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Jan Hoole

Lecturer in Biology, Keele University

I came to Keele University in 1992 as a PhD student and have been here ever since. My first degree, BSc (Hons), was in Science and the Environment from Leicester Polytechnic. After completing my PhD on the molecular conservation of endangered insects, I began teaching part-time at Keele, while carrying out post-doctoral research on the effects of the tapeworm Ligula on the gonads of infected roach. I continued to teach part-time while running Ashley Pet Behaviour Centre and practicing as a Pet Behaviour Counsellor. In 2008 I closed the Pet Behaviour Centre and returned to take on a greater role at Keele, being appointed as a lecturer, still working part-time.

My particular fields of interest are animal behaviour and human evolution. I have helped to set up, and now manage, a final year module on Human Evolution, and I am still pressing to have more animal behaviour included in the curriculum. In addition I have forged links with various local zoos and each year run a variety of final year undergraduate projects looking at the behaviour of captive animals. I also help to organise open and visit days, and take part in many outreach activities.

And in 2015 I took up the role of Programme Director for Biology. In this capacity I am at present helping to steer the new Single Honours Biology programme through its validation stages. In 2015 I also gained Senior Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy.

Dogs may reflect their owners' stress levels, finds research

Jun 07, 2019 15:56 pm UTC| Insights & Views Health

Stress is an unavoidable component of modern life. Many people worry about the effect of a stressful lifestyle on their long-term health, but how many of us think about how our lifestyle, and our own stress levels, affect...

Sloths are far more adaptable than we realised

Jan 20, 2019 06:21 am UTC| Insights & Views Nature

Unless you live in the tropical rainforests of South or Central America, most of the sloths youll encounter will be two-toed sloths. This is because they are able to eat quite a varied diet and are therefore relatively...

Do dogs have feelings?

Aug 28, 2018 15:33 pm UTC| Insights & Views Science

If you live with a dog you just know when its happy or miserable, dont you? Of course you do. Even the scientific community, now admits that dogs have emotions even if scientists cant directly measure what they are...

Economy

South Korean Won Leads Asian FX Losses as Dollar Rises

The South Korean won led declines across Asian currencies on Monday as the U.S. dollar strengthened, while the Japanese yen retreated after giving up some of its intervention-driven gains. The U.S. Dollar Index rose 0.18%...

Oil Prices Rise as Hormuz Reopening Remains Uncertain

Oil prices climbed on Monday as uncertainty over the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz continued to support the market, despite Iran and Oman moving closer to an agreement on new shipping routes through the strategic...

Gold Prices Hold Near Seven-Week High as Markets Await U.S. Inflation Data

Gold prices remained largely steady on Monday, hovering near a seven-week high as investors assessed Middle East geopolitical risks and looked ahead to key U.S. inflation data that could influence the Federal Reserves...

Asian Stocks Rise as Weak US Jobs Data Eases Fed Rate Hike Bets

Asian stocks mostly advanced on Monday, following record highs on Wall Street as weaker-than-expected U.S. employment data reduced expectations for a Federal Reserve interest rate hike in September. Japan and South Korea...

Asian Stocks Rise as Weak US Jobs Data Eases Fed Rate Hike Fears

Asian stock markets moved higher on Monday, following record gains on Wall Street as weaker U.S. employment data reduced expectations for an imminent Federal Reserve interest rate hike. Oil prices also advanced as...

Politics

South Korea, US Set Major Military Drills for August

South Korea and the United States will hold their annual Ulchi Freedom Shield (UFS) military drills from August 17 to 27, with this years exercises placing greater emphasis on countering drones, GPS interference and...

US ‘Digging In’ Across Indo-Pacific, Pentagon Official Says

The United States remains firmly committed to the Indo-Pacific and has no plans to withdraw from Asia, a senior Pentagon official said Monday, while urging regional allies to take greater responsibility for their own...

Myanmar Rejects ASEAN Special Envoy, Challenges Regional Peace Plan

Myanmars military-backed government has rejected the continued role of ASEANs special envoy, deepening tensions with the regional bloc as Thailand pushes for Myanmar to fully re-engage with Southeast Asian nations....

Houthi Attack on Yemen’s Mocha Port Kills Seven, Injures 30

Seven people were killed and 30 others wounded after Houthi forces launched a large-scale drone and missile attack on Yemens Red Sea port city of Mocha, according to the Yemeni military. In a statement issued early Monday,...

Germany Warns of Daily Hybrid Warfare Threats

Germany is facing foreign hybrid warfare operations on a daily basis, Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt has warned after authorities discovered an explosive-carrying drone at Leipzig/Halle Airport. Dobrindt said hostile...

Science

Blue Origin New Glenn Explosion Could Delay Launch Operations Until 2028

Blue Origin is facing a significant setback after a dramatic explosion involving its New Glenn rocket severely damaged a launch pad at Cape Canaveral, Florida. According to NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman, repairs to the...

Blue Origin New Glenn Rocket Explodes During Launch Pad Test, Delaying Space Ambitions

Blue Origin suffered a major setback after its uncrewed New Glenn rocket exploded during a launch pad test in Florida on Thursday, raising new challenges for Jeff Bezos space company as it competes with Elon Musks SpaceX...

SpaceX Delays Starship V3 Launch Ahead of Potential Record IPO

SpaceX on Thursday postponed the highly anticipated launch of its 12th Starship rocket test from Texas after technical issues interrupted the final countdown. The company now plans to attempt the Starship V3 launch again...

Trump Administration Releases New UFO Files and Apollo Mission Records

The U.S. Defense Department has released dozens of previously classified UFO-related files following an order from President Donald Trump, sparking renewed debate over unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAP) and government...

China vs. NASA: The New Moon Race and What's at Stake by 2030

The space race is back and this time, its a direct competition between the United States and China for dominance on the lunar surface. NASAs Artemis II mission recently made history when four astronauts flew farther into...

Technology

Sony, TSMC Eye $6.3 Billion Japan Chip Venture for Next-Gen Image Sensors

Sony Group and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC) are reportedly preparing to invest about 1 trillion yen ($6.32 billion) in a new Japanese semiconductor venture focused on next-generation chips for image...

Nvidia Seen Beating Q2 Targets as Vera Rubin Cycle Begins

Nvidia (NVDA) could enter a multi-quarter growth cycle as shipments of its next-generation Vera Rubin AI chips begin, with BofA Global Research forecasting stronger-than-expected quarterly results and maintaining a bullish...

OpenAI Restricts Astra AI Over Cyberattack Risks

OpenAI has reportedly restricted parts of the development of its next-generation AI model, code-named Astra, after early evaluations indicated the system could potentially carry out sophisticated cyberattacks with limited...

Nvidia to Invest Up to $3 Billion in Blackstone-Backed Lancium

Nvidia is reportedly preparing to invest as much as $3 billion in Lancium, a Blackstone-backed power infrastructure developer involved in the Stargate artificial intelligence infrastructure initiative, as demand for...

Meta Ordered to Pay $567M Over Child Safety Violations in New Mexico

Meta Platforms Inc. has been ordered to pay $567 million into a fund designed to address harm to young people, in a major legal ruling involving child safety on Facebook and Instagram. Judge Bryan Biedscheid of New Mexicos...