Dr Rachael Miller (Harrison)
Comparative Psychology | Conservation Biology | Behavioural Ecology
I am a Royal Society Dorothy Hodgkin Fellow and
Principal Investigator of the Miller Cognition & Conservation Group
at the University of Exeter, Cornwall. See News Page for latest updates.
My research programme includes lead roles in three overarching, inter-connected research areas encompassing multiple long-term projects, collaborations and major funding awards:
1) Animal Cognition and Behaviour; 2) Big-Team Open Science
(The ManyBirds Project Co-Founder with 120+ collaborators; CONNECT Partnership Co-Investigator; The ManyManys collaborator);
3) Conservation and Welfare
(Red-billed Chough Project; Bali Myna Project).
See Research and Background Page
In my research and within the Miller Cognition & Conservation Group (CCG), we use comparative, developmental and ecological approaches to investigate the evolution of cognition, primarily in birds and children. Our research explores the causes and consequences of individual and species variation in cognition and behaviour, through experiments and observations, in the field and captive settings, in relation to socio-ecology and fitness. For example, we investigate when and why individuals and/or species are "fixed" or "flexible" in their behaviour, such as the influence of varying social contexts. Our research has broad fundamental and applied implications for animal conservation and welfare, as well as enhancing scientific approaches and outcomes through Big-Team Open Science, including inclusion of under-represented people. I advocate Open Science practices in my research and the CCG, including pre-registering (from Nov 2018) empirical studies, pre-printing papers,
open-access publishing wherever possible and publishing data-sets alongside associated papers.
See CCG Members and Supervisees Page.
My experience, knowledge & skills in university-level research & teaching includes: research with 49 peer-reviewed publications, h-index of 24, i10-index of 36 and 1700+ citations (see Publications Page) and international Comparative Cognition Society Early Career Award; funding acquisition as PI with an 8-year £1.75 million Royal Society Dorothy Hodgkin Fellowship and a 5-year £1.25 million European Research Council Starting Grant; extensive national and international collaborations; teaching from three UK universities in Biology, Psychology & Zoology, with a PG Cert in Learning & Teaching qualification and Fellowship of Advance Higher Education; academic supervision & mentoring to successful completion & outcomes;
project management & administration.
See Professional Career Page.
