BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES DEPARTMENT MATTERS | February 15, 2019

Hi all,

All quiet around the department while ARC grant applications and S1 unit guides are being finalised. Undergraduate enrolments are generally higher than this time last year, particularly for the Bachelor of Medical Sciences, so this week and next may be the calm before the storm!

Cheers,

Michelle

Save the Date

This coming week 18th – 22nd February (O-Week across campus)

Mon 18th: HDR Supplementary Conference, 11:30am-12, Biology Tea Room (14 Eastern Road 280), Interviews: 2:30-4pm.

Please see Conference Booklet (will be updated as abstracts are submitted)

Tue 19th: 14EAR (E8A) Digital Teaching Lab Induction;  9.00am – 12:00pm; 14EAR (E8A) – 120 (Red Lab).

Wed 20th: 6WW (E8C) Digital Teaching Lab Induction;  9.00am – 11:30am; 6WW (E8C) – 106. **please note the new date**

Wed 20th: Department Morning Tea; 10.30am – 11am; 14EAR(E8A)-280 (Biology Tea Room).

Thu 21st: Department Social Club; 5-7pm; Biology Courtyard.

Following week 25th February – 1st March

Mon 25th: Teaching Commences for S1, 2019.

Wed 27th: Department Morning Tea; 10.30am – 11am; 205b Colloden Rd.

Wed 27th: Department Seminar – Professor Jutta Schneider, University of Hamburg.; 1.00pm – 2.00pm; 14EAR(E8A)-280 (Biology Tea Room).

Fri 1st: Behaviour and Evolution Journal Club; every Friday at 12:30pm (bring your lunch); 14EAR(E8A)-280 (Biology Tea Room).

Weekly events

Writing workshops with Prof Ken Cheng. To support HDRs and ECRs with scientific writing. Fridays 2–4pm, at 6 Wally’s Walk (E8C) 212

Behaviour and Evolution Journal Club; every Friday at 12:30pm (bring your lunch); 205B Culloden Rd Boardroom

Future Events

June 11th-13th: HDR Conference 2019, 9am-1pm, Panel Interviews: 2-5pm; venue TBD – Save the date!

General News and Announcements

It’s a girl!  Jemma Geoghegan and Alex Latu would like to introduce their newly arrived wee girl, Zephy Amelia Latu, born on Monday 11th February. Some vital statistics:

– DoB: 11.2.19 @ 21.06.

– Length: 48cm

– Weight: 6lb 8oz

– Shares a birthday with: Kelly Slater

Everyone doing well, and they are looking forward to getting to know her.

-click thumbnail for larger image –

Stationery Swap – Need some stationery? Got surplus? When: 18-26 Feb. Where: Biology Tearoom (E8A 280; 14EAR). Purpose: a one-stop spot for free stationery.

On Monday 18^th February we’ll set up a space in the tearoom. Anyone with a surplus of stationery is encouraged to drop off items (eg pens, name tags, stickers, folders, paper clips).

From Tuesday 19^th February all staff and students are encouraged to take any items they can use. Tell your lab groups, and encourage your HDRs to have a look.

Tuesday 26^th: items will be packed up with some going to the department admin collection and the rest going to charity or landfill.

Please email <samantha.newton@mq.edu.au> if you have items to drop off, or suggestions for charities/other organisations that would like our surplus.

Items that could be included in the swap: pens, pencils, textas, whiteboard markers; name tags and holders; paper clips, bulldog clips, staples and other fasteners; manila folders, hanging files, lever arch files, box files; in-trays and document sorters; note pads, post-its, flags; pins and tacks; extensions cords; catering surplus; sealed packaged food that will pass its use by date before you can use it; butchers papers and flip charts; other stationery I haven’t thought of.

Have you completed the MQ Inclusion Survey? – The FSE inclusion survey can be accessed here:

  https://mqedu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_ezm6mqVZkOhnonX  

This survey has been designed to help us understand Macquarie’s current culture and provide information to help us to continue to build a community that is diverse, inclusive and where all staff are able to flourish. The data from this survey will enable our Department and the University to identify where progress is being made but also where further work and changes are needed to ensure all staff at MQ are supported, safe and treated equitably.  An overview of the results and responses to the data will also be shared with the university community. Analysis will be conducted by the Workplace Diversity and Inclusion Team. Responses and personal details gathered in the course of the survey will remain anonymous. No data will be shared or made available where individuals can be identified. The survey should take no more than 15 minutes to complete. Please take some time to respond to this survey as your feedback will be extremely valuable to our department and to the University. For more information on the survey, please see that attached FAQs, or contact the Workplace Diversity & inclusion team – <workplacediversityinclusion@mq.edu.au>.

Inclusion Survey – FAQs

SEMINARS AND WORKSHOPS

Biological Sciences Seminar – Date/Time: Friday, 27^th February, 2019; 1pm – 2pm. Speaker: Professor Jutta Schneider, University of Hamburg. Title: Sex specific plasticity in life-history and the mating system of Nephila senegalensis. Venue:  14EAR-280 (Biology Tea Room). More information on this and all department seminars ON OUR WEBPAGE HERE.

