Beth Mortimer

Dr Beth Mortimer is an Associate Professor in Animal Biology at the University of Oxford, affiliated with the Department of Biology. Her research focuses on how animals, such as spiders, detect and use surface vibrations for information transfer, with applications in robotics and technology. She leads the Animal Vibration Lab in the Zoology Department and is a Royal Society University Research Fellow. Mortimer's work bridges biology, materials science, and engineering, using physical sciences techniques to explore biological questions. She holds a DPhil in Zoology from the University of Oxford and has held various research and teaching positions at Oxford and the University of Bristol.

Beth Mortimer's research focuses on the study of spider webs, particularly their vibrational properties and the transmission of information through these structures. Her work explores how spiders use web vibrations for communication, sensing, and behavior, with a focus on the physical and biological mechanisms underlying these interactions. Mortimer's research also extends to the mechanical properties of silk, including its acoustic and dynamic characteristics, and how these relate to biological function. She investigates the role of vibrations in animal behavior, such as in elephants and planthoppers, and applies machine learning techniques to analyze seismic data for wildlife monitoring. Her studies highlight the importance of vibrational signals in ecological and evolutionary contexts.