreign Secretary's o ...
documentaries and written more than 120 scientific papers. In 2015, he authored the popular-science book ''The Life of Poo'' about our complex relationships with
bacteria Bacteria (; singular: bacterium) are ubiquitous, mostly free-living organisms often consisting of one biological cell. They constitute a large domain of prokaryotic microorganisms. Typically a few micrometres in length, bacteria were among ...
. His 2020 book, ''Unfit for Purpose'', detailed mismatches between human evolution and the modern world and was published by Bloomsbury. In 2017, he presented the
BBC World Service The BBC World Service is an international broadcasting, international broadcaster owned and operated by the BBC, with funding from the Government of the United Kingdom, British Government through the Foreign Secretary, Foreign Secretary's o ...
weekly science programme '' Science in Action'' and in 2021 he presented the series Tooth and Claw. A second series of ''Tooth and Claw'' was first broadcast in 2022. In 2022, his career was profiled on Radio 4's Life Scientific. The episode was recorded live at the
Hay Festival The Hay Festival of Literature & Arts, better known as the Hay Festival ( cy, Gŵyl Y Gelli), is an annual literature festival held in Hay-on-Wye, Powys, Wales, for 10 days from May to June. Devised by Norman, Rhoda and Peter Florence in 1988, t ...
and focussed on his early work on honeybees and leafcutting ants.


Education

Hart was educated at the
University of Cambridge , mottoeng = Literal: From here, light and sacred draughts. Non literal: From this place, we gain enlightenment and precious knowledge. , established = , other_name = The Chancellor, Masters and Schola ...
, studying
Zoology Zoology ()The pronunciation of zoology as is usually regarded as nonstandard, though it is not uncommon. is the branch of biology that studies the Animal, animal kingdom, including the anatomy, structure, embryology, evolution, Biological clas ...
as an undergraduate student of
Churchill College, Cambridge Churchill College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge, England. It has a primary focus on science, engineering and technology, but still retains a strong interest in the arts and humanities. In 1958, a trust was establish ...
. His PhD at the
University of Sheffield , mottoeng = To discover the causes of things , established = – University of SheffieldPredecessor institutions: – Sheffield Medical School – Firth College – Sheffield Technical School – University College of Sheffield , type = Pu ...
investigated the co-operative behaviour of
social insects Eusociality (from Greek εὖ ''eu'' "good" and social), the highest level of organization of sociality, is defined by the following characteristics: cooperative brood care (including care of offspring from other individuals), overlapping genera ...
, and was supervised by . He became interested in insects because of their
social behaviour Social behavior is behavior among two or more organisms within the same species, and encompasses any behavior in which one member affects the other. This is due to an interaction among those members. Social behavior can be seen as similar to an ...
. He subsequently completed a
Postgraduate Certificate in Higher Education The Postgraduate Certificate in Higher Education (PGCHE), alternatively called the Postgraduate Certificate in Academic Practice (PGCAP), is a British teaching qualification for university lecturers and similar professionals. The PGCHE is designed ...
(PGCHE) at the
University of Gloucestershire , mottoeng = In Spirit and Truth , established = , type = Public , endowment = £2.4 m (2015) , chancellor = Rennie Fritchie, Baroness Fritchie , vice_chancellor ...
.


