Professor Dr. John Ratcliffe

Biography

John Ratcliffe is a Professor in the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of Toronto. His research focuses on the auditory neuroethology and cognitive ecology of echolocating bats, with a keen interest in acoustic signal production and reception, as well as their purposes in locating prey and distinguishing between good and bad food sources. He studies the design and evolution of hearing mechanisms in moths and insects that evade predation by bats. Current investigations also delve into the dynamic control of biosonar beam shape and the information updates conducted by aerial hawking bats, as well as the cognitive specializations related to foraging and migration in bats. Ratcliffe employs an integrated biopsychological approach that includes single-cell recordings of auditory activity in insects and comparative analyses of interactions among multiple predators and prey. Additionally, he has begun to explore the underlying mechanisms of echolocation in Oilbirds and porpoises.

Research Interests

Experience