Runners and fighters: clutch effects and body size drive innate antipredator behaviour in hatchling lizards
By: Baxter-Gilbert, James, Julia L. Riley, and Martin J. Whiting. Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology 72, no. 6 (2018): 97. | Find with Google Scholar »
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Dear all,
At this week’s Department meeting we had an update and discussion with Mariella (in her role as Chair of Academic Senate) on the curriculum architecture project. This project is happening very quickly and it is up to us all to provide input – everyone should have received an email from FSE Exec Dean Barbara Messerle encouraging us to provide feedback by 20 June – you can find the information also in this Teche blog. I encourage all academic staff and students to make a contribution! The full Department meeting presentation is here.
The HDR annual conference was held Thursday-Friday – the talks were very high quality and it was wonderful to have our HDR students’ research on display – well done to all presenters and to Julian May and his team for organising everything. Winners were announced but you will have to wait until next week to see the pictures!
And in the really exciting news of the week, Vanessa Pirotta was runner-up in the FAMELab international grand final in London – fantastic to see how far whale snot can take you!! We’re very proud of you Vanessa!
Cheers,
Michelle
Save the Date
This coming week 12th – 15th June
Wed 11th: Queens Birthday Holiday – PUBLIC HOLIDAY
Wed 13th: Department Morning Tea; 10.30am – 11am; Biology Tea Room – sponsored by Bio-Strategy
Wed 13th: Department Seminar series is on break until Semester 2.
Thu 14th: aaRgh – R drop in help; 3.00pm – 4.00pm; Biology Tea Room.
Thu 14th: Biology Department Drinks; 5.00pm – 6.00pm; Biology Courtyard or Tea Room during inclement weather.
Following week 18th – 22nd June
Wed 20th: Department Morning Tea; 10.30am – 11am; The Hill.
Wed 20th: Diversity & Inclusion Lunch Launch; 11.30am – 1.00pm; Biology Courtyard.
Coming Up
July 24-25th: Research Enrichment Program – Outlook Conference “The Future of the Human Landscape”; Incubator Building, MQU.
General News and Announcements
Vanessa Pirotta is awarded runner-up in the FAMELabs international competition!
Date Change: Diversity & Inclusion Lunch Launch – 11.30am – 1.00pm, Wednesday 20th June 2018 – Biology Courtyard
Everyone is invited to join in for the Diversity and Inclusion Lunch Launch. It will be held in the E8 Biology Courtyard (or E8A 280 Biology Tearoom if raining), Wednesday 20th June 2018 from 11.30 am to 1 pm. Please bring along a plate from your country/culture to share. To assist us to manage the food, could you please tell us what you are bringing by filling out the spreadsheet (google doc)?
COMINGS AND GOINGS
New Post-Doctoral Endeavour Fellow – Originally from Italy, Riccardo Ton completed his PhD at University of Montana USA where he investigated the ecological and physiological causes of variation in avian embryonic development and post-natal growth. He joined the lab of Professor Simon Griffith in June of 2018 as a post-doctoral Endeavour fellow to explore the consequences that heat stress has on mitochondrial function and growth in zebra finches offspring.
RESEARCH STORIES, OUTCOMES AND OPPORTUNITIES
Holsworth Wildlife Research Endowment – Round 1 2018 – Francisco Martinez Baena has secured research funding from the Holsworth Wildlife Research Endowment for his project, “Oysters as fish habitat in NSW.” Well done Francisco!
2018-19 Interpretation Internships at Australian Wildlife Conservancy
The Australian Wildlife Conservancy’s next round of Interpretation Internships, located at the Yookamurra Wildlife Sanctuary in South Australia. There are two three month internships the first commencing in August 2018 and the second in March 2019.