MolSci Seminar – Date/Time: Tuesday, 19^th February, 2019; 1pm – 2pm. Speaker: Dr Fabien Plisson from National Laboratory in Genomics for Biodiversity, LANGEBIO, Mexico. Title: Machine Learning in Drug Discovery: Can marine-derived kinase inhibitors pass the blood-brain barrier? Venue:  4WW 322 seminar room. For more, visit: https://goto.mq/6q

ANZIC’s Program Scientist Associate Professor Leanne Armand will be visiting Macquarie on Date/Time: Friday, 22^nd February, 2019; 10.00am – 11.00am. Venue:  Room 801, 12 Wally’s Walk.

Associate Professor Armand will be presenting an overview of ANZIC and IODP, and information on ANZIC’s upcoming OCEAN PLANET WORKSHOP – Developing the New IODP Strategic Plan 2024-2034, in Canberra on 14-16 April.

This is a unique opportunity to become aware of ANZIC – IODP and the current and future opportunities available to the Geoscience, Biogeo and Microbial communities. For further information please contact Professor Simon George <simon.george@mq.edu.au> or email <iodp.administrator@anu.edu.au>.

Writing Workshop – While the REP has been rested (likely in peace), writing sessions with Ken Cheng will continue for the Department this year, Fridays 2–4. We are kicking off with an introductory session, in which Ken will give some general tips on scientific writing, Friday 22 February, 2–4, at 6 Wally’s Walk (E8C) 212. This session is especially meant for HDR students, but all are welcome.

Behaviour and Evolution Journal Club – every Friday at 12:30 (bring your lunch).
What: Discuss a paper in behaviour or evolution and how we do or should do science.
Where: The 205B Culloden Rd Boardroom.
Who: Anyone ready to get critical of or inspired by some science (and preferably has read that week’s paper).
Upcoming papers: Friday 22nd Feb: Nguyen, H.N. et al., 2019. Historical demography of four gecko species specializing in boulder cave habitat: Implications in the evolutionary dead end hypothesis and conservation. Molecular Ecology, 1(3), pp.171–34.

Contact Callum McDiarmid (Griffith Lab) <callum.mcdiarmid@hdr.mq.edu.au> to get on the mailing list.

Workshop:  Introduction to Pandas

Date: Wednesday, 20th Feb 2019 (9am – 4:30pm)

Venue: Room E7B 163, 14 Sir Christopher Ondaatje Ave

Cost: $15 registration fee to cover lunch and tea breaks

Pre-requisite: Familiarity with basic Python

This hands-on workshop will focus on getting practical work done using the the pandas module for Python. Along the way some basic concepts and tools will be reviewed; however, familiarity with Python is assumed. Participants will be encouraged to help one another and to apply what they have learned to their own research problems. The course is aimed at graduate students and other researchers who have completed a two-day Software Carpentry in Python workshop OR have familiarity with Python.

To register: Use this Eventbrite page

Invitation: R Extension Workshop on Plotting

When: 22nd Feb 2019

Where: E7B 163 (14 SCO)

The Data Science and eResearch team is pleased to invite anyone who has completed an ‘R’ Software or Data Carpentry workshop or has working knowledge of R to attend a one-day workshop providing a more detailed introduction of ggplot (and how to use it effectively).

The workshop will be led by Dr Peter Humburg. Details are in the Eventbrite page. Places are strictly limited, so register now to reserve your seat. Any questions, please email <swc@mq.edu.au>.

FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES

Professional Staff Development Grants scheme opens on 11 March Grants of up to $4000 are available for professional staff to develop their knowledge, skills and experience through activities such as study tours, professional development programs and conferences.

Flying-fox Grant Program 2019 Opens – Offered by Local Government NSW in partnership with the NSW Office of Environment & Heritage, our $500,000 Flying-fox Grants Program is open to NSW councils from Friday 8 February. The closing date for applications is 13 March 2019.

With a new Communications Stream, maximum grant amounts range from $10,000 to $50,000, with up to $150,000 available to groups of councils. Councils match grant requests with their own contribution, which can be cash and/or in-kind. Details available on the LGNSW website.

Environmental Research Program Grants Now Open  – The NSW Environmental Trust is inviting Expressions of Interest (EOIs) to its Research Program. The closing time and date for Research EOIs is 3pm 11 March 2019. This year’s Research Program is offering grants up to $200,000 primarily for applied research relating to the following priority areas:

1. Mechanisms for social engagement

2. Resource management

3. Landscape management

4. Wetlands and river systems

Applicants must demonstrate a collaborative approach that engages end-users from the outset of their proposal, through to dissemination of research findings. Program information:  http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/grants/research.htm.

Questions? Please contact <info@environmentaltrust.nsw.gov.au>

HDR FUNDING

PhD students: got a grant? Dept. will co-fund up to $1500 – The Department would like to encourage students to seek external sources of funding, and has a small budget with which support successful candidates. New limits from 2019:  PhD students ONLY: Dept. will match up to $1500 of external (non-MQ) funding ONCE per candidate. 

