Moving to 3D: relationships between coral planar area, surface area and volume
By: House, Jenny E., Viviana Brambilla, Luc M. Bidaut, Alec P. Christie, Oscar Pizarro, Joshua S. Madin, and Maria Dornelas. PeerJ 6 (2018): e4280. | Find with Google Scholar »
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Dear all,
We welcome all the new undergraduate students this coming week – hopefully all our S1 units are ready to go and the food queues won’t be too bad! Just a heads up for all the activities on campus in International Women’s Week (5-9 March), including the Mason lecture organised by the Faculty of Science & Engineering on Monday March 5th 5-6.30pm where Dr Rebecca Johnson from the Australian Museum will be speaking. Rebecca is well known to many of us – she is an engaging speaker so I encourage all staff and students to attend and to spread the word to undergrad and postgrad students and your community.
cheers,
Michelle
Save the Date
This coming week 26th February – 2nd March
Wed 28th: Department Morning Tea; 10.30am – 11.30am; The Hill.
Wed 28th: Science Communication Workshop; 9.00am – 3.00pm; 14EAR (E8A)-280 (Biology Tea Room). See details below
Thu 1st: Workshop – Research Opportunities and Challenges in the Developing World; 2.00pm – 4.00pm; Level 8, 12 Wally’s Walk (E7A). See details below
Fri 2nd: E8C Digital Teaching Labs Makeup Induction; 1.00pm – 4.00pm; 6WW (E8C)-106.
Fri 2nd: Writing Workshop by Ken Cheng; 2.00pm – 4.00pm; 6SR (E8B) 111.
Next week 5th – 9th March – an event every day for International Women’s Week
Mon 5th: Welcome to 1st year students Sausage Sizzle; 12.00pm – 1.00pm; Biology (E8) courtyard.
Mon 5th: Mason Lecture by Dr Rebecca Johnson, Director Australian Museum Research Institute; 5.00pm – 6.30pm; MUSE 18WW (C7A).
Tue 6th: Department Meeting; 1.00pm – 2.00pm; 14EAR (E8A)-280 (Biology Tea Room).
Wed 7th: Department Morning Tea; 10.30am – 11.30am; 14EAR (E8A)-280 (Biology Tea Room).
Fri 9th: Writing Workshop by Ken Cheng; 2.00pm – 4.00pm; 6SR (E8B) 111.
Coming up
Thu Mar 15th: Promega Morning Tea; 10.30am – 11.30am; 14EAR (E8A)-280 (Biology Tea Room).
Thu Mar 22nd: HDR Supervision Training – Mental Health; 10.30am – 12.00pm; 14EAR (E8A)-280 (Biology Tea Room).
Fri Apr 13th: BioNetwork “Killing it in Science” Research Symposium; 8.30 am – 5.30 pm; Lvl 8, 12WW (E7A).
Tue Apr 17th: L&T Special Seminar Commitment, engagement and learning in a large cohort of students by Maurizio Manuguerra; 1 – 2pm; 6WW (E8C)-212 for (sign up here).
Wed Apr 18th: Biological Sciences Graduation Ceremony; 2.30pm; Location 14 SCO (E7B) main hall.
General News and Announcements
RESEARCH OUTCOMES AND OPPORTUNITIES
Pitch It Clever Competition
We have two entries to this year’s Pitch It Clever competition:
Vanessa Pirotta (PhD student, Marine Predator Research Group).
Lizzy Lowe (Postdoc in the Behavioural Ecology Group).
They both have 2 minutes or less to pitch their research. Please show your support and vote for bugs and whales!
Lizzy Lowe (bugs): https://www.thinkable.org/submission_entries/l9lomm8y
Vanessa Pirotta (whales): https://www.thinkable.org/submission_entries/G8KZn43x
Department Awards for HDRs
This year, the department is coordinating two awards for HDRs in plant sciences, supported by two bequests:
- Tony Price Award for plant ecology (guidelines here)
- Milthorpe Memorial Award in Plant Biology (this includes forestry, agriculture and horticulture) – guidelines here
In both cases, the funds (up to $2500) can be used for research support or conference presentation. Applications close 31st March, and must be submitted to <fse.bio-hod@mq.edu.au>.
LEARNING AND TEACHING
Save the date! 2018 Graduation Ceremony
The Graduation Ceremony for Biology will be held at 2.30pm on Wednesday 18 April. All academics are encouraged to join the procession and support our students.
Further details will be sent as soon as they come to hand.
HDR Supervision Training – Mental Health
There is an upcoming workshop that will contribute to your requirement of ongoing HDR supervisory training.
Dr Benjamin Wilkes, Clinical Psychologist, Campus Wellbeing will be facilitating the workshop: Responding to Mental Illness in the tertiary setting.
Ben has graciously offered to run this session especially for the Biological Sciences Department.
