Dr Clara Montgomery

Profile

I’m a biologist with experience in parasitology, animal biology, sensory ecology, biological electrostatics and entomology.  

I did my MSci, PhD then postdoctoral research work at the University of Bristol. I was then a lecturer at Harper Adams University for three years before teaching at QMUL starting in January 2024. My MSci research investigated the genetic evidence for sympatric speciation in African cichlids. My PhD and postdoctoral research investigated the biological electrostatic interactions between plants and pollinators and how animals can sense electric fields. 

Teaching

• Ecology and Evolution (SEF033) 
• Practical Biology (BIO192) 
• Immunology (BMD251) 
• Reproductive Biology (BIO337)

Research

Research Interests:

I am interested in the use of solitary “Bee hotels” for urban insect conservation, and the public engagement aspect of urban ecology.  

My pedagogic research interests include overcoming the barriers to education in commuting students, and the use of games and humour to enhance learning. 

Publications

Montgomery, C., Vuts, J., Woodcock, C. M., Withall, D. M., Birkett, M. A., Pickett, J. A., & Robert, D. (2021) Bumblebee electric charge stimulates floral volatile emissions in Petunia integrifolia but not in Antirrhinum majus. The Science of Nature 108(5) 

Link: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00114-021-01740-2  

Trickey, A., Nixon, E., Christensen, H., Finn, A., Thomas, A., Relton, C., Montgomery, C., Hemani, G., Metz, J., Walker, J.G. and Turner, K., (2021) University students and staff able to maintain low daily contact numbers during various COVID-19 guideline periods. Epidemiology and Infection 149 

Link: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8365047/  

Nixon, E., Trickey, A., Christensen, H., Finn, A., Thomas, A., Relton, C., Montgomery, C., Hemani, G., Metz, J., Walker, J.G. and Turner, K. (2021) Contacts and behaviours of university students during the COVID-19 pandemic at the start of the 2020/2021 academic year. Scientific Reports 11(1) 

Link: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-021-91156-9#:~:text=Only%2061%25%20of%20those%20reporting,%2C%20standard%20deviation%20%3D%2010.6).  

Montgomery, C., Koh, K., & Robert, D. (2019). Measurement of electric charges on foraging bumblebees (Bombus terrestris). Journal of Physics: Conference Series 1322(1)  

Link: https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1742-6596/1322/1/012002/meta  

Koh, K. L., Montgomery, C., Clarke, D., Morley, E. L., & Robert, D. (2019). Bumblebee hair motion in electric fields. Journal of Physics: Conference Series 1322(1)  

Link: https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1742-6596/1322/1/012001/meta  

Taylor, C.S., Gato, R.G., Learmount, J., Aziz, N.A., Montgomery, C., Rose, H., Coulthwaite, C.L., McGarry, J.W., Forman, D.W., Allen, S. and Wall, R. (2015) Increased prevalence and geographic spread of the cardiopulmonary nematode Angiostrongylus vasorum in fox populations in Great Britain. Parasitology 142 

Link: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26027539/