Professor Nik Cunniffe
- • Head of Quantitative Plant Health
- • Deputy Head of Department (Teaching)
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About
Nik Cunniffe is Head of Quantitative Plant Health at the Department of Plant Sciences, University of Cambridge.
Previous Positions
2021 to 2022 - Associate Professor - Department of Plant Sciences, University of Cambridge, England
2018 to 2021 - University Senior Lecturer - Department of Plant Sciences, University of Cambridge, England
2016 to 2018 - University Lecturer - Department of Plant Sciences, University of Cambridge, England
2009 to 2016 - Unestablished University Lecturer - Department of Plant Sciences, University of Cambridge, England
2009 to present - College Lecturer in Natural Sciences (Part-Time) - Girton College, University of Cambridge, England
2008 to 2011 - Associate Lecturer in Mathematics (Part-Time) - The Open University, England
2008 to 2009 - Teaching Associate, Department of Plant Sciences - University of Cambridge, England
1998 to 2002 - European Research Manager - Autonomy Corporation, Cambridge, England
1997 to 1998 - Analyst Programmer - Alphametrics Ltd, Cambridge, England
Qualifications
2007 - PhD in Mathematical Biology - University of Cambridge, England
2003 - MSc in Modern Applications of Mathematics - University of Bath, England
1997 - MPhil in Computer Speech and Language Processing - University of Cambridge, England
1996 - MA in Mathematics - St Catharine's College, University of Cambridge, England
Awards & Fellowships
2021 - Syngenta Award - American Phytopathological Society
2016 - Schroth Face of the Future Award - American Phytopathological Society
2015 - Pilkington Prize for Teaching - University of Cambridge, England
2009 - Official Fellow - Girton College, University of Cambridge, England
Committees
2026 to present - Council Member - Cambridge Philosophical Society, England
2026 to present - Associate Editor - Journal of the Royal Society Interface
2025 to present - Associate Editor - Phytoparasitica
2024 to present - Panel on Plant Health - European Food Safety Authority (EFSA)
2024 to present - Academic Editor - PLOS Computational Biology
2020 to present - Editorial Board for PhytoFrontiers - American Phytopathological Society
2019 to 2021 - Elected Board Member - British Society for Plant Pathology
2018 to present - Editorial Board for Phytopathology - American Phytopathological Society
2017 to present - Editorial Board for Tropical Plant Pathology - Brazilian Phytopathological Society
Research
Research Group
Research Overview
I focus on modelling the spread, detection, evolution and control of plant pests and pathogens. My theoretical work uses deterministic, stochastic, and spatial models to improve strategic understanding. My applied work concentrates on using forward predictions from models to understand how detection and control can be optimised. I am currently a member of the EFSA Panel on Plant Health, which allows my modelling work to inform EU plant health policy.
School of Biological Sciences Theme Affiliations
Publications
Selected publications
Teaching and supervision
Undergraduate Natural Sciences Tripos Part IA Biological Mathematics
Undergraduate Natural Sciences Tripos Part IB Mathematical & Computational Biology
Undergraduate Natural Sciences Tripos Part IB Plant & Microbial Sciences
Undergraduate Natural Sciences Tripos Part II Plant Sciences
Postgraduate MPhil in Crop Sciences
Research Supervision
I have supervised nine PhD students to successful completion and am currently lead supervisor of three further PhD students at the University of Cambridge.