Leading snake expert awarded Professorship

The University of Wolverhampton has appointed a Professor of Herpetology during graduation week.

Mark O’Shea received his Professorship at a recent ceremony held at the Grand Theatre in Wolverhampton.

Wolverhampton born and educated, Mark O’Shea graduated from Wolverhampton Polytechnic in 1985 with a degree in Applied Sciences. The University awarded him an honorary doctorate in science in 2001 for his contributions to herpetology.

Herpetology is the branch of zoology concerned with the study of Reptiles, including snakes, lizards, amphisbaenids, turtles and tortoises, and crocodilians, and Amphibians, including frogs, toads, salamanders, newts, and caecilians.

Mark is teaching on the University’s Animal Behaviour and Wildlife Conservation courses.  He has held the position of Curator of Reptiles at West Midland Safari Park since 1987. Between 1999 and 2003, Mark presented four seasons of the internationally acclaimed ‘O’Shea’s Big Adventure’ for Animal Planet and Channel 4. He also presented films for the BBC, ITV and Discovery Channel.

Mark has conducted herpetological fieldwork or made films in almost 50 countries, on every continent except Antarctica.  He has worked on numerous tropical expeditions, including snakebite research projects, including co-leading a team recording new species in Timor-Leste, Asia’s newest country. His most recent expedition was to catch and milk highly venomous snakes in Myanmar (Burma) for a snakebite and antivenom production project.