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BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES

DEPARTMENT MATTERS | December 4, 2020
Message from the HoD

Dear all,

Many congratulations to all recipients of the Faculty of Science 2020 Excellence Awards – it is wonderful to see so many Biology staff and students recognised for their hard work and achievements. We also celebrate Prof. Lesley Hughes’ award from the Australian Association for Environmental Education for Tertiary Educator of the Year and Overall 2020 NSW Environmental Educator of the Year, and Dr. Vanessa Pirotta who has been selected as one of 60 Superstars of STEM by Science and Technology Australia.

My thanks to all the convenors, professional staff and casual academic staff for your efforts to mark, collate and approve the S2 marks for submission, and for providing insightful feedback on this cohort of students and how we can improve our teaching practice next year.

Cheers,
Nathan

Save the Date

This Coming Week

Tues 8th December, 9:50-11:20am: MRes Y2 virtual poster session (see below; view posters, join presentations via Zoom)

Wed 9th December, 9am-5pm: Department Research Retreat, MSGM Hotel Macquarie Room (see schedule emailed out to academics)

Future Events

MQ Uni shut-down: 24th Dec 2020 to 3rd Jan 2021, inclusive (see below).

Weekly Events

Mon-Fri: morning writing sessions on Zoom with HDR Learning Skills; see below.

General News and Announcements

2020-2021 End-of-year shutdown: Access to University during this time requires pre-approval from the Executive Dean

No access will be granted to FSE laboratories during the MQ shutdown period, 24 December 2020 to 3 January 2021 inclusive. Exceptions for maintenance, animal care, etc., must be approved in advance by the Executive Dean (or delegate).

To apply for an exception, complete the form below and send your risk assessment to <fse.bio-hod@mq.edu.au>.

  1. FSE Shutdown Period Approval Form
  2. Activity Safety Risk Assessment

Requests will be considered and then responded to. The deadline for submission to the Department is COB Wednesday 9th December.

Faculty of Science and Engineering Excellence Awards

Biology had many staff and students awarded or commended for their work in 2020; you can see the full announcement at Excellence Awards – Science and Engineering

Early Career Researcher – Alexandra Carthey
HDR Supervision – Jane Williamson
Innovative Research Partnerships – Melanie Bishop (Biol) and Katherine Dafforn (EES)
HDR (Student Award) – Yuri Niella (highly commended: Julianna Kadar and Joni Pini-Fitzsimmons)
Academic Excellence – Michelle Power
Technical Excellence – Biological Sciences Technical Team – Sanscha Aberg, Josh Aldridge, Libby Eyre, Negin Faradian, Josh Griffiths, Nick Harris, Winnie Man, Muhammad Masood, Tarun Rajan, and Prasanth Subramani

Grant success

Jessica O’Hare and Adam Stow are part of a successful team awarded a FRDC grant ‘Development of a sustainable scallop (Ylistrum balloti) fisheries enhancement program for Western Australia’ (other partner institutions are JCU, DPIRD and OneSea). This work will use SNP-based genetic analysis to quantify the success of stock enhancement processes for hatchery produced scallops. Awarded $920K – very impressive!
 
 

Add your farewell messages for Sarah Collison and Josh Aldridge

Sarah Collison is unfortunately leaving us on the 18th of December. She is currently in EES, however was part of our Biology family for 12 years. Leave a message for her – images, emojis and videos are great additions to any Kudoboard – by COB 17th December: https://MQFSE.kudoboard.com/boards/KChC6yz4 

Josh Aldridge will be farewelled on Thur 17th December 10:30am, 205b Culloden Rd foyer/grassy area – please bring your own cup! If you’d like to contribute towards a gift, bring your money to Biology admin, 6 Science Road (E8B) room 206. Write a message on the Kudoboard linked below (if using for the first time you will be asked to register, which will enable you to edit later) – leave gift and/or message by Fri 18th Dec. https://MQFSE.kudoboard.com/boards/wRgX1jWN 

Having issues using Kudoboard? Try clearing your cache, using a different browser, or disconnecting from VPN.

Biology Garden Update – brush turkey chicks! – and farewell from Sam
 
Our resident brush turkey (sometimes known as Eric) has successfully procreated. See the antics of a baby brush turkey on the you tube link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NnAG97hxZO8&feature=youtu.be
 
So long, and thanks for all the great memories. Please help look after the gardens (weeding and watering) and feed the worms (next to the pond).
 
Cheers,
Sam Newton.
 

