florancebennett
Hello. My name is Florance Bennett and I am a student at the School of Biosciences at the University of East Anglia. Throughout his long and distinguished career, Gage's work has been multifaceted. His research spanned many areas and systems, from the Plodia interpunctella moth to the red flour beetle, but he always sought to understand how complex behaviors in nature could be explained by simpler biological principles. Professor Matthew Gage was also a dedicated teacher and gifted communicator. His students remember his deep enthusiasm for biology and his willingness to go to any lengths to make sure they understand the basic principles that apply in each case.
Professor Matthew Gage's keen and varied interests in the natural world were nurtured from childhood through his immersion in nature around his family home on Rathlin Island in Northern Ireland. These interests influenced his approach to research and led him to look for the big "elephant in the room" question and then develop the (often large scale) program needed to solve it.
Among his many accomplishments, Professor Matthew Gage research helped establish fundamental aspects of sexual selection and post-copulatory sperm competition. He studied this topic in a wide variety of organisms, including fish and mammals, although insects remained a particular favorite system. One of his most influential studies, in collaboration with Liverpool's Jeff Parker, showed that spermatozoa evolve to be longer - an energetically costly process - in species with higher sperm competition. In later years, Gage turned to more systems-oriented research. For example, in a study of the Plodia interpunctella moth, he showed that higher population densities encouraged males to disperse rather than invest in breeding.
While Professor Matthew Gage scientific output has been significant, perhaps his most significant contribution has been to help rethink how we think about science. In particular, he was one of the first to argue that we tend to underestimate scientific information and knowledge when it matches our preconceptions. He coined the term "Matthew effect" to describe this phenomenon and cited the biblical Gospel of Matthew 13:12 as evidence.
In addition to his scientific discoveries, Gage was a thoughtful and generous leader of the Association for the Study of Animal Behavior. He served as treasurer until 2012 and left the society in a good financial position to continue his mission. He has also been a longtime member of the ASAB Council and a valued friend to many. He will be missed.
Professor Matthew Gage's keen and varied interests in the natural world were nurtured from childhood through his immersion in nature around his family home on Rathlin Island in Northern Ireland. These interests influenced his approach to research and led him to look for the big "elephant in the room" question and then develop the (often large scale) program needed to solve it.
Among his many accomplishments, Professor Matthew Gage research helped establish fundamental aspects of sexual selection and post-copulatory sperm competition. He studied this topic in a wide variety of organisms, including fish and mammals, although insects remained a particular favorite system. One of his most influential studies, in collaboration with Liverpool's Jeff Parker, showed that spermatozoa evolve to be longer - an energetically costly process - in species with higher sperm competition. In later years, Gage turned to more systems-oriented research. For example, in a study of the Plodia interpunctella moth, he showed that higher population densities encouraged males to disperse rather than invest in breeding.
While Professor Matthew Gage scientific output has been significant, perhaps his most significant contribution has been to help rethink how we think about science. In particular, he was one of the first to argue that we tend to underestimate scientific information and knowledge when it matches our preconceptions. He coined the term "Matthew effect" to describe this phenomenon and cited the biblical Gospel of Matthew 13:12 as evidence.
In addition to his scientific discoveries, Gage was a thoughtful and generous leader of the Association for the Study of Animal Behavior. He served as treasurer until 2012 and left the society in a good financial position to continue his mission. He has also been a longtime member of the ASAB Council and a valued friend to many. He will be missed.
- Website
- https://matthewgagelab.com/