Dr Nicola Hemmings

School of Biosciences

Senior Research Fellow

Dr Nicola Hemmings
Profile picture of Dr Nicola Hemmings
n.hemmings@sheffield.ac.uk
Alfred Denny Building

Full contact details

Dr Nicola Hemmings
School of Biosciences
Alfred Denny Building
Western Bank
Sheffield
S10 2TN
Profile
  • Royal Society Dorothy Hodgkin Research Fellow, University of Sheffield (2018-present)
  • Co-Director of the University of Sheffield Centre for Equity & Inclusion (2022-present)
  • Programme Lead, MSc Science Communication, University of Sheffield (2017‒2018)
  • Patrick & Irwin-Packington Research Fellow, University of Sheffield (2016)
  • Postdoctoral Research Associate, Birkhead Lab, University of Sheffield (2011‒2016)
  • University Teaching Associate, University of Sheffield (2010‒2011)
  • PhD Behavioural Ecology, University of Sheffield (2007‒2010)
  • MBiolSci Zoology, University of Sheffield (2003‒2007)
Research interests

Nicola's research group studies how and why animals vary in their ability to reproduce, with particular focus on the causes of infertility and embryo death. They work in collaboration with a range of global conservation organisations to aid recovery efforts for threatened species.

Publications

Show: Featured publications All publications

Journal articles

  • Marshall AF, Balloux F, Brown L, Flach E, Richardson A, Steeves TE, Spiro S, Ward G, Hemmings N & Brekke P (2025) . Global Ecology and Conservation, 61.
  • Lavigne A, Bullock R, Shah NJ, Tagg C, Zora A & Hemmings N (2025) . Animal Conservation, 28(3), 353-364.
  • Morland F, Ewen JG, Santure AW, Brekke P & Hemmings N (2024) . Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 121(36).
  • Mason C, Tschirren B & Hemmings N (2024) . Journal of Evolutionary Biology, 37(9), 1113-1124.
  • Assersohn K, Richards JP & Hemmings N (2024) . Ecology and Evolution, 14(6).
  • Assersohn K, Morton O, Slate J & Hemmings N (2024) . Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 291(2019).
  • Morland F, Patel S, Santure AW, Brekke P & Hemmings N (2024) . Methods in Ecology and Evolution, 15(1), 80-90.
  • Morland F, Ewen JG, Simons MJP, Brekke P & Hemmings N (2023) . Molecular Ecology.
  • Marshall AF, Balloux F, Hemmings N & Brekke P (2023) . Biological Reviews.
  • Savage J, Crane JMS, Kākāpō Recovery Team & Hemmings N (2022) . Animal Conservation, 25(3), 352-360.
  • Assersohn K, Brekke P & Hemmings N (2021) . Royal Society Open Science, 8(7).
  • Assersohn K, Marshall AF, Morland F, Brekke P & Hemmings N (2021) . Animal Conservation, 24(4), 540-551.
  • Hemmings N & Birkhead TR (2020) . The Auk, 137(4).
  • Cooney CR, Sheard C, Clark AD, Healy SD, Liker A, Street SE, Troisi CA, Thomas GH, Szekely T, Hemmings N & Wright AE (2020) . Nature Communications, 11.
  • Hemmings N & Evans S (2020) . Biology Letters, 16(1).
  • Mendonca T, Cadby AJ & Hemmings N (2019) . Biophysical Journal, 117(11), 2180-2187.
  • Kinsella CM, Ruiz-Ruano FJ, Dion-Côté A-M, Charles AJ, Gossmann TI, Cabrero J, Kappei D, Hemmings N, Simons MJP, Camacho JPM , Forstmeier W et al (2019) . Nature Communications, 10(1).
  • Mendonca T, Birkhead TR, Cadby AJ, Forstmeier W & Hemmings N (2018) . Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 285(1883).
  • Schilthuizen M, Langelaan R, Hemmings N, van Oostenbrugge W & Visser S (2017) An unexpected twist: Sperm cells coil to the right in land snails and to the left in song birds. Contributions to Zoology, 86(4), 297-302.
  • Hemmings N & Birkhead T (2017) . Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 284(1860).
  • Kim KW, Bennison C, Hemmings N, Brookes L, Hurley LL, Griffith SC, Burke T, Birkhead TR & Slate J (2017) . Nature Ecology & Evolution, 1, 1168-1176.
  • Bennison C, Hemmings N, Brookes L, Slate J & Birkhead T (2016) . Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 283(1837).
  • Hemmings N & Birkhead TR (2015) . Ibis, 158(1), 43-50.
  • Hemmings N & Birkhead TR (2015) . Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences , 282(1818).
  • Bennison C, Hemmings N, Slate J & Birkhead T (2015) . Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 282(1799).
  • Hemmings N, Birkhead TR, Brillard JP, Froment P & Briere S (2014) . Theriogenology, 83(7), 1174-1178.
  • Hemmings N, West M & Birkhead TR (2012) . Biol Lett, 8(6), 964-967.
  • Hemmings NL, Slate J & Birkhead TR (2012) . Nat Commun, 3, 863.
  • Birkhead TR, Hemmings N, Spottiswoode CN, Mikulica O, Moskát C, Bán M & Schulze-Hagen K (2011) . Proc Biol Sci, 278(1708), 1019-1024.
  • Birkhead TR, Hall J, Schut E & Hemmings N (2008) Unhatched eggs: methods for discriminating between infertility and early embryo mortality. IBIS, 150(3), 508-517.
  • Schut E, Hemmings N & Birkhead TR (2008) Parthenogenesis in a passerine bird, the Zebra Finch Taeniopygia guttata. IBIS, 150(1), 197-199.
  • Hemmings N, Bennison C & Birkhead TR () . Biology Letters, 12.