Outgoing mail – write account code

As of 1st December, any mail (letters, parcels) sent via the mailbags must have an account code written on it – next to or above “Department of Biological Sciences” – or it will not be processed by the mail room and will be returned.

Practices of initiating new research collaborations – survey responses needed

Dr Mauricio Marrone, Senior Lecturer in the Macquarie Business School, is running a research project on “Practices of identifying and initiating new interdisciplinary research collaborations”. He’s created an 18-question anonymous survey and looking for a wide diversity of researchers to participate. If you have a few spare minutes, he would love to get a Biologist’s perspective! https://limesurvey.mq.edu.au/index.php/362942?lang=en

New free professional learning course for teachers on AI
 
The Macquarie School of Education has partnered with IBM to launch a new free course for K-12 teachers and educators – Artificial Intelligence (AI) Education for Teachers. The course aims to bridge the gap between commonly held beliefs about what artificial intelligence is, and how it can be embedded into all areas of the curriculum. It is a free professional learning course and is available on Coursera.
 
 
 
Plant of the Week – Poinsettia – Euphorbia pulcherrima

 

These brilliant, colourful plants from Mexico have long played an important part in Christmas celebrations in North America and, in recent years, have well and truly been embraced by Australians. However, getting them to flower for Christmas in the southern hemisphere is a little bit trickier than in the northern hemisphere, as they require short days and long nights to produce flowers, and of course, at Christmas, we have long days and short nights.

Plant of the week – Poinsettia – December 2020

OPPORTUNITIES

Job posting: Technical Officer, Rehousing – Entomology And Arachnology at the Australian Museum

Full time, up to 12-month position. Applications close 9th December 11:59pm. Apply via iworkfornsw.

Calling all Young Researchers collaborating with ANSTO

Students, ranging from undergraduates to PhDs and beyond; post-docs, research fellows, early to mid-career researchers – you are invited to join ANSTOs Young Researchers Club, re-launching from early 2021 – contact <amy.macintosh@hdr.mq.edu.au>

The Club aims to engage with all groups of students, who go onsite at ANSTO or only use the instruments and capabilities on a short-term basis. We will have many social and formal events throughout the year, including mentorship workshops for working in industry and students showcasing their research, to picnics onsite, potlucks and BBQs, or even a sneaky trip to the nearby brewery or the Royal National Park on the weekends for some downtime. The Club is inclusive of all Aboriginal and Torres Strait people, LGBTIAQ+, international students and people with learning difficulties; they will be providing an Ally Network and mentoring opportunities for anyone who would like a safe and friendly space at ANSTO, to engage with people from different backgrounds.

World Wildlife Fund is looking for an Antarctic Program Manager 

Applications close 21 Dec 2020 at 9am. See job advert: https://hcm612.peoplestreme.net/wwf13m2015/erec_candidate_job.asp?id=3956&src=int 

Chief Scientist opportunity with The Nature Conservancy

The Nature Conservancy is seeking a Chief Scientist. This is a tremendous opportunity to be a strategic thought leader for the world’s largest environmental NGO. The Chief Scientist will guide science efforts across the Conservancy’s global teams providing innovative solutions to some of the most pressing challenges of our time. 

Please see the posting and position description: https://tinyurl.com/y5339x3h + Chief Scientist pd

EoI for inspiring Indigenous STEM Leaders

This is YOUR opportunity to share your passion for STEM and learning and inspire our next generation of Indigenous STEM leaders as part of the 2021 Walanga Muru Camp Aspire STEM days for year 11 and 12 Indigenous secondary students (January 19 and 20).  The Faculty of Science and Engineering and Walanga Muru are excited to provide a rich and inspirational STEM experience for up to 20 Indigenous students (all conducted in a COVID-19 safe manner).

 Here are some of the ways you can be involved:

  1. Run a practical activity
  2. Give a lecture (15-20 min)
  3. Demonstrate an activity as part of a STEM Expo
  4. Be a part of a career/study speed dating session

Please contact Joanne Jamie at joanne.jamie@mq.edu.au to express your interest in the Camp Aspire STEM program.  Please use the header “EOI Camp Aspire”.

About Walanga Muru’s Camp Aspire: Camp Aspire is a three-day residential camp for Indigenous senior secondary students that allows them to experience and explore their tertiary options at Macquarie University and consists of two Faculty focussed days and one cultural day. See the 2021 CAMP ASPIRE BOOKLET attached for more information and the video here.

