BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES DEPARTMENT MATTERS | August 3, 2018

Hi all

I’m back after an excellent family holiday in Scotland and Iceland, rested and ready for the rest of the year! We saw volcanoes, glaciers, boiling mud, black sand beaches, whales & puffins – what more could anyone want?! Thanks so much to Grant and Mel and Sharyon for looking after everything while I was away.

Lots coming up this coming week – on Tuesday we have the Session 2 BBQ for first year students – please pop by and say hello, followed by the Faculty Town Hall meeting which I encourage everyone to attend. Due to the Faculty Town Hall, our monthly department meeting will be the following Tuesday and we will focus on the curriculum architecture changes that are making the lives of our L&T Director and Program Directors very busy. The weekly seminars are back, with a talk on Australasia’s Age of Dinosaurs. And National Science Week and the Sydney Science Festival kicks off next weekend, including our Advanced Biology students with the Science Safari at the Sydney Botanic Gardens.

Finally, our newest academic staff member, Associate Professor Jaco LeRoux, arrived in July. Please come along to department morning tea on Wednesday to welcome him and introduce yourself. There may be a budget squeeze but there will be cakes!

cheers,

Michelle

Save the Date

This coming week 6th – 10th August

Mon 6th: Thermo Fisher Scientific Spectroscopy Technology Launch Lunch; 12.00pm – 1.30pm; 4WW (F7B) 332 seminar room.

Tue 7th: S2 Student Welcome Sausage Sizzle; 12.00pm – 1.00pm; Biology Courtyard.

Tue 7th: FSE Town Hall Meeting; 1.00pm – 2.00pm; W2.4A Macquarie Theatre – 21WW.

Wed 8th: Department Morning Tea – welcome to Assoc Prof Jaco Le Roux; 10.30am – 11.00am; 14EAR (E8A) 280 Biology Tea Room.

Wed 8th: Departmental Seminar – Dr Benjamin Kear, Uppsala University; 1.00pm – 2.00pm; 14EAR (E8A) 280 Biology Tea Room.

Wed 8th: Public Lecture: The Role of Ritual in the Evolution of Social Complexity – Prof Harvey Whitehouse, U Oxford, England; 1.00pm – 3.00pm: Level 8, 12WW.

Thu 9th: aaRgh – R drop-in help; 3.00pm – 4.00pm; 14EAR (E8A) 280 Biology Tea Room.

Thu 9th: Biology Social Club; 5.00pm – 7.00pm; Biology Courtyard (or Tea Room if it’s wet).

Sat 11th: National Science Week/Sydney Science Festival Science Safari; 9.00am – 2.00pm; Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney.

Following week 13th – 17th August

Mon 13th: STEM Careers Forum; From midday; Level 8, 12WW (E7A).

Tue 14th: Department Meeting; 1.00pm – 2.00pm; Biology Tearoom E8A (14EAR) 280.

Wed 15th: Department Morning Tea; 10.30am – 11.00am; The Hill.

Wed 15th: Departmental Seminar – Professor Ken Cheng, Macquarie University; 1.00pm – 2.00pm; 14EAR (E8A) 280 Biology Tea Room.

Sat 18th: MQ Open Day; 9.30am – 4.00pm; Macquarie University Campus.

Future Events

Aug 22nd: “The Second Cure” Margaret Morgan in conversation with Michael Gillings; 6.30pm; Harry Hartog Bookstore, Macquarie Shopping Centre.

Sep 19th: Biological Sciences Graduation Ceremony; 2.30pm; Great Hall, MQU.

Sep 21st: Frank Mercer Garden 40th Anniversary; 12.00pm – 2.00pm; Frank Mercer Garden, behind Biology Courtyard.

Oct 10th: Faculty Safety Day; 10.00am – 2.00pm; Biology Courtyard.

General News and Announcements

Department Morning Tea to welcome Jaco – Wednesday 8th August – Biology tearoom

Jaco Le Roux joined the department in July. He is a molecular ecologist and his research is mainly focused on Australian wattles (genus Acacia), under three broad themes: the population dynamics of invasive species, plant evolutionary biology and biogeography, and plant-microbial interactions. His research aims to address aspects related to the phylogeography and population genetic structure of invasive populations and their native counterparts; extreme long-distance dispersal in explaining historically disjunct distributions; the dynamics of plant-bacterial interaction networks; soil microbial community diversity and functional responses to plant community compositional changes; and plant evolutionary biology.

 

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Congratulations to Adjunct Professor Graham Pyke who has been award a University of Sydney alumni award for professional achievement.

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National Science Week / Sydney Science Festival is just around the corner. Come to the Royal Botanic Garden August 11 (9-2pm) where Macquarie Biological Sciences Advanced Science students will run the Science Safari. See the program for the day. Living Laboratory Program

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Open Day Academic Advisors Urgently Needed – We are urgently seeking more of our Academics to provide academic advising at Open Day on Saturday, 18 August 2018 from 9.30am to 4 pm. If you are available on the day and can help us out, please contact Jenny Donald <jenny.donald@mq.edu.au>.

Calling All Marine Fieldworkers! The marine fieldwork management team would like your feedback on the various inductions we conduct at the University and how we can improve them. If you have completed a snorkelling, boating, or diving induction with us in the last 5 years please take a few minutes to give us anonymous feedback by clicking here:https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/CSCFV6L

LEARNING AND TEACHING

The Biology and Environment Society, BAES, is hosting a careers night for undergraduate students on the 17th of September to showcase the potential career pathways and experiences on offer after graduation. They are looking for a variety of speakers from different career stages and backgrounds to come give short 10-15 minute talks about what they do, how they got there and potentially give some sage advice.