When: Thursday 22nd March 10:30-12
Where: 14EAR (E8A)-280 Biology Tea Room
This workshop will cover:
– Managing the supervisory relationship
– Supporting students with symptoms of mental illness
To register: please email <julian.may@mq.edu.au>.
SEMINARS AND WORKSHOPS
Science Communication Workshop
We are running a Science Communication Workshop for BIOL700 (yr 1 MRes) students on Wednesday 28th February, 9am-3pm, in the biology tea room (14EAR(E8A)-280). This workshop will cover how to and when you should blog, tweet and podcast. We are opening up the session to 20 MQ Biology students (HDR, or 2nd yr MRes) or PostDocs who are interested.
Please sign up here: https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/science-communication-blogging-tweeting-and-podcasting-tickets-42267151187
Schedule:
10-11:30am: 3×30 min talks on tweeting, podcasting, and blogging
11:30-12:30: Tweeting workshop
12:30-1pm: BYO lunch
1-2pm: Podcasting workshop
2-3pm: Blogging workshop
The talks at the beginning of the session (from 10 to 11:30) is open to everyone and does not require registration, so if you miss out on the workshop tickets you can still attend the talks.
Upcoming Workshop: Research Opportunities and Challenges in the Developing World — with Robin Chazdon
2-4pm, Thursday 1st March (followed by light refreshments; 4-5pm)
Level 8, 12 Wally’s Walk (E7A)
This workshop will be of interest to:
• Any researchers already engaging with, or considering engaging with, developing countries.
• Any Higher Degree Research students and Higher Degree Research student supervisors who are interested in research on a developing country topic.
Professor Emerita Robin Chazdon is a Senior Fellow with the World Resources Institute Global Restoration Initiative. Professor Chazdon is a long-time campaigner in addressing pressing global problems and has personal and organizational experience working in developing countries (https://www.weforest.org/robin-chazdon).
Hosted by Emeritus Prof Mark Westoby (Research Enrichment Program) and Prof Shawkat Alam (Director of the Centre for Environmental Law), this workshop will be delivered as a Q&A session with questions posed by interviewers and the audience. It will tap into Robin’s experience and highlight the research opportunities possible in developing countries.
This workshop is run by the Research Enrichment Program, Centre for Environmental Law and the Office of the Dean of HDR.
To register: please e-mail <fse.rep-admin@mq.edu.au>.
Everyone warmly welcome!
Writing Workshops
Running weekly for most of the year: Fridays 2-4pm in room 6SR (E8B) 111
Convened by Ken Cheng
These writing workshops are meant for HDR students and early-career researchers. In these face-to-face encounters, writing at any stage of any genre is welcome, from first draft to final polish, from empirical paper to literature review to popular news story. Ken envisages personal feedback linked perhaps with rounds of revisions on selected passages during the session. The aim is not just to get stuff written, but to write everything well.
Those interested in attending a session should email Ken Cheng <ken.cheng@mq.edu.au> by Wednesday 12:00-noon, preferably with a draft attached of what they are working on and some indication of what they especially need help with.
Media & Communications for Scientists – Training in Sydney 7th March & 4th July – Department Support Available
The Department has limited funds available to support researchers in media training. Science in Public will be running one-day workshops on the 7th of March and 4th of July (see below). If you are interested in attending, and would like Department support, please email <culum.brown@mq.edu.au> with an expression of interest ASAP (Friday 23rd of February at the latest).
Need to talk about your research but unsure how? Join Science in Public for their one-day media and communication training workshop and get some help.
Conveying the complexity of your research, your life’s work, into a 30-second grab for the media can be hard. The solution is to shape the essence of your science into a story.
We will help you find the right words to explain your research in a way that works for the media, as well as for government, industry and other stakeholders.
Two experienced science communicators will work with you to find the story in your research. Over the years we’ve helped Monash launch the world’s first printed jet engine, revealed the loss of half the coral on the Great Barrier Reef, helped CERN announce the Higgs boson, and revealed the link between CSIRO’s Wi-Fi patent and Aussie astronomy.
Working journalists from television, print and radio will join us over the course of the day to explain what makes news for them. And you’ll get the chance to practice being interviewed in front of a camera and on tape.
The day’s insights and training will help you feel more comfortable in dealing with journalists when media opportunities arise.
Media training courses are $800 + GST per person, and include lunch, morning and afternoon tea, and lattes on demand.
Or if you want a brief introduction to the media for a larger group (20 to 200 people), talk to us about our ‘Meet the Press’ sessions.
Sydney events: Wednesday 7 March or Wednesday 4 July.
The course will run for a full day (8.30am to 5pm) and will be held in the CBD.
If you’d like to book a place in a course, head to www.eventbrite.com.au/o/science-in-public-8313184779 or contact Toni Stevens toni@scienceinpublic.com.au or (03) 9398 1416.