Intern Program – Yookamurra 2018-19
Looking for Work Experience? Intern Opportunities for PhD candidates – please see http://aprintern.org.au/available-internships
2018-19 Fisheries Scientific Committee Student Research Grant round now open – The Fisheries Scientific Committee (FSC) is now accepting applications for the 2018-19 Student Research Grants Round. The FSC has available $3,000 to fund 1-2 student projects, aimed at filling gaps in research information for threatened or potentially threatened species of fish and marine vegetation in NSW. The grants are intended for use by undergraduate 3rd year major project students, or as part of an Honours, Masters or PhD project. Projects funded through the Student Research Grants provide the FSC with information on threatened aquatic species and communities to help support their listing, conservation and management. This information is also assists in managing species recovery through initiatives undertaken by NSW Department of Primary Industries. How to apply – Visit the FSC website to access the online application form. Applications close 11.59 pm (AEDT) on Tuesday 31 July 2018.
LEARNING AND TEACHING
An excited group of 2-4 year olds learn and quiz Ajay Narendra about bugs!
Hello? Is it Me You’re Looking For? Have you been thinking about your unit? Wanted to do something new with teaching and not had the time? Get an L&T project off the ground or write an L&T grant application? Need help to wrangle iLearn? Just want to talk about ideas or issues? Call me maybe. Natalie Spence (x1943, <natalie.spence@mq.edu.au>) is the L&T team member assigned to Biological Sciences, but her colleague, Fiona Thurn, is also available to help with L&T questions, big or small. You can call me any, anytime. The faculty learning and teaching team are the people who may be sent your OneHelp ticket for iLearn, iTeach and other L&T matters. Sometimes ticket arrival can be delayed, so if it’s urgent, do go direct to the source. They are physically on the ground floor of 12 Wallys Walk (E7A) or call or email them, collectively at <fse.lt@mq.edu.au>, or individually (see below). They maintain an iLearn unit for staff, FSE000, with resources, information and links for teaching in Science and Engineering. They also maintain FSE101 to support Science and Engineering students (new resources welcome) in iLearn and also have a Twitter account, @fse101MQ, that appears in all faculty iLearn units – so send your events and news to share.
About the Senior Learning Designers
Natalie Spence has an intimate knowledge of iLearn and associated systems, and program and unit design, with a background in media production and site development and administration. Especially interested in supporting group work and active learning strategies, she will soon complete a PhD in this area. Natalie has been at Macquarie since 2011, previously at the Australian Film Television and Radio School for 11 years (she finds interesting projects and stays with good people). Blended learning, the best use of online and physical spaces, pedagogic and materials design–ready to engage in all aspects of learning and teaching. Get in touch: <natalie.spence@mq.edu.au> or x1943.
Fiona Thurn has 30 years teaching in a wide variety of contexts behind her. Fiona began supporting online and blended learning here at Macquarie in 2005. Since then Fiona has worked at the University of Sydney (5 years), UNSW (2 years), and Western Sydney University (4.5 years), supporting online and blended strategies to improve student learning. From 2014 to mid 2017, Fiona’s focus was working with academics to bring 2 programs fully online, converting lectures into short form videos. The teaching model Fiona developed, which took into account recent research findings from the neuroscience of learning, won Fiona a Western Sydney University, Learning and Teaching award for Teaching Excellence. Fiona is interested in all forms of teaching and learning innovation, and is happy to help you achieve your learning and teaching goals. Fiona can be contacted on x1482 or email her at <fiona.thurn@mq.edu.au>.
Mentoring Students from Refugee Backgrounds – You are warmly invited to participate in a pilot mentoring program called Making connections: Linking academic mentors with students from refugee backgrounds. This new program has been created by the MQ Academics for Refugees network, in collaboration with the Learning Skills’ WriteWISE program and the Widening Participation Unit. Please also forward this email to other academics you believe to be exceptional mentors!
Students from refugee backgrounds face additional challenges navigating University compared with other undergraduates. There is good evidence that mentoring programs for refugees can be highly effective—in the community or within educational contexts—and confer enormous benefits to participants in terms of social capital and capacity building, and both tangible and intangible aspects of wellbeing (Sen 1993; Bellemore 2014 and forthcoming; Vickers et al 2017). We, as academics, have a great opportunity to make a real difference, and to expand our own horizons through gaining additional perspectives.
We are now seeking Expressions of Interest from potential academic mentors to be part of our pilot program, which will run for Semester II, 2018 (July-Dec).
