Dr John Tweddle
Head of Angela Marmont Centre
Division: LS Angela Marmont Centre
Summary
An ecologist and palaeoecologist, I am Head of the Museum’s Angela Marmont Centre for UK Biodiversity (AMC). The mission of the Centre is to connect people with the UK’s natural world and build the scientific knowledge, skills and networks that enable informed action. Our work spans public engagement, training delivery, citizen science and nature conservation-focused research. The AMC also operates as a free drop-in resource centre through which UK natural history enthusiasts of all abilities can further their interest and skills by accessing UK collections, reference libraries, microscopes and photographic equipment.
My current research focuses on scalable science-led methods for monitoring and restoring nature within the UK’s urban areas. This includes the application of DNA metabarcoding for biodiversity discovery, community-wide biodiversity assessment and practical conservation monitoring.
I am a lead scientist within the Museum’s Urban Nature Project, an ambitious UK-wide partnership programme that aims to: create opportunities for young people, families and schools to connect with and study their local biodiversity; develop and share new scientific data, tools and skills to help understand and restore the UK’s urban nature; develop the Museum’s South Kensington gardens into an urban biodiversity research and training hub.
I am a Co-I within Brilliant Butterflies, a partnership project with Butterfly Conservation and led by London Wildlife Trust that is working with local communities in South London to restore existing areas of chalk grassland and create a network of new habitats within which pollinating insects can thrive. Central to this is the development and testing of science-led methods that will hopefully enable us to better understand and track the health and composition of chalk grassland invertebrate communities.
Prior to my current role I worked on the Big Lottery Funded OPAL citizen science programme and the UK Species Inventory: the UK’s master checklist of biodiversity and primary source of naming for national and global exchange of UK wildlife observation data.
I am a Trustee of London Wildlife Trust.
Qualifications
- PhD, The University of Sheffield, Archaeology and Prehistory, 1996 - 2000
- BA (Hons), The University of Cambridge, United Kingdom, 1993 - 1996
Degrees
Employment history
- Head of Angela Marmont Centre for UK Biodiversity, The Natural History Museum, Life Sciences, United Kingdom, 2011 - ongoing
- OPAL Project Manager, The Natural History Museum, Botany, United Kingdom, 2007 - 2011
- Data Manager for NBN Species Inventory, The Natural History Museum, Botany, United Kingdom, 2003 - 2007
- Seed Information Database Coordinator, Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, Millennium Seedbank, United Kingdom, 2001 - 2003
- Consultant Palynologist and Plant Macrofossil Analyst, University of Sheffield, Archaeology and Prehistory, United Kingdom, 1999 - 2000
Academic
Grants
Next generation monitoring of urban biodiversity using citizen science
Role: Principal investigator
Co-investigator: West S
Funding: National Geographic Society
Total value £14,864 (to Museum £14,864)
Dates: 2018 - 2019
Delivery phase - Identification Trainers for the Future
Role: Principal investigator
Funding: HLF - Heritage Lottery Funds
Total value £463,700 (to Museum £463,700)
Dates: 2014 - 2018
Development phase - Identification Trainers for the Future
Role: Principal investigator
Funding: HLF - Heritage Lottery Funds
Total value £36,473.94 (to Museum £16,800)
Dates: 2013 - 2014
Decoding NAture (Tree School Project: Phase 3)
Role: Principal investigator
Funding: Cothill Educational Trust
Total value £259,816 (to Museum £259,816)
Dates: 2013 - 2016
Open Air Laboratories Network (OPAL)
Role: Principal investigator
Funding: Big Lottery Fund
Total value £11,760,783 (to Museum £3,500,000)
Dates: 2007 - 2013
Brilliant Butterfly Banks
Role: Principal investigatorOldham R
Role: Co-investigator
Funding: Postcode Dream Fund
Total value £890,000 (to Museum £147,561)
Dates: 2019 - 2021
Constructing Scientific Communities: Citizen Science in the 19th and 21st Centuries
Funding: AHRC
Total value £1,564,148 (to Museum £90,509.34)
Dates: 2013 - 2017
Fellowships
Fellow, Royal Society of Biology, 2019 - 2021.
Committees
Member, Board of Trustees, London Wildlife Trust, 2016 - on going.
Member, Advisory Board, Greenspace Information for Greater London (GiGL), 2015 - on going.
Member, Steering Committee, Citizen Science Association, 2013 - 2015.
Memberships
Member, Quaternary Research Association, 2010 - 2017.
