Member Article

Moreton Morrell College arachnologist named on review board of major new scientific journal

A leading college group has continued to grow its internationally recognised research profile after a professor was named on the editorial review board for a major new scientific journal.

Professor Richard J. Pearce, associate professor for Animal Ecology and Biodiversity Research at Warwickshire College and University Centre (WCUC), has been appointed to the editorial review board for Frontiers in Arachnid Science.

Frontiers in Arachnid Science was officially launched on November 2nd and is the latest open access journal from the renowned scientific journal publisher.

Professor Pearce, who is based at Moreton Morrell College, is a nationally-renowned arachnologist, and runs his research programme from a laboratory at the college in Warwickshire.

He has served on the Council of the British Arachnological Society and his involvement with international societies sees his expertise impact on a range of projects across the globe.

Since taking the research position at Moreton Morrell College, Professor Pearce has been published more than 10 times and his research has included contributions to the understanding of arachnid ecology, with several new discoveries reported from the Indian subcontinent (including being part of the team that reported the bizarre jumping spider, Afraflacilla, for the first time in Kolkata, India).

He is currently focusing on a long-term research project that investigates the ecological impact of solar farm installations, assessing the consequences and benefits from a biodiversity standpoint. He has also been out and about collecting field data as part of a new study into urban ecology, helping us learn more about how we can live more sensitively alongside wildlife.

Professor Pearce has recently been involved in a global collaboration project which explored representation, and misrepresentation, of spiders in the media.

“I’m delighted to have been appointed to the editorial review board of what will be a vital new platform for the study of arachnids,” said Professor Pearce.

“This will be an open access journal which is important and will mean the material can reach a much wider audience. There is an absolute need for a journal in this area of research and I am excited to be a part of it.

“We have more than 670 species of spider in the UK and over 50,000 worldwide which have been identified and confirmed. Moreover, spiders are only one of several orders of arachnid, many of which are poorly represented in the research literature.

“We have never had a journal that brings all forms of arachnology together into one place, but Frontiers in Arachnid Science will do that. I’m pleased to join the editorial board of this exciting new journal as Review Editor. The journal will help drive innovation in its field through high-quality open access research.

“This is great news for WCUC and our ongoing development of a robust and internationally recognised research profile.

“It showcases to our students that as an organisation we are at the forefront of cutting-edge research, and the work we are doing with arachnids is one of many strands across the group.”

Angela Joyce, CEO of WCUC, added: “Professor Pearce is at the forefront of research in his chosen field and to be appointed to the editorial review board of this journal is a recognition of his expertise in arachnids.

“We are proud to be continuing to build our profile as a university centre at the forefront of research, and we continue to work closely with our academics to develop and fund research programmes.”

WCUC is the Higher Education arm of WCG – a college group which includes six colleges across Warwickshire and Worcestershire.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Matt Joyce .