Professor Jon W Pitchford

Research

‌

The living world is an uncertain place. We have an innate tendency to hope these random fluctuations will magically average out, letting us arrive at a simple deterministic understanding. I am interested in situations where this doesn’t work. I use simple mathematical models and clever collaborators, applying methods from dynamical systems and stochastic processes together with computer simulations.

Current interests include: individual-based models (IBMS) of growth, competition and foraging in marine and terrestrial systems; marine reserves and evolutionary fisheries management; evolution under uncertainty; plankton dynamics; terrestrial carbon dynamics in complex food webs; epidemiology; group movement; wind farms and dead birds; kitchen sinks.

Discoveries

Getting lucky can be better than being good.