$15,000 Tech Voucher grants to support SME / University Partnerships

MQ has available ~$120K for tech vouchers to support SME (small to medium enterprise) partnerships. The funds are to be allocated between now and the middle of next year. Each grant is for up to 15K, to be matched by the SME. Information about the scheme can be found at https://www.business.nsw.gov.au/support-for-business/innovation-and-research/techvouchers. Contrary to what the website says, applications related to research to be done in partnership with MQ are being accepted.

This scheme could represent a way for ECRs to catalyse industry connections and hopefully pave the way for a long-term relationship – potentially very useful in a time of tight budgets.

The scheme can:

  • seed a research project in partnership with a BBIP delivery partner
  • support a research project that will lead to an application for an Entrepreneurs’ Infrastructure Programme Research Connections or Accelerating Commercialisation, or other similar scheme
  • fund access to research facilities and equipment such as electron microscopes, medical imaging, e-research supercomputers, nanofabrication, marine and climate infrastructure, and other BBIP delivery partner facilities
  • fund product or process design activities, such as engineering or technical design expertise to determine prototype structure, function and/or materials
  • access technical assistance
  • trial production runs or processes to demonstrate technical concepts
  • validate or demonstrate technical capabilities of a product, process or technology
  • fund toxicology studies on materials you have invented, or wish to incorporate into a new product.

This is the final year where MQ will receive a set allocation within this scheme and to date this scheme has been underutilised. In future years this will be a competitive scheme across institutions. This is a very good opportunity to get in now.

If you would like more information or support to progress an application for a TechVoucher, please contact PVC Research Innovation Professor Dan Johnson (dan.johnson@mq.edu.au).

 
 
New online volunteer application form to supercede PDF form
 
To be completed when volunteers are brought onboard. The online form will require the volunteer to have their documents and work details ready to input.
 
When a form is submitted, an email will come to the supervisor for approval, and they then send it on to the admin team. 

 

Please see the PDF below with a link to the form and a list of required documents. Please note that admin will no longer be accepting the old pdf form. If you have questions, please contact jenny.ghabache@mq.edu.au.

Volunteer form information Biological Sciences – see attached for details.
 
 
Looking for volunteers?
Want some help with your research or fieldwork? Contact Jenny Ghabache jenny.ghabache@mq.edu.au for the list of people that have registered their interest in doing volunteer work in our Dept.
 
 
 
Recruiting Mentors for the BioTech Future Challenge
The BIOTech Futures team are seeking academics to mentor high school students under the BIOTech Futures Challenge 2020, a large outreach event hosted by the Australian Research Council (ARC) Training Centre for Innovative BioEngineering (Director: Prof Hala Zreiqat), in conjunction with our many partner institutes and centres.
 
This is a fantastic opportunity for academics, postdocs and research students (all can be mentors) to work together with high school students and inspire the next generation of young scientists. As an academic mentor, you will be guiding one to several teams of high school students on an innovative project in science, engineering, medicine, etc. that is related to your research area. The teams will conduct their research and design for the project, and present their ideas and findings in a short presentation at our end-of-year symposium.
Please find some additional information regarding the event below. For more detailed information about our expectations for mentor commitment, please see the attached “Final Statement of commitment” document. More information can be found on the website https://biotechfutures.org/ or contact biotech.futures@sydney.edu.au.
 
Please register as a mentor through our Google form. Mentors have the choice of submitting possible projects or to work with students who develop their own project. https://forms.gle/q5wRkHzeCca8gn7p9

Working With Children Check (WWCC). This is not required for registration – we will ask you to update when we’re allocating projects. You can apply or renew at https://www.kidsguardian.nsw.gov.au/child-safe-organisations/working-with-children-check (free for volunteers).

 
SEMINARS AND WORKSHOPS
 
Masters of Research posters: view NOW, presentations 8th Dec
 
All are invited to join the virtual poster session for our combined Biol + EES MRes candidates. Please view the posters on Padlet and leave comments and feedback – with your name, of course, so students know to whom to respond.
 
View posters: https://padlet.com/ajaynarendra/Bookmarks
 
Poster presentations will be Tue 8th Dec, 9:50am-~11:10am via Zoom.
Students will have 5 min to talk about their poster, and 5 min to respond to questions.
 
 
Mock Interviews

Mock Interviews: Interviewing for jobs can be challenging. Over the last few years, we have been offering mock-interviews for Students, Postdocs and Casual staff who have been shortlisted for one. If you are shortlisted for an interview and would like to do a mock before the real deal, please email Ajay [ajay.narendra@mq.edu.au] with relevant information [job description, application, mode of the interview – online or in person]. We will put together a relevant panel to help you prepare for your interview.