Ideally, we would like 1 academic, 1 early career researcher & 1 PhD student. We are also looking for someone with a non-academic background (e.g. private sector or government). So, if you’re interested in helping out or have some recommendations please contact BAES at <bio.enviro.socmq@gmail.com>

Wuyagiba Study Hub – Macquarie University has been working with members of Ngukurr and Numbulwar communities of south east Arnhem Land to establish a remote Study Hub at Wuyagiba outstation. We are doing a funding drive to try and get some basic infrastructure, funding for local Aboriginal staff and equipment so we can Trial the idea in Sept-October this year. Follow this link to access the Wuyagiba Study Hub website https://www.wuyagibastudyhub.org/

This week – Boronia ledifolia – an iconic species from Sydney sandstones, with a fragrance loved by some and anathema to others!

Social Network Analysis Mini-conference & Workshop – When/Where: 10 – 13 September 2018, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia. Attendance is free but places are limited so register soon! Flyer_SNA_NA_final For details of content – https://sites.google.com/site/drfarine/teaching/sna_workshop For inquiries & registration details – Nicolette Armansin (Macquarie University), <nicolette.armansin@mq.edu.au>.

Public lecture: The Role of Ritual in the Evolution of Social Complexity by Professor Harvey Whitehouse (University of Oxford, England)

DATE: Wednesday August 8, 2018, TIME: 1 pm to 3 pm (with a catered reception to follow) VENUE: Level 8, 12 Wally’s Walk, Macquarie University, North Ryde, New South Wales 2109

Abstract: Field research in anthropology has inspired some promising theories of ritual and its role in the emergence and spread of complex social systems. In recent years, efforts have been made to test some of those theories scientifically, for example using carefully controlled experiments to examine the effects of ritual frequency and emotional intensity on various aspects of group cohesion and cooperation. The results of this research have implications for the nature and spread of collective identities and on the structure and scale of social groups. To explore these implications, Seshat: Global History Databank was created, a massive storehouse of information about ritual, religion, social organisation, and warfare that will allow researchers to quantify patterns in world history and test competing theories of the forces driving sociocultural evolution.

Professor Harvey Whitehouse’s work focuses on understanding the cognitive underpinnings of ritual and religion and the evolution of sociocultural complexity, and he is the co-editor of multiple books about cognition, religion, and ritual.

STEM Careers Forum – career talks | Q&A | networking with refreshments. Monday 13th Aug Level 8 and Atrium 12 Wally’s Walk (E7A). The annual STEM careers forum presents a feast of warm networking opportunities featuring:

• Speakers with STEM backgrounds
• STEM career pathways
• Stories, tips and opportunities to kick start your STEM careers

This event is ideal for UG, PG and HDR students who study with the Faculty of Science and Engineering. Register to receive your networking guide including the speaker list on: https://students.mq.edu.au/experience/careers-and-job-opportunities/careers-and-employment-service/careers-fair/stem-careers-forum

CSIRO Summer Vacation Scholarships — Applications Now Open CSIRO Undergraduate Vacation Scholarships are run over the Australian summer holidays and offer high achieving and promising undergraduate students the opportunity to collaborate with leading CSIRO scientists in our world class facilities. Students will have the chance to work on a real project in science, engineering or a related field such as science communication. Placements are full time and will be from 8 to 12 weeks duration between 26 November 2018 and 8 February 2019 (although there may be some flexibility). Participation in the Vacation Scholarship Program has influenced previous scholarship holders in their choice of further study and future career options. Many have gone on to pursue a PhD in CSIRO or to build a successful research career within CSIRO, a university or industry Please see here for more information: https://jobs.csiro.au/job/Various-CSIRO-Undergraduate-Vacation-Scholarships-National-Research-Collections-Australia-%28NRCA%29/488808400/

Applications close Monday 6 August 2018.

 Kangaroo Island Crown Coastal Conservation Reserve – The SA Government has previously attempted to sell Crown Coastal Conservation Reserve on Kangaroo Island to golf course developers. That consultation was eventually won and the government backed down. This is because there were 780 submissions with 775 against the golf course being on that land. The SA government then changed in April and unfortunately the new Environment Minster David Speirs rezoned the crown land allowing almost all of it to be leased to developers, plus another coastal parcel to the west. The Minster keeps saying that the land is “highly degraded” which is completely disingenuous. We know that 80% of the land is very high quality remnant linking the eastern Dudley Peninsula with the rest of the island at an isthmus. The vegetation is cliff-top coastal grasses (virtually untouched) and, sand dunes and shrubs. I reattach the photo I sent with my first email of some dunes. None of this land has been subject to an EIS because it was only acquired as part of an “amendment” to the originally approved development which was on cleared freehold farmland. Dr Julian Monfries from Adelaide (GP and Secretary Friends of Heysen Trail), has started an online petition to again try and stop the crown land being used. There are already about 400 signatures and I urge you to sign as well if you feel it is a worthy cause. Just need name, email, postcode (there is space to write comments also). Link here: https://www.communityrun.org/petitions/save-the-kangaroo-island-coastline

New Publications

In the Media

Recent Completions

Isabel Damas Moreira submitted her PhD thesis entitled Understanding what make a lizard invasive: the role of behaviour and cognition

Supervised by Associate Professor Martin Whiting

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Catarina Villa Pouca submitted her PhD Thesis entitled Exploring elasmobranch cognation using juvenile Port Jackson sharks

Supervised by Associate Professor Culum Brown

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