Career and research

Following a
postdoctoral A postdoctoral fellow, postdoctoral researcher, or simply postdoc, is a person professionally conducting research after the completion of their doctoral studies (typically a PhD). The ultimate goal of a postdoctoral research position is to p ...
position examining conflict in social systems, he transferred to the University of Gloucestershire in 2005, where he is Professor of Science Communication. Hart has published scientific papers on a variety of topics, including entomology, ecology, disease, hygiene, nesting phenology, citizen science, Africa antelope surveying, thermal imaging, African grassland management and climate change. In 2018 his research on spiders was named by Made at Uni as one of the UK's 100 best breakthroughs for its significant impact on people's everyday lives. Research Hart co-authored on the use of low-cost thermal imaging for anti-poaching work won the 2019 Green Gowns Awards in the Research with Impact category. He co-authored the
Oxford University Press Oxford University Press (OUP) is the university press of the University of Oxford. It is the largest university press in the world, and its printing history dates back to the 1480s. Having been officially granted the legal right to print books ...
textbook '' Applied Ecology'', described as "a cornerstone publication for all undergraduate students studying ecology", and is a co-author of ''Introducing Forensic and Criminal Investigation'', a textbook. He has served as
editor-in-chief An editor-in-chief (EIC), also known as lead editor or chief editor, is a publication's editorial leader who has final responsibility for its operations and policies. The highest-ranking editor of a publication may also be titled editor, managing ...
of the journal ''
Ecological Entomology The Royal Entomological Society is devoted to the study of insects. Its aims are to disseminate information about insects and improving communication between entomologists. The society was founded in 1833 as the Entomological Society of London ...
'' and is currently an Associate Editor of that journal. He sits on the editorial board of '' The Biologist'', the magazine of the Royal Society of Biology, and is an Associate Editor of ''Antenna'', the magazine of the Royal Entomological Society. Hart is also the founding co-editor of Instar, a magazine published by the Royal Entomological Society for children. Hart has an active involvement with large-scale
citizen science Citizen science (CS) (similar to community science, crowd science, crowd-sourced science, civic science, participatory monitoring, or volunteer monitoring) is scientific research conducted with participation from the public (who are sometimes re ...
projects that include the "Flying Ant" survey, the "Spider in da House" survey and app and the "Starling Murmuration" survey with the
Royal Society of Biology The Royal Society of Biology (RSB), previously called the Society of Biology, is a learned society and professional association in the United Kingdom created to advance the interests of biology in academia, industry, education, and research. Fo ...
. The scientific findings of these studies have been widely disseminated. In 2018 he led a team that studied, for the first time, the use of Twitter-mining in ecology, which was covered by a number of news sites. In 2017, Hart co-ran the Big Wasp Survey with
Seirian Sumner Seirian Sumner (born 1974) Royal Entomological Society , FRES is a British entomologist and Behavioral ecology, behavioural ecologist. She is a professor at University College London and is an expert in social wasps. Education and career Sumne ...
, which attracted criticism from quarters in the national press because it asked people to set up lethal wasp traps. Hart and collaborator Seirian Sumner responded to this criticism in press and media. Hart authored a piece for BBC Online News defending wasps and their ecological value as well as putting forward the scientific case for the Big Wasp Survey. Hart later went on to make a BBC Radio 4 documentary and a BBC World Service series exploring some of the issues raised. As a commentator on science-related stories, Hart has frequently appeared in the national press, often contributing to stories involving invertebrates such as ladybird invasions, spiders and ants. He has also discussed topics including the fear of spiders, the threat of tree diseases, banana disease and insect conservation. Hart has a strong interest in African conservation and has published papers that include studies of grassland and herbivore management, surveying and has been active in the trophy hunting debate. He has written a number of high-profile articles on related issues, including trophy hunting, rhino poaching and the horn legalization debate, the issues of fences in conservation, misinformation in African conservation, and the economics and conservation issues of breeding of color variant antelopes in South Africa. Hart co-directs the scientific research program of the Nkombi Volunteer Program in
South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the north by the neighbouring countri ...
and is a trustee of the Wild Planet Trust. Following the publication of his book Life of Poo, Hart is also a frequent commentator on our relationships with bacteria, including the medical implications of gut bacteria. Hart believes science communication is about sharing science, saying that "The scientific method is our greatest intellectual achievement – it is a tool to understand ourselves and the universe. How could you not want to share that?"