You can read more about our courses at www.scienceinpublic.com.au/training.
CALL FOR ABSTRACTS & SAVE THE DATE for the BioNetwork “Killing it in Science” Research Symposium
Friday 13th of April 2018 at Macquarie University
Building 12WW (E7A), Level 8, 8.30 a.m. – 5.30 p.m., free event, catering included!
The aim of this 1 day symposium is to foster the Macquarie University researcher’s community across the Faculties of Science & Engineering and Medicine & Health Sciences, with a common interest in the biosciences. The event is being organised by Macquarie’s own ECRs, for anyone keen to build their career in science in academia and industry.
The program will consist of
- A unique career building session in the morning: ‘Killing it in science: Adventures and misadventures of a research scientist’
- A dynamic scientific session in the afternoon to create a platform for interdisciplinary research collaborations to commence novel or strengthen existing projects
Call for abstracts:
This year we are looking for scientific presentations that inspire the interdisciplinary BioNetwork at MQ. Specifically we would like to receive abstracts that cover:
– an overview or description of your research technology(ies)
– a research challenge, or a research opportunity
– your research expertise or developed method
– insights into data visualisation or data statistics
– inspiring and novel interdisciplinary/multidisciplinary research results
Presentations will be 10-15 minutes long and should be adapted for the general BioNetwork audience.
Please fill in this Abstract Template and email to: <bionetwork@mq.edu.au> before Friday the 9th of March!
Conservation Biology
The Society of Conservation Biology is the main society for conservation-minded folks globally, and rest assured they have lots of stuff to do in the coming months!
The first event for the society in 2018 is a follow up to their many successful bush walks, with an added nature-drawing theme. On March 18th, members of the society will be leading a walk around Wentworth Falls, with a focus on drawing native wildlife. Take a camera along, and use your photos as inspiration for drawings. If you want a nice walk on the weekend, or want to lend a hand by helping with fun facts about the wildlife you see, come along! More information at https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/bushwalk-nature-drawing-tickets-42841457954
The university representative for the society is Matt Kerr, located in the palaeobiology lab in 14EAR (E8A) – contact him for more information or to buy a fancy SCB keep cup ($10 each, which is of course the best bargain you’ll ever see). More events will be shared in due time.
ADMIN THINGS
2018 Office Inspections
Please be advised that your friendly WH&S team will be carrying out all of the office inspections between the 15th March and 15th April.
As usual this is part of our duty to ensure that we are all working in a safe environment, and we will be checking against the same checklist as last year (see attachment). You don’t need to be around when we inspect your area, we’ll come through and then send you the checklist with any issues flagged. Please have a quick look at this checklist and try and ensure that your office and common areas that you are responsible for are in good order before the 15th March. So you have just over a month to get things just tickety-boo.
Thanks
Simon Griffith (on behalf of the WHS committee)
hs_common_areas_offices_inspection_checklist_v2
Latest WHS Committee Meeting Minutes
Biology WHS committee minutes 8th February 2018
Follow us on Social Media
Photo Competition – February 2018 – Win a $100 Gift Card EACH MONTH!
This month’s theme is BIOLOGY 2017.
Looking for photos from any events, activities, team photos, plants, animals or anything else of interest. Remember you must have taken the photo in 2017.
Your images could be used on our Department website, in this newsletter and on our social media. One lucky winner each month will receive a $100 Gift Card!
Criteria
- photo captured in 2017
- must provide caption information including details of what/where/who/date
- all photos must have been taken by you
Please provide the details to jenny.ghabache@mq.edu.au and the follow the drop box file request link to submit your images.
Submission close: 28 February 2018 – You can enter as many photos as you like.
Are you getting credit for your Outreach Activities? Have participated in an activity for Biology recently?
Don’t forget to fill in the super-quick form here – ACCESS OUTREACH FORM HERE
SUSTAINABILITY
Ryde LGA – Household Chemical Cleanout Sat/Sun 24th-25th March
It’s time to clean out the cupboards, garage or shed and safely dispose of any old or unwanted household chemicals. The City of Ryde is hosting the Household Chemical CleanOut on 24-25 March at Meadowbank Park carpark (near the netball courts). This is a free drive-through and drop-off service for household quantities of:
- Household cleaners
- Paints
- Garden, pool and hobby chemicals
- Poisons
- Gas bottles and fire extinguishers
- Motor oils and fluids
- Car and household batteries
- Fluorescent globes and tubes
More information: http://www.ryde.nsw.gov.au/Events/Listing/Household-Chemical-CleanOut
Don’t live in the City of Ryde? Check your local council website for information on local collection dates.
BLOGS AND OTHER THINGS OF INTEREST
Plant of the Week!
For this week, Cane Begonias.
