Dr Sarah J. Hart

Sarah's first career was as a clinical physiologist in the NHS investigating heart and lung diseases in neonates to elderly patients, through a range of invasive and non-invasive techniques. She also spent time in nuclear medicine assessing organ function and diseases.

While finishing her PhD at Imperial College, London, Sarah joined ARU as an associate lecturer and then on completion, became a full-time lecturer in 2013.

[email protected]

Background

Sarah's PhD research, while studying at Imperial College, London, was in forest entomology and, in particular, xylophagous beetles and parasitoid wasps, with emphasis on insect behaviour and chemical ecology.

She is also a trained Clinical Physiologist in Cardio- Respiratory and Nuclear Medicine (NHS) as well as a wildlife biologist.

Sarah has won two student voted ‘Made a Difference’ awards for her module teaching and for inclusivity. She is a fellow of the Higher Education Academy.

Research interests

• Dead wood ecology
• Chemical ecology
• Forensic entomology
• General entomology
• Parasitology and Physiology (vertebrate and invertebrate) both normal and diseased states
• Integrated pest management

Areas of research supervision

• Woodland & Soil Invertebrate Diversity
• Deadwood Ecology/ Deadwood Fungi
• Farmland/ Livestock (medicinal regime) - Dung Invertebrate Biodiversity
• Biocontrol and Climate Change (aphids and parasitic wasps)
• Climate Change and Invertebrates
• Birds & Ectoparasitoids
• Freshwater Invertebrates & Pollution
• Terrestrial Plastic Pollution and Mycology
• Terrestrial Plastic Pollution and Invertebrates
• Compostable Products and Invertebrate Diversity
• Arachnid Vision
• Animal behaviour (non-domesticated animals)
• Lunar cycles, Camera Traps and Biodiversity
• Collembola and heavy metal toxins
• Camera trap video and elephant behaviour around water holes (RSA)
• Coral reef diversity, rugosity and conservation

Teaching

Course Leader Zoology (BSc (Hons))
Module Leader & Lecturer: Animal Physiology
Module Leader & Lecturer: Vertebrate Biology
Module Leader & Lecturer: Comparative Physiology & Developmental Biology
Module Leader & Lecturer: Level 4 Module Tutor
Module Leader (Biology) Placement Module Leader
Module Leader (Biology) Engage Module Leader
Lectures: Introduction to Conservation & Ecology
Lectures: Specialised Topics in CIS/ Forensics
Lectures: Physiology of Organ Systems in Biomedical Science
Field Trip Staff Member: Field Skills in Biology
Field Trip Staff Member: Tropical Ecology & Management

Qualifications

• PhD Imperial College, London 2013 - Forest Entomology & Chemical Ecology
• MSc Imperial College, London 2008 - Entomology
• D.I.C Imperial College, London 2008 - Entomology
• BSc (Hons) ARU, Cambridge 2006 - Wildlife Biology & Microbiology
• PGCert ARU, Cambridge, 2014

Memberships, editorial boards

Member of Royal Entomological Society, UK

Member of International Society of Chemical Ecology

Fellow, Higher Education Academy

Reviewer/ Referee, Biologia (Pakistan) (Biological Society of Pakistan, Lahore)

Selected recent publications

Hart, S. J., 2015. Attraction of pioneer xylophagous beetles, especially Cerambycidae, to fungal inoculated beech logs [Conference Abstract] Mitteilungen der Schweizerischen Entomologischen Gesellschaft Bulletin de la Société Entomologique Suisse, 88(1-2), pp.49.

Walters, M., 2010. The Illustrated World Encyclopaedia of Insects. Hart. S.J. [Research & Contributor] pp.32-46. Anness Publishing Ltd, London, UK.

For submission:

Hart, S. J. and Leather, S. R., Volatile attraction of sapro-xylophagous beetles and their parasitoid wasps to early decay stage wood-fungal volatiles. under review Journal of Ecological Entomology

Hart, S. J., Attraction of pioneer xylophagous beetles, especially Cerambycidae, to fungal inoculated beech logs. under review

Hart, S. J., and Leather, S. R., Beech (Fagus sylvatica) and Stereum hirsutum (Basidiomycete) volatile attraction to Rutpela maculata Poda (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae). Under review

Recent presentations and conferences

Hart, S. J., 2015. Chemical ecology of ephemeral resources – let the search begin. Chemical Ecology Deadwood Meeting, University of Alicante, Spain. Invited speaker,

Hart, S. J. and Leather, S. R., 2015. Beech (Fagus sylvatica) and Stereum hirsutum (Basidiomycete) volatile attraction to Rutpela maculata Poda (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae). (via olfactometry and GC-MS EAG) European Deadwood Meeting, Finland.

Hart, S. J. and Leather, S. R., 2014. Attraction of pioneer xylophagous beetles, especially Cerambycidae, to fungal inoculated beech logs. 8^th Symposium Saproxylic Beetles, Basel, Switzerland.