Member, British Ecological Society Citizen Science Special Interest Group.
Member, British Myriapod and Isopod Group.
Member, Citizen Science Association.
Events
Workshop Attendance
Invited speaker, Watercolour weekend at the Queen's Gallery (Maria Merian's butterflies/metamorphosis), (Workshop),
Publications
Sforzi A, Tweddle JC, Vogel J, Lois G, Wägele W, Lakeman-Fraser P, Makuch Z, Vohland K (2018) Citizen science and the role of natural history museums, In: Citizen Science Innovation in Open Science, Society and Policy, Hecker S, Haklay M, Bowser A, Makuch Z, Vogel J, Bonn A (Eds). UCL Press :
Pocock MJO, Tweddle JC, Savage J, Robinson LD, Roy HE (null) The diversity and evolution of ecological and environmental citizen science. PLOS ONE, 12 (4) : e0172579 - e0172579. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0172579
Ballard HL, Robinson LD, Young AN, Pauly GB, Higgins LM, Johnson RF, Tweddle JC (2017) Contributions to conservation outcomes by natural history museum-led citizen science: Examining evidence and next steps. Biological Conservation, 208 : 87 - 97. doi: 10.1016/j.biocon.2016.08.040
Robinson LD, Cawthray JL, Lee D, Tweddle J (2016) Citizen science: authentic science research at the natural history museum, In: Museum participation: new directions for audience collaboration, McSweeney K, Kavanagh J (Eds). Museums Etc :
Tweddle J (2016) Citizen Science, In: Hayhow, D.B. et al. (2016). State of Nature 2016. The State of Nature Partnership, null : 68 - 69.
Bates AJ, Lakeman Fraser P, Robinson L, Tweddle JC, Sadler JP, West SE, Norman S, Batson M, Davies L (2015) The OPAL bugs count survey: exploring the effects of urbanisation and habitat characteristics using citizen science. Urban Ecosystems, doi: 10.1007/s11252-015-0470-8
Fearnhead FE, Feneru F, Fisher C, Rumsey F, Tweddle J (2015) The Identification & Advisory Service. Deposits Magazine. 44 : 28 - 32.
Tweddle J, Castillo K, Rumsey F (2014) Leafsnap UK.
West S, Tweddle J (2014) Identification Trainers for the Future - Inspiring the Next Generation of UK Wildlife Experts. In Practice, 86 : 23 - 25.
GARNER B, TWEDDLE J (2013) Biodiversity: what does it mean to you?.
ROBINSON LD, TWEDDLE JC (2013) OPAL Community Environment Report: exploring nature together. ISBN: 978-0-9574377-0-8. null :
ROBINSON LD, TWEDDLE JC, POSTLES MC, WEST SE, SEWELL J (2013) Guide to running a BioBlitz 2.0. Natural History Museum, Bristol Natural History Consortium, University of York and Marine Biological Association :
ROY HE, POCOCK MJO, PRESTON CD, ROY DB, SAVAGE J, TWEDDLE JC, ROBINSON LD (2012) Understanding citizen science and environmental monitoring. : NERC Centre for Ecology and Hydrology
TWEDDLE JC, ROBINSON LD, Pocock MJ, Roy HE (2012) Guide to citizen science: developing, implementing and evaluating citizen science to study biodiversity and the environment in the UK. Natural History Museum and NERC Centre for Ecology and Hydrology for UK-EOF :
Hemment D, El-Sherbini Y, Buontempo C, TWEDDLE J (2011) 100 years of climate change: a night-time audio walk. Leonardo, 44 : 68 - 69.
Nold C, TWEDDLE J, Ellis R, Hemment D, WYNNE B (2011) Biotagging Manchester: interdisciplinary exploration of biodiversity. Leonardo, 44 : 66 - 67.
TWEDDLE J (2011) London BioBlitz.
Tweddle JC, Edwards KJ (2010) Pollen preservation zones as an interpretative tool in Holocene palynology. Review of Palaeobotany and Palynology, 161 (1-2) : 59 - 76. doi: 10.1016/j.revpalbo.2010.03.004
Moles AT, Ackerly DD, Tweddle JC, Dickie JB, Smith R, Leishman MR, Mayfield MM, Pitman A, Wood JT, Westoby M (2007) Global patterns in seed size. Global Ecology and Biogeography, 16 : 109 - 116. doi: 10.1111/j.1466-8238.2006.00259.x
RUDD M, TWEDDLE JC (2007) Greenspace Information for Greater London (GiGL). 203 : 3 - 5.