Venture Café – will be convening their community online, via Zoom, and offering the #ThursdayGathering programming in a Virtual format.

For more information visit: https://venturecafesydney.org/whats-on-this-week

HDR NEWS AND OPPORTUNITIES

HDR Reflections on 2020

To end the year on an uplifting note, the HDR Committee has opened a Padlet to collect the positive experiences of HDR candidates, achievements, self-realisations, and lessons learned. Post yours and read others’ here: https://padlet.com/julian_may/dy7ie0pxypfpz4ok 
We want to see photos and videos, too!

HDR Workshop: Skills Audit, 15th December 2020, 11am-12pm

(Zoom link also sent in calendar invitation)

As part of the Department’s Research Training Certification program (RTC) launched this year… the HDR Committee wants you to self-audit your skills. From 2021, the tracking of skills and training will be incorporated (semi-formally) into the HDR Conference progress review for PhD candidates, and as-yet-undetermined for MRes year 2 candidates.  

Short instruction: come to this workshop; Simon Griffith will give info on the skills audit and tracking, and then we may have time for you to start checking your own skills status. https://macquarie.zoom.us/j/89016394256 (workshop will be recorded)

Longer instruction: we will use this skills audit spreadsheet which is based on the UK Researcher Development Framework (or see full list of researcher skill descriptors); the Department wants candidates to go through a process of reflecting on skills they have or need to develop, with the goal of finishing PhD or MRes knowing about their worth as a researcher and professional (i.e. it’s about employability).

CSIRO India-Australia Circular Economy Hackathon 8th-10th February 2021

Work in a team of 2-5 students on one of the themes below: 

  • Theme 1: Innovation in packaging reducing packaging waste
  • Theme 2: Innovation in food supply chains avoiding waste
  • Theme 3: Creating opportunities for plastics waste reduction
  • Theme 4: Recycling critical energy metals and e-waste

Projects can take the form of an app, digital art, a website, a game, 3D models, graphic designs, pure academic research, or any other medium which can be tested and innovated upon.

Virtual information session: 9 December 2020
Applications close: 20 December 2020

APR.Intern Opportunities – good for PhDs under examination

Summary: APR.Intern organises industry paid internships ($3000/month) for current or recently-completed PhD candidates; see student info.

APR.Intern is a not-for-profit (a STEM organisation) and the only recognized national postgraduate all-discipline intern program (3-6 month projects) with $18M funding from Federal Government to rebate industry for PhD’s doing research. They have a focus on women in STEM along with indigenous, disadvantaged and regional undertaking PhD’s in Australia.

Some currently available projects:

  • FIAL, is offering $4000 + GST up front for food industry-related research projects. https://aprintern.org.au/partnerships-fial/
  • IMCRC, Innovative Manufacturing CRC is offering $5000 to $6,500 + GST up front for advanced and digital manufacturing and optimisation solutions related research projects. https://aprintern.org.au/business-info/costs-rebates/partnerships-imcrc/
  • MTP Connect REDI Initiative, is offering $10,000 + GST a rebate for businesses in the medtech, biotech and pharmaceutical sector with related research projects https://aprintern.org.au/business-info/costs-rebates/partnerships-mtpconnect/

Federal Government funding will rebate industry partners at 90% for Domestic PhD’s signing Agreements from 20 October 2020 to 31 March 2021, and International PhD’s at 50%.

If you or your supervisor wishes to approach an industry partner directly to set-up an internship, you can provide this flyer with costing/project details: APR_PricingFlyer_GovRebate.

All APR Intern programs must be completed by 31 August 2021.

 

Grants in Herpetology 

The (US-based) Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles is offerring grants (~USD$500) across field or lab reesarch, conservation, or travel; see SSAR website for details. Applications close 15 Dec 2020. 

Forests (Switzerland) Travel Award 

Up to CHF600 (~AUD$950) towards conference travel costs, plus opportunity to submit a publication; see Forests website for details. Applications close 15 Dec 2020. 

Royal Entomological Society (UK) Student article award 

For “Any article about an entomological topic that would be of interest to the general public. The article should be easy to read, in a popular style and no longer than 800 words.” Up to GBP400; see RES website for details. Applications close 31 Dec 2020. 