Preprints

  • Mendonca T, Cadby AJ & Hemmings N () .

All publications

Journal articles

  • Marshall AF, Balloux F, Brown L, Flach E, Richardson A, Steeves TE, Spiro S, Ward G, Hemmings N & Brekke P (2025) . Global Ecology and Conservation, 61.
  • Lavigne A, Bullock R, Shah NJ, Tagg C, Zora A & Hemmings N (2025) . Animal Conservation, 28(3), 353-364.
  • Morland F, Ewen JG, Santure AW, Brekke P & Hemmings N (2024) . Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 121(36).
  • Mason C, Tschirren B & Hemmings N (2024) . Journal of Evolutionary Biology, 37(9), 1113-1124.
  • Assersohn K, Richards JP & Hemmings N (2024) . Ecology and Evolution, 14(6).
  • Assersohn K, Morton O, Slate J & Hemmings N (2024) . Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 291(2019).
  • Morland F, Patel S, Santure AW, Brekke P & Hemmings N (2024) . Methods in Ecology and Evolution, 15(1), 80-90.
  • Morland F, Ewen JG, Simons MJP, Brekke P & Hemmings N (2023) . Molecular Ecology.
  • Marshall AF, Balloux F, Hemmings N & Brekke P (2023) . Biological Reviews.
  • Savage J, Crane JMS, Kākāpō Recovery Team & Hemmings N (2022) . Animal Conservation, 25(3), 352-360.
  • Assersohn K, Brekke P & Hemmings N (2021) . Royal Society Open Science, 8(7).
  • Assersohn K, Marshall AF, Morland F, Brekke P & Hemmings N (2021) . Animal Conservation, 24(4), 540-551.
  • Hemmings N & Birkhead TR (2020) . The Auk, 137(4).
  • Cooney CR, Sheard C, Clark AD, Healy SD, Liker A, Street SE, Troisi CA, Thomas GH, Szekely T, Hemmings N & Wright AE (2020) . Nature Communications, 11.
  • Hemmings N & Evans S (2020) . Biology Letters, 16(1).
  • Mendonca T, Cadby AJ & Hemmings N (2019) . Biophysical Journal, 117(11), 2180-2187.
  • Kinsella CM, Ruiz-Ruano FJ, Dion-Côté A-M, Charles AJ, Gossmann TI, Cabrero J, Kappei D, Hemmings N, Simons MJP, Camacho JPM , Forstmeier W et al (2019) . Nature Communications, 10(1).
  • Mendonca T, Birkhead TR, Cadby AJ, Forstmeier W & Hemmings N (2018) . Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 285(1883).
  • Schilthuizen M, Langelaan R, Hemmings N, van Oostenbrugge W & Visser S (2017) An unexpected twist: Sperm cells coil to the right in land snails and to the left in song birds. Contributions to Zoology, 86(4), 297-302.
  • Hemmings N & Birkhead T (2017) . Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 284(1860).
  • Kim KW, Bennison C, Hemmings N, Brookes L, Hurley LL, Griffith SC, Burke T, Birkhead TR & Slate J (2017) . Nature Ecology & Evolution, 1, 1168-1176.
  • Bennison C, Hemmings N, Brookes L, Slate J & Birkhead T (2016) . Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 283(1837).
  • Hemmings N & Birkhead TR (2015) . Ibis, 158(1), 43-50.
  • Hemmings N & Birkhead TR (2015) . Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences , 282(1818).
  • Bennison C, Hemmings N, Slate J & Birkhead T (2015) . Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 282(1799).
  • Hemmings N, Birkhead TR, Brillard JP, Froment P & Briere S (2014) . Theriogenology, 83(7), 1174-1178.
  • Hemmings N, West M & Birkhead TR (2012) . Biol Lett, 8(6), 964-967.
  • Hemmings NL, Slate J & Birkhead TR (2012) . Nat Commun, 3, 863.
  • Birkhead TR, Hemmings N, Spottiswoode CN, Mikulica O, Moskát C, Bán M & Schulze-Hagen K (2011) . Proc Biol Sci, 278(1708), 1019-1024.
  • Birkhead TR, Hall J, Schut E & Hemmings N (2008) Unhatched eggs: methods for discriminating between infertility and early embryo mortality. IBIS, 150(3), 508-517.
  • Schut E, Hemmings N & Birkhead TR (2008) Parthenogenesis in a passerine bird, the Zebra Finch Taeniopygia guttata. IBIS, 150(1), 197-199.
  • Hemmings N, Bennison C & Birkhead TR () . Biology Letters, 12.

Preprints

  • Mendonca T, Cadby AJ & Hemmings N () .
Teaching activities
  • BIS312 L3 Capstone Project – Getting Science on Film (Project Theme Lead and Supervisor)
  • BIS415/426 Level 4 Project and Literature Review Supervisor
  • BIS422 Topical Science (Module Coordinator and Lead Instructor)
Professional activities and memberships
  • Associate Editor, Animal Behaviour (2025-present)
  • Consulting Editor, Animal Behaviour (2024–2025)
  • Communications Editor, Evolution Letters (2016-2022)
  • Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (awarded 2016)
  • Student Voice Academic Awards Best Educational Event (for the University of Sheffield Schools’ Christmas Lecture 'Animal Academy') (2015)
  • Society of Biology UK Science Communicator of the Year (2014)
  • SET for Britain Awards, Houses of Parliament – Bronze Award (2013)
  • Animal and Plant Sciences Teacher of the Year, University of Sheffield (2011)

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