Broadcasting

Hart has frequently appeared on and presented TV and radio science documentaries. He co-presented BBC4's ''Planet Ant: Life Inside the Colony'' (with
George McGavin George C. McGavin is a British entomologist, author, academic, television presenter and explorer. Background McGavin attended Daniel Stewart's College, a private school in Edinburgh, then studied Zoology at the University of Edinburgh from ...
), a 90-minute documentary about leafcutting ants, and BBC's two-part series ''Hive Alive'' (presenting with
Martha Kearney Martha Catherine Kearney (born 8 October 1957) is a British-Irish journalist and broadcaster. She was the main presenter of BBC Radio 4's lunchtime news programme ''The World at One'' for 11 years, and in April 2018 became a presenter of the ear ...
and
Chris Packham Christopher Gary Packham CBE (born 4 May 1961) is an English naturalist, nature photographer, television presenter and author, best known for his television work including the CBBC children's nature series ''The Really Wild Show'' from 1986 t ...
). Hart also presented ''Life on Planet Ant'', aimed at a younger audience, for BBC2. ''Planet Ant'' was nominated for Broadcast Digital and Royal Television Society awards. Hart captained the
University of Sheffield , mottoeng = To discover the causes of things , established = – University of SheffieldPredecessor institutions: – Sheffield Medical School – Firth College – Sheffield Technical School – University College of Sheffield , type = Pu ...
team to the final of the BBC2 ''
Christmas University Challenge ''Christmas University Challenge'' is a British quiz programme which has aired on BBC Two since 2011. It is a spin-off from University Challenge that airs daily over the Christmas period, and features teams of noteworthy alumni from British u ...
'' series, which sees "teams of prominent alumni from 14 universities and university colleges...compete for the glory of their institutions and the honour of being declared Series Champions". Since 2011, Hart has presented BBC Radio 4 and BBC World Service documentaries on an array of topics including honey, migratory beekeeping, swarm robotics, tree diseases, gut bacteria, de-extinction, trophy hunting (in the wake of the Cecil the Lion story), the concept of free will in biology and animal personality. In 2016, he presented documentaries for BBC Radio 4 and BBC World Service on human-induced evolutionary change, the controversy over rhino horn trade and on mosquito control. Hart presented the BBC World Service weekly science magazine programme '' Science in Action'' for three months in 2017. In 2018, Hart wrote and presented the BBC Radio 4 documentary ''Inside the Killing Jar'', exploring the fact that entomologists often have to kill what they study. The program investigated lethal sampling and the controversial idea that insects may feel pain and was later extended into a series for BBC World Service. In the same year, he wrote and presented the 5-part series ''The Genius of Accidents'' for BBC Radio 4, which explored the role of accident and luck in scientific discoveries In 2019, following the broadcast of ''Inside the Killing Jar'', Hart co-authored a commentary paper on the ethics of insects in research, with a particular emphasis on ecological sampling and by-catch reduction. In 2020, he presented the documentar
On the Menu
for BBC Radio 4 that explored our difficult relationships with predators, including tigers, lions and wolves. This documentary developed into the serie
Tooth and Claw
on BBC World Service. The first series broadcast in 2021, with a second series airing in 2022. Episodes cover the lives of predators and the people that study them.