Fellowships in Cellular Agriculture 

(US-based) New Harvest is offering Graduate (PhD) and Postgraduate Fellowships (USD$40,000-55,000 pa); see New Harvest website for details. Applications close 15 Jan 2021. 

Val Williams Scholarship in Botany 

The Australian Plant Society, North Shore group, is offering $3000 for a project “contributing to the knowledge of the ecology, conservation, or propagation of native plants in the Sydney and surrounding region”; see VWS application info 2021 (pdf); see APS Website for application documents. Applications close 5th March 2021. 

STEP’s John Martyn research grant for the conservation of bushland 

$2500 is available to HDR candidates who are engaged in the study of any aspect of urban bushland, including flora and fauna studies, biodiversity, and management issues such as chemical pollution, weed invasion, erosion control and control burning. See STEP website for grant details; applications 31 March 2021. 

Morning Writing Sessions on Zoom

Are you keen to carve out some (or more) focused time for writing or working on your respective projects? Here’s your motivation!

Florence Chiew from HDR Learning Skills is running daily 9-10 am sessions on Zoom, for anyone wanting to establish a focused work routine.

Huong Ly Tong, a current PhD candidate from the Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, is also hosting Zoom sessions from Mondays to Wednesdays, 10 am-12 pm. Ly will be using the pomodoro technique for her sessions.

If you’ve been looking for ways to dedicate and protect your time to focus on your work/projects, these sessions are for you. All are welcome! No need to register, just show up when you can, as often as you can or would like to.

Mondays to Fridays, 9am-10am: https://macquarie.zoom.us/j/171886921

Host: florence.chiew@mq.edu.au

Mondays to Wednesdays, 10am-12pm: https://macquarie.zoom.us/j/84482783098?pwd=K0JNRE1tQmo0WWhUd2UxSHRIRFlOUT09
Password: 607014

Host: huong-ly.tong@students.mq.edu.au

THIS AND THAT
 
Be COVID Safe – clean meeting rooms after use
 
Please be reminded to clean meeting rooms, such as the Tearooms after use. This includes wiping down surfaces and used equipment like computers and keyboard.
 
Please do your part to look after the health of the University.
 
Outreach Activities

Have You Participated in an Activity for Biology Recently? Don’t forget to fill in the super-quick form here – ACCESS OUTREACH FORM HERE

Call out for Social Media Content
 
We are looking to feature a different student each week on the Biology Social Media accounts. If you would like to share your research or fieldwork with the public, please send photos and a short blurb about your work to Jenny Ghabache: <jenny.ghabache@mq.edu.au>
 
 
 
Correct Method for Submitting to Department Matters

Department Matters submissions now have their own email address. Please send all your news items for the newsletter to <fse.bionewsletter@mq.edu.au>

Have You Missed Out on an Issue of Department Matters? Back issues can be found at this newsletter archive link for your reading pleasure.

New Publications

Spectral Diversification and Trans-Species Allelic Polymorphism during the Land-to-Sea Transition in Snakes

Simões, Bruno F., David J. Gower, Arne R. Rasmussen, Mohammad AR Sarker, Gary C. Fry, Nicholas R. Casewell, Robert A. Harrison et al. Current Biology (2020). | Find with Google Scholar »

Swim with the tide: Tactics to maximize prey detection by a specialist predator, the greater sea snake (Hydrophis major)

Udyawer, Vinay, Claire Goiran, Olivier Chateau, and Richard Shine. Plos one 15, no. 10 (2020): e0239920. | Find with Google Scholar »

A new species of the genus Amphicteis Grube, 1850 (Annelida, Ampharetidae) from the Yellow Sea, China, together with a redescription of A. dalmatica Hutchings & Rainer, 1979

Wang, Weina, Jixing Sui, Xinzheng Li, Pat Hutchings, and João Miguel de Matos Nogueira. ZooKeys 988 (2020): 1. | Find with Google Scholar »

Trade-offs affect the adaptive value of plasticity: stronger cannibal-induced defenses incur greater costs in toad larvae

DeVore, Jayna L., Michael R. Crossland, and Richard Shine. Ecological Monographs (2020): e01426. | Find with Google Scholar »

A survey of sub-inhibitory concentrations of antibiotics in the environment

Chow, Louise KM, Timothy M. Ghaly, and Michael R. Gillings. Journal of Environmental Sciences 99 (2020): 21-27. | Find with Google Scholar »

In the Media

Dr Vanessa Pirotta was interviewed on ABC Radio Sydney regarding ocean animals coming in and out of Sydney Harbour.

Read more »

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