Hussey C, Wilkinson S, Tweddle J (2006) Delivering a name-server for biodiversity information. Data Science Journal, 5 : 18 - 28. doi: 10.2481/dsj.5.18
Moles AT, Ackerly DD, Webb CO, Tweddle JC, Dickie JB, Westoby M (2005) Response to Comment on "A Brief History of Seed Size". Science, 310 (5749) : 783 - 783. doi: 10.1126/science.1116276
Moles AT, Ackerly DD, Webb CO, Tweddle JC, Dickie JB, Pitman AJ, Westoby M (2005) Factors that shape seed mass evolution. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 102 (30) : 10540 - 10544. doi: 10.1073/pnas.0501473102
Moles AT, Ackerly DD, Webb CO, Tweddle JC, Dickie JB, Westoby M (2005) A Brief History of Seed Size. Science, 307 (5709) : 576 - 580. doi: 10.1126/science.1104863
Tweddle JC, Edwards KJ, Fieller NRJ (2005) Multivariate statistical and other approaches for the separation of cereal from wild Poaceae pollen using a large Holocene dataset. Vegetation History and Archaeobotany, 14 (1) : 15 - 30. doi: 10.1007/s00334-005-0064-0
Tweddle JC, Dickie JB, Baskin CC, Baskin JM (2003) Ecological aspects of seed desiccation sensitivity. Journal of Ecology, 91 (2) : 294 - 304. doi: 10.1046/j.1365-2745.2003.00760.x
BONE J, TURNER R, TWEDDLE JC (2003) The Millennium Seed Bank Project’s specimen and taxon databases, In: Seed conservation: turning science into practice, SMITH RD, DICKIE JB, LININGTON SL, PRITCHARD HW, PROBERT RJ (Eds). Royal Botanic Gardens Kew :
TWEDDLE JC (2001) Regional Vegetational History, In: The Quaternary of East Yorkshire and North Lincolnshire, BATEMAN MD, BUCKLAND PC, FREDERICK CD, WHITEHOUSE NJ (Eds). null :
FAIN A, HURST GDD, TWEDDLE JC, LACHLAN RF, MAJERUS MEN, BRITT DP (1995) Description and observations of two new species of Hemisarcoptidae from deutonymphs phoretic on Coccinellidae in Britain. International Journal of Acarology, 21 : 99 - 106.
Contributed Publications
Tweddle J, Castillo K, Rumsey F (2014) Leafsnap UK.
Courses taught
Postgraduate: 2017-18 NERC ATSC Quaternary Palaeoecology
1/2018 - 2/2018.
Postgraduate: 2016-17 NERC ATSC Quaternary Palaeoecology
1/2017.
Postgraduate: 2015-16 NERC ATSC Quaternary Palaeoecology
NHM
11/2015 - 12/2015.
Postgraduate: 2014-15 NERC ATSC Quaternary Palaeoecology
NHM
12/2014.
Invited and keynote speaker
Metabarcoding in the city: developing DNA methods for urban nature conservation, UK DNA Working Group Annual Conference: London, United Kingdom, 27/1/2020.
Invited speaker, Key learning from the UK’s OPAL network: connecting 1 million people with science and nature, Future of NASA citizen science programme: Tucson, United States, 21/6/2019.
Building knowledge of the natural world: the historical and contemporary contributions of ‘citizen science’ within the UK, Cabinet of Natural History: University of Cambridge, 25/2/2019.
Invited speaker, Next steps: the future of UK natural history training at the NHM, Identification Trainers for the Future Symposium: Natural History Museum, London, 1/6/2018.
Keynote speaker, The Skills Needed to Identify and Record in Natural History, Skill Development for Biological Recording: The Gateway, Shrewsbury, 10/5/2018.
Invited speaker, Citizen science at London’s Natural History Museum: From earthworms and seaweeds to microbial DNA and 19th Century Collections, University of Oxford STEM researcher evening: University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom, 4/5/2018.
Invited speaker, Networks of Naturalists: Scientific Communities in the Nineteenth and Twenty-First Centuries, Annual Innes History of Science Lecture: John Innes Centre, Norwich, United Kingdom, 23/4/2018.
Invited speaker, Citizen science: a researcher’s perspective, NERC Scientist Training Academy: Operation Earth: Natural History Museum, 6/2/2018.
Invited speaker, Bridging the skills gap in UK species identification: lessons learnt and next steps, 17th National Biodiversity Network Conference: National Museum Wales, Cardiff, United Kingdom, 17/11/2017.
