Louise Allcock

Research AreasMy earliest research focused on evolution in the Southern Ocean and deep sea using octopuses as a model system. This research highlighted connections between the worlds oceans, linked evolutionary radiations to climatic events through dated phylogenies, and helped explain how Southern Ocean fauna survived the massive disturbances caused by Pliocene-Pleistocene glacial cycles. My paper on the evolutionary origins of deep-sea octopuses was the top highlight in the Census of Marine Life press release at the 1st World Congress of Marine Biodiversity, Valencia 2008. Although my cephalopod research continues, with projects looking at the evolution of sepiids, octopuses and oegopsid squids, more recently my group has alsobeen studying the ecology and evolution of sponges and corals in the deep waters of Irelands Atlantic margin. In this regard,Iwas awarded more than a million euro by Science Foundation Ireland Marine Instituteto explore the biodiscovery potential of these organisms. Im an active field scientist and have led numerous research cruises as Chief Scientist. I currently chair the governments Marine Protected Area Advisory Group. Im a former president of the Cephalopod International Advisory Council, and a fellow and former Council Member of the Linnean Society. I was previously Editor-in-Chief of the Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, editor of Journal of Natural History and member of the Editorial Board of Marine Biology and Oceanography: an Annual Review. I am a member of the IUCN Mollusc Specialist Group, and coordinator of the IUCN red data list for Cephalopoda. I was a member of WG2 of the Ocean 2030 UN Decade of the Ocean for Sustainable Development committee, am current Chair of the North Atlantic Regional Working Group of the UN Decade of the Ocean Programme Challenger 150, and a member of Irelands national UN Decade of the Ocean committee. I contribute to several ICES working groups.EmploymentHistoryProfessor of Zoology, NUI Galway, May 2018 - presentLecturer (above the bar) in Zoology, NUI Galway, December 2015- April 2018Lecturer (below the bar) in Zoology, NUI Galway, September 2013 - December 2015Lecturer (full time temporary) in Zoology, NUI Galway, September 2012-August 2013Lecturer (25% time temporary) in Zoology, NUI Galway, September 2010 August 2012Bipolar species co-ordinator, British Antarctic Survey, June 2009 March 2010Lecturer in Marine Biology, Queens University Belfast, September 2002 March 2008Curator of Mollusca, National Museums of Scotland, Edinburgh, July 1998 August 2002 a target=_blank rel=nofollow href=https:en.wikipedia.orgwikiLouise_AllcockWikipedia Page a target=_blank rel=nofollow href=http:www.marinescience.iePersonal Website

I am particularly interested in the evolution and ecology of cephalopods and other molluscs, particularly, but not limited to, the groups that have radiated in the Southern Ocean and the deep sea.This research has highlighted connections between the worlds oceans, linked evolutionary radiations to climatic events (through dated phylogenies), and is helping us understand how Southern Ocean fauna survived the massive disturbances caused by Pliocene-Pleistocene glacial cycles.As part of my studies on these topics I have participated in numerous cruises to the Antarctic and South Atlantic.More recently I have been leading multidisciplinary cruises to the canyon systems on the Irish continental margin aboardRV Celtic Explorer .Here I am particularly interested in poorly known (and taxonomically difficult!) taxa such as sponges andcnidarians. I have recently been awarded a large SFI grant to explore the biodiscovery potential ofthese organisms.