Val Williams Scholarship in Botany – Applications are invited from scholars undertaking scientific research at the Honours, Masters or PhD levels. The research should contribute to the knowledge, conservation or propagation of Australian native plant species in the Sydney or surrounding regions. The North Shore Group of Australian Plants Society NSW awarded the inaugural $2,000 scholarship in 2009 and since then thirteen scholars have used their scholarship money to augment their research. It amounts to $3,000 for Round Eleven in 2019.

Application forms are attached or can be downloaded from our web site at

http://austplants.com.au/NS-4

Applications close on 8th March 2019 and the successful applicant will be notified by 5th April 2019. In addition, a complementary one-year membership of Australian Plants Society sponsored by Australian Plants Society NSW will be offered to the successful applicant.

VWS Application Form 2019
VWS Application Form 2019
VWS Applic Information 2019

Australian Wildlife Society University Research Grants are scholarships offered to honours or postgraduate students at Australian universities. Each year, ten $1,500 grants are awarded. Applicants wishing to become a member of the Society can do so at www.aws.org.au

Grants are available for research projects of direct relevance to the conservation of Australian wildlife – plant or animal. Grants may be used for the purchase of equipment and consumables, travel expenses related to field research, or attendance at conferences at which you are presenting your work. The grant is paid directly to the student. Closing date: applications are due by the 31st May 2019.

If you are, or supervise, a female PhD candidate who is an Aust citizen or permanent resident, please take a look at these Fellowships:

The 2019 Barbara Hale Fellowships and the 2019 Georgina Sweet Fellowship will close to applications on the 30th April 2019.

The 2019 AFGW Barbara Hale Fellowships are offered to women graduates who are Australian citizens or permanent residents of Australia and are enrolled for a PhD degree by research in any discipline at an Australian university. Only citizens of Australia or Australian permanent residents may apply. In 2019, two (2) AFGW Barbara Hale Fellowships will be offered at $7500 each.

The 2019 AFGW Georgina Sweet Fellowship is offered to women graduates who are Australian citizens or permanent residents of Australia and are enrolled for a PhD degree by research in any discipline at an Australian university. Only citizens of Australia or Australian permanent residents may apply.

Australian Plant Society Scholarships – Applications are now invited from scholars undertaking scientific research at the Honours, Masters or PhD levels. The research should contribute to the knowledge, conservation or propagation of Australian native plant species in the Sydney or surrounding regions.

The North Shore Group of Australian Plants Society NSW awarded the inaugural $2,000 scholarship in 2009 and since then thirteen scholars have used their scholarship money to augment their research. It amounts to $3,000 for Round Eleven in 2019. Application forms are attached or can be downloaded from our web site at https://austplants.com.au/NS-4

Applications close on 8th March 2019 and the successful applicant will be notified by 5th April 2019. An independent selection committee of three North Shore Group members will have the responsibility of selecting the recipient. VWS Applic Information 2019  VWS Application Form 2019  VWS Application Form 2019

Are you a HDR student? Need help with writing? – HDR Mentors in collaboration with HDR Learning Skills is running another round of Peer Writing Assistance (PWA) for the rest of the year! This program is designed to support MRES and HDR candidates in managing thesis writing and research-related concerns. All peer writing assistants have undergone training for their role and are current PhD candidates at Macquarie. Registrations are now open for individual consultation bookings. If you are interested, please go to book in for a 30-minute session with a PWA. If you have questions about the PWA program please email hdrmentors@mq.edu.au>

ADMIN THINGS

Room for rent in Marsfield – A room is available in a fully furnished flatshare in Marsfield. The rent is $220/week all bills included, with tennis court and swimming pool. The room has a double bed, and it is completely furnished. Minimum stay of 6 months. Walking distance to Macquarie University, Macquarie Sports Centre, shops and nearby bus stops to take you into the city. Right next to Lane Cove national park, the house has a spectacular balcony to sit and watch the Kookaburras and Cockatoos while you eat or have a drink. Contact <sara.godinez-espinosa@students.mq.edu.au> if interested.

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>

Also, please see the following to correctly format your additions, and keep them rolling in!

You may have noticed that we try to keep all the articles to the same format for the Department Matters, however, rest assured, they do NOT all turn up in this format! To help keep your Department Matters looking as good as possible, when sending in additions to the Newsletter, please try to keep these formatting guidelines in mind.

1. Please write in third person. The information is coming from the Newsletter, not directly from you.
2. Do not use fancy text formatting. Bold heading, normal text, and only italics or bold to highlight. No font size changes will make it through, sorry.
3. If sending via email, set your email output to basic. HTML output will add all sort of formatting that will have to be removed before your article can go into the newsletter.
4. Keep your submission short and direct (two paragraphs) and if possible provide a document, email or link where readers can get more information. Any long submissions will be cropped.

Keeping to these guidelines will streamline your article’s addition to the newsletter. Thank you.

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

Follow us on Social Media

New Publications

In the Media

Recent Completions