The genus Begonia is believed to have originated in Africa, now distributed throughout tropical and subtropical regions of the world. In spite of the fragile appearance of their soft, succulent leaves, flowers and stems, Cane Begonias are surprisingly tough, and can cope with high temperatures and dry conditions. Long distance dispersal is uncommon; Begonia never managed to cross Torres Strait from Papua New Guinea to Australia.
Reference Writing & Gender Bias
This one-page poster is a succinct and evidence-based guide to writing references (for women or men), from the Faculty Women in Stem Committee.
avoiding_gender_bias_in_letter_of_reference_writing
Prestigious Science Journals Struggle to Reach Even Average Reliability
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnhum.2018.00037/full
Impact Factors: A Must Read Especially For Younger Researchers
Nature article by Professor of Biology and Assistant Provost at Imperial College, London: “Impact factors were never meant to be a metric for individual papers, let alone individual people”. “We should not outsource evaluation of individual researchers and their outputs in seductive journal metrics”.
https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-018-01642-w
Also check out: The San Francisco Declaration on research Assessment: https://sfdora.org/
WANTED & AVAILABLE
Rooms to Rent
Kaja Wierucka has a spare room for rent from now until April. The two-bedroom apartment is in Ryde, with direct connections to Macquarie University and the CBD. Rent is $250/week (including all bills and internet). Contact her at <kaja.wierucka@hdr.mq.edu.au> for more details.
New Publications
Assessment and prioritisation of plant species at risk from myrtle rust (Austropuccinia psidii) under current and future climates in Australia
By: Berthon, K., M. Esperon-Rodriguez, L. J. Beaumont, A. J. Carnegie, and M. R. Leishman. Biological Conservation 218 (2018): 154-162. | Find with Google Scholar »The China Plant Trait Database: toward a comprehensive regional compilation of functional traits for land plants
By: Wang, Han, Sandy P. Harrison, Iain Colin Prentice, Yanzheng Yang, Fan Bai, Henrique F. Togashi, Meng Wang, Shuangxi Zhou, and Jian Ni. Ecology (2017). | Find with Google Scholar »Shoot growth of woody trees and shrubs is predicted by maximum plant height and associated traits
By: Gleason, S.M., Stephens, A.E., Tozer, W.C., Blackman, C.J., Butler, D.W., Chang, Y., Cook, A.M., Cooke, J., Laws, C.A., Rosell, J.A. and Stuart, S.A., 2017. Functional Ecology. | Find with Google Scholar »Effects of auditory and visual stimuli on shark feeding behaviour: the disco effect
By: Ryan, L.A., Chapuis, L., Hemmi, J.M., Collin, S.P., McCauley, R.D., Yopak, K.E., Gennari, E., Huveneers, C., Kempster, R.M., Kerr, C.C. and Schmidt, C., 2018. Marine Biology, 165(1), p.11. | Find with Google Scholar »Continental synchronicity of human influenza virus epidemics despite climatic variation
By: Geoghegan, Jemma L., Aldo F. Saavedra, Sebastián Duchêne, Sheena Sullivan, Ian Barr, and Edward C. Holmes. PLoS pathogens 14, no. 2 (2018): e1006903. | Find with Google Scholar »Increasing dietary breadth through allometry: bite forces in sympatric Australian skinks
By: Domenic C. D’Amore, David Meadows, Simon Clulow, J. Sean Doody, David Rhind and Colin R. McHenry, 2018. Herpetology Notes, volume 11: 179-187. | Find with Google Scholar »Possibility of Evolution in Culture of the Oryctes Nudivirus of the Coconut Rhinoceros Beetle Oryctes rhinoceros (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Dynastinae)
By: Bedford, Geoffrey O. Advances in Entomology 6, no. 01 (2017): 27. | Find with Google Scholar »Hierarchical metapopulation structure in a highly mobile marine predator: the southern Australian coastal bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops cf. australis)
By: Pratt, Eleanor AL, Luciano B. Beheregaray, Kerstin Bilgmann, Nikki Zanardo, Fernando Diaz-Aguirre, and Luciana M. Möller. Conservation Genetics (2018): 1-18. | Find with Google Scholar »In the Media
Kate Lynch contributed to The Conversation
Dr Kate Lynch from the Department of Biological Sciences contributed the article ‘Fearmongering is scary, not genetic technologies themselves’ to The Conversation.
Lesley Hughes was featured in the Guardian Australia
Distinguished Professor Lesley Hughes from the Department of Biological Sciences was featured in the Guardian Australia on a call to overhaul Australia’s national environment laws – the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) act – to bring transparency and accountability to the country’s opaque system of species management.
Maria Vozzo and Vivian Cumbo contributed to The Conversation
Maria Vozzo and Dr Vivian Cumbo from the Department of Biological Sciences contributed the article ‘The surprising benefits of oysters (and no, it’s not what you’re thinking)’ to The Conversation.