Invited speaker, A crowd of specimens: digitising collections at The Natural History Museum, Connecting with the Crowd (multidisciplinary conference): Natural History Museum, London, United Kingdom, 16/6/2017.
Invited speaker, Is natural history museum-led citizen science really helping to conserve the wild?, Citizen Science and the Wild (interdisciplinary symposium): Natural History Museum, London, United Kingdom, 15/6/2017.
Does citizen science really contribute to nature conservation? Sharing evidence from natural history museums, Citzen Science Association Conference: Saint Paul, United States, 18/5/2017.
Blurring the boundaries between outdoor and online citizen science: lessons learned from the Orchid Observers project, Citizen Science Association Conference: Saint Paul, United States, 18/5/2017.
Invited speaker, Citizen science: generating biodiversity understanding and connecting people with nature in a changing world, The Call of the Wild (2-day symposium and workshop): Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, United States, 11/6/2016.
Invited speaker, Citizen science and the role of museums (panel discussion), European Citizen Science Association Conference 2016. Citizen Science: Innovation in Open Science, Society and Policy: Berlin, Germany, 21/5/2016.
Does citizen science really contribute to nature conservation? Sharing evidence and best practice (conference session, co-lead), European Citizen Science Association Conference 2016. Citizen Science: Innovation in Open Science, Society and Policy: 20/5/2016.
Invited speaker, Orchid Observers: combining field and collections-based citizen science to investigate the biotic impacts of climate change, Biotic response to environmental change: 27/11/2015.
From Buying In to Integrating Citizen Science at Your Organization: Sharing Concrete Tools and Stories, Association of Science and Technology Centers Conference: Montreal, Canada, 19/10/2015.
Invited speaker, Crowdsourcing Europe, NBN Crowdsourcing Data Capture Summit: 25/9/2015.
Keynote speaker, The role and potential of citizen science, Wales Biodiversity Partnership Annual Conference: Aberystwyth, Wales, 10/9/2015.
Invited speaker, BioBlitz: a UK perspective, Australian Citizen Science Association conference: Canberra, Australia, 25/7/2015.
Invited speaker, The social impacts of citizen science, Australian Citizen Science Association conference: Canberra, Australia, 24/7/2015.
Furthering Science and public engagement: natural history museums as centers to develop and promote citizen science, Citizen Science Association Conference 2015: San Jose, California, 12/2/2015.
Decoding NAture: balancing student participation and cutting-edge research, Citizen Science Association Conference 2015: San Jose, California, 12/2/2015.
Citizen science in schools: addressing challenges and maximising impact, Citizen Science Association Conference 2015: San Jose, California, 11/2/2015.
Beyond transcription: realising the research potential of museum specimens through citizen science, Citizen Science Association Conference 2015: San Jose, California, 11/2/2015.
Invited speaker, Introducing: identification trainers for the future, NBN Annual Conference: Climate, Collaboration and Collection - informing the new conservation agenda: Royal Society, London, 21/11/2014.
Decoding NAture: engaging school pupils in biodiversity research through citizen science, NRG BESS Early Career Researcher Conference on Biodiversity, Ecosystem Services and Sustainability: University of Southampton, Southampton, 8/9/2014.
Making molehills out of mountains: Crowdsourcing digital access to natural history collections, SPNHC Conference 2014 - Progress in Digitisation: 26/6/2014.
Invited speaker, Motivation in citizen science: why bother?, British Ecological Society Citizen Science Special Interest Group Inaugural Meeting: 1/11/2013.
Invited speaker, Citizen science: motivating participation, Eye on Earth First User Conference: Dublin, Ireland, 3/3/2015.
Guest lectures
Invited speaker, A short tour of the Natural History Museum’s collections, London Wildlife Trust Annual Volunteers Celebration.: Camley Street Natural Park, London, 24/2/2018.
Invited speaker, Citizen Science and natural history: a perfect match, Lyme Regis Fossil Festival: 2/5/2014.
Invited speaker, Supporting UK natural history understanding: public engagement at the NHM, Botanical Society of the British Isles Annual Exhibition Meeting: 23/11/2013.
Invited speaker, Working with the UK’s recording community: examples from the NHM, The role of museum collections in biological recording. Plenary meeting of the Linnean Society Taxonomy and Systematics Committee: Linnaean Society, London, 18/9/2013.
Invited speaker, Citizen science and ecology: a perfect match, The role and unique contribution of citizen science to ecological research: Rothamsted Research, 18/7/2013.