Writing and public speaking

Hart is a frequent public speaker, lecturing on topics that include social insects, citizen science and trophy hunting to schools, public audiences and special-interest groups. In 2013 he delivered a 24-hour lecture on social insects as part of the Royal Society's National Biology Week. He has also written numerous articles for newspapers, magazines and for the BBC Science and Environment pages, including opinion pieces on migratory beekeeping, human-induced evolution, animal personality and the realities of modern-day African hunting. He has written about the complex role of gut bacteria in human immunity. In 2015, his first popular-science book was published. ''The Life of Poo'' details our complex relationship with bacteria. He is a regular presenter and chair at the
Cheltenham Science Festival Cheltenham Science Festival is one of the UK's leading science festivals, and is part of Cheltenham Festivals: also responsible for the Jazz, Music and Literature Festivals that run every year. The 2018 Cheltenham Science Festival (6–11 June) ...
, tackling topics such as tree diseases, bees, gut bacteria, and garden moths. He has also appeared at the Edinburgh,
Northern Ireland Northern Ireland ( ga, Tuaisceart Éireann ; sco, label= Ulster-Scots, Norlin Airlann) is a part of the United Kingdom, situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, that is variously described as a country, province or region. Nort ...
and
Malta Malta ( , , ), officially the Republic of Malta ( mt, Repubblika ta' Malta ), is an island country in the Mediterranean Sea. It consists of an archipelago, between Italy and Libya, and is often considered a part of Southern Europe. It lies ...
Science Festivals, speaking on, amongst other things, the role of gut bacteria and the use of pheromones in communication. He has been a speaker at the New Scientist Live Event held annually in London. In 2013, he hosted the EU COST Science Night in Brussels. He also hosted the 60th anniversary celebrations of th
British Society for Immunology
at th
Royal Society
and chaired the debate 'The changing face of medical research'. In June 2022, he was the guest for an episode of ''
The Life Scientific ''The Life Scientific'' is a BBC Radio 4 science programme, presented by Professor Jim Al-Khalili , in which each episode is dedicated to the biography and work of one living scientist. The programme consists of an interview between Al-Khalili a ...
'' recorded at the
Cheltenham Literature Festival ''The Times'' and ''The Sunday Times'' Cheltenham Literature Festival, a large-scale international festival of literature held every year in October in the English spa town of Cheltenham, and part of Cheltenham Festivals: also responsible for t ...
.


Awards and honours

In recognition of his academic work, Hart is a Fellow of the
Royal Entomological Society The Royal Entomological Society is devoted to the study of insects. Its aims are to disseminate information about insects and improving communication between entomologists. The society was founded in 1833 as the Entomological Society of London ...
(FRES) and of the Royal Society of Biology. In 2020, Hart was elected a Trustee of the Royal Entomological Society and chairs their Outreach Committee. In 2010, he was awarded a
National Teaching Fellowship The National Teaching Fellowship Scheme (NTFS) is an award for excellence in teaching in higher education for teaching fellows in England, Scotland, Northern Ireland, and Wales. The scheme was first administered by the Higher Education Academy, wh ...
by the
Higher Education Academy Advance HE (formerly the Higher Education Academy) is a British charity and professional membership scheme promoting excellence in higher education. It advocates evidence-based teaching methods and awards fellowships as professional recogniti ...
and the Society of Biology (now the Royal Society of Biology) Science Communicator of the Year award. In 2011, he delivered the Charter Lecture for the Royal Society of Biology and in 2015 he launched the University of Gloucestershire's public lecture series and delivered the AGM address for the Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust. Other awards include: *2010 Science Communicator of the Year, Society (now Royal Society) of Biology *2010
National Teaching Fellowship The National Teaching Fellowship Scheme (NTFS) is an award for excellence in teaching in higher education for teaching fellows in England, Scotland, Northern Ireland, and Wales. The scheme was first administered by the Higher Education Academy, wh ...
,
Higher Education Academy Advance HE (formerly the Higher Education Academy) is a British charity and professional membership scheme promoting excellence in higher education. It advocates evidence-based teaching methods and awards fellowships as professional recogniti ...
*2012
Students' union A students' union, also known by many other names, is a student organization present in many colleges, universities, and high schools. In higher education, the students' union is often accorded its own building on the campus, dedicated to social, ...
outstanding
lecturer Lecturer is an List of academic ranks, academic rank within many universities, though the meaning of the term varies somewhat from country to country. It generally denotes an academic expert who is hired to teach on a full- or part-time basis. T ...
award *2019 Green Gowns Award for Research with Impact *Hart is a patron of the charity Bees Abroad


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hart, Adam Alumni of Churchill College, Cambridge Academics of the University of Gloucestershire BBC World Service presenters Fellows of the Royal Society of Biology English entomologists English television presenters Alumni of the University of Sheffield Fellows of the Royal Entomological Society Entomological writers People from Brixham People educated at Churston Ferrers Grammar School Living people Year of birth missing (living people) 21st-century British scientists