Brief Personal Background:
BSc. Zoology (Guelph, Canada)
MSc. (Dept. of Zoology, Western Ontario, Canada)
Ph.D. (UTexas @Austin, Department of Zoology, USA)
NSERC PostDoc (Oxford University, UK)
NSERC PostDoc (Zoology, Kyoto University, Japan)
Assistant Prof. Carleton University, Ottawa
Research Scientist (Bamfield Marine Station. BC)
Presently at University of British Columbia
Email: william.bates@ubc.ca
Research: The EvoDevo of Animal Vocalizations: We have developed a bioacoustic method for the identification of individual lions. This method will be useful in our field research conducted at Chris McBrides’ camp, Kafue National Park, Zambia and for collaborating with conservation groups for monitoring cryptic lion populations across sub-Saharan African. This year I will introduce bioacoustic methods to Serian Camp located in the northern Mara, Kenya as a non-invasive method for monitoring lion activities. Acoustic analysis of hyrax, coyote, wolf, domestic dog, African painted dog and African elephant vocalizations are underway using RAVEN, PRAAT and SAP. This research is part of my quest to understand the evolutionary developmental biology of animal vocalizations and the phylogenetic origins of human speech and language.
Lion Conservation Project
Starting this summer, I will be working with the Mara Predator Program and Serian Camp located in Masai Mara region, Kenya training guides how to record high quality
lion roars so that we will be able to identify individuals based on their vocal signatures.
Teaching: BIOL 200 Cell Biology, BIOL 263 Developmental Biology,
BIOL 363 Integrative (Epigenetic) Development, BIOL 364 Evolution and Development, BIOL 461 Cell Signaling, Special Topic BIOL 420: African Savannah Biology & first year biology, at times.
PLEASE NOTE: My lectures contain lots of examples of African savannah biology to illustrate fundamental biological principles.
Just teaching about mice and flies can’t help us understand the
developmental evolution of life.
