Mark Shirley is a research associate at Newcastle with 15 years experience in modelling biological systems. He has particular interest in process-based models (including individual based models, discrete event models, and Markov chain models) and in network analysis and graph theoretic approaches. He also has extensive experience in analytical/statistical modelling. He has worked collaboratively with other research institutions and government agencies on a wide variety of projects involving population ecology and conversation; management of invasive species; epidemiology of wildlife, livestock, and human diseases; and health economics. He has been the lead modeller on several UK Research Council and EU-funded projects.