Role
Postdoctoral Researcher, Sensory Ecology
Current Research
BBSRC, Postdoc, University of Exeter 2025-2028
My current research postdoc is on ‘Butterfly Motion Confusion’ supervised by Dr Jolyon Troscianko (Exeter) and in collaboration with Prof Laura Kelley (Exeter) and Dr Anna Hughes (Essex). For this project, I will be using 3D modelling, genetic algorithms, motion tracking and computer games to investigate how butterflies and other fast moving animals can use their colouration to confuse their observers making them harder to accurately intercept.
Prior Research
Academy of Finland, Postdoc, University of Helsinki 2024-2025
NERC GW4+, PhD, University of Exeter 2019-2023
MSci Zoology, University of Bristol 2015-2019
I am a returning member to both the University of Exeter faculty and the visual ecology lab having completed my PhD with Jolyon Troscianko on “The Roles of Habitat Colouration, Geometry and Lighting in Camouflage and Ground-Nesting Bird Conservation” and then undertaking my first postdoc at the University of Helsinki on interactions between colour and motion. I have worked on sensory ecology since my MSci at the University of Bristol where I worked on motion detection under dynamic lighting.
I am probably best known for developing the CamoEvo Toolbox and I have become a bit of a biology game developer with another toolbox currently in development, PECK a suite of tools for the Psychtoolbox designed to help run touch screen experiments with birds and/or humans.
Interests
I am interested in how the ecology of animals shape optimal behavioural, locomotion and camouflage strategies. In addition, I’m a tetrapod enthusiast with a particular passion for archosaurs (birds, crocodiles and dinosaurs).
Publications
Briolat, E.S., Hancock, G.R.A., Troscianko, J. Adapting genetic algorithms for artificial evolution of visual patterns under selection from wild predators. Plos One, (2024). https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0295106
Hancock, G.R.A.*, Grayshon, L., Burrell, R. Cuthill, I., Hoodless, A., Troscianko, J.Habitat geometry rather than visual acuity limits the visibility of a ground-nesting bird’s clutch to terrestrial predators. Ecology & Evolution, (2023). https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.10471
Hancock, G.R.A.*, Troscianko, J. CamoEvo: An open access toolbox for artificial camouflage evolution experiments. EVOLUTION, (2022). https://doi.org/10.1111/evo.14476
Contact Details
Work Emails: gh471@exeter.ac.uk / ghancockzoology@gmail.com
Mobile: +44 7904968347
Bluesky: @grahancock.bsky.social
Instagram: @ghancockzoology