Our Making Connections program links students from a refugee background with an academic (preferably in their home faculty) with the goal of providing support to master the complexities of university life and develop the tacit knowledge required to succeed at their studies. We outline a process for developing a one-to-one mentoring relationship that is within the capacity of individual academics to provide and will enhance the support network available to these students. The evaluation of this scheme will determine future funding and potential expansion to support other disadvantaged student groups.
What is involved? Academic mentors commit to one meeting per month (coffee vouchers provided!) with their mentees between August and November 2018 (with potential for extension). They will receive training (2 x 2 hour sessions) on working with refugees as well as ongoing support and debriefing as needed. Each mentor will contribute to our evaluation of the program through these debriefing sessions.
Our mentors are not expected to provide students with additional support for writing skills and other academic skills. Instead, each student involved in the program is eligible for specific WriteWise support with trained library peer leaders. Academics will also receive information about other resources open to these students, so that as issues are identified, the student can be guided towards the appropriate service.
What kind of things could you discuss during your mentor meeting?
The discussion will be guided by your student but might include:
* goals and progress at university
* areas to work on and improve
* time management and dealing with stress
* facilities, clubs and services at university (we will provide you with contacts and resources)
* tips on communicating with tutors, lecturers and staff
Please note any information your mentee shares with you should be kept confidential.
What are the potential benefits?
This pilot program has the potential to make a real difference to students from refugee backgrounds in terms of succeeding in their studies at MQ. Having an academic committed to a regular meeting, even just once per month, can provide an invaluable connection and resource. But there are also great potential benefits for mentors. It will give you an opportunity to learn about another perspective, to make a genuine difference to someone else, to improve MQ’s support for students from disadvantaged backgrounds, and to enhance your own awareness of cultural diversity.
Sound interesting?
Please fill in this Expression of Interest form or email Associate Professor Anina Rich <anina.rich@mq.edu.au> if you have questions.
BLOGS AND OTHER THINGS OF INTEREST
Plant of the Week!
This week – Casuarina cunninghamiana – the River Oak, or River She-Oak. She-Oaks are iconic Australian trees, yet they look for all the world like pine trees. However, this couldn’t be further from the truth, as She Oaks (including Casuarina, Allocasuarina, Gymnostoma) are flowering plants, pine trees are conifers!
SEMINARS AND WORKSHOPS
Biological Sciences Weekly Seminar
On break until S2, 2018.
S2 2018 Teaching Lab Induction Dates: If you intend to work, demonstrate, or teach in the Department’s Digital Teaching Labs next semester, and you haven’t done an induction this year (for 14EAR – E8A), or the past 2 years for other spaces, then please contact Prasanth Subramani <prasanth.subramani@mq.edu.au> to put your name down for the following induction dates.
- 6WW (E8C) teaching labs – Wednesday 18th July, 2018.
- 4WW (F7B) teaching labs – Friday 20th July, 2018.
- 14EAR (E8A) teaching labs – Tuesday 24th July, 2018.
Writing Workshops – Running weekly for most of the year: Fridays 2-4pm in room 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.
Peer Writing Assistance Session – Are you a HDR? Need help with your writing? Unsure how to structure your argument? Want advice on how to handle HDR life? If you answered yes to any of these questions then come along to a Peer Writing Assistance session! Peer Writing Assistants are current PhD students and HDR Mentors at Macquarie University that are a ‘fresh pair of eyes’ to look over your work and provide constructive advice. We are also available to talk about any aspect of the HDR experience. Sessions can be booked on the HDR workshops page.
MPID PRESENTS | Innovation Districts: Best Practice – MPID will be hosting Julie Wagner, world leading expert in urban affairs and placemaking, and the co-author of the highly acclaimed article ‘The Rise of Innovation Districts’ at the Macquarie University Incubator on Friday 15th June 2018, for a seminar on Innovation Districts: Best Practice. Julie is a non-resident Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution and President, Urban Insight. She has been pivotal in observing how new geographies of innovation are emerging in response to economic and demographic forces. We are delighted to invite you to this session where Julie will share her insights on: Key learnings from Innovation Districts around the world, from theory to reality: best practice, trends and learnings that are applicable to MPID, and the role of universities in Innovations Districts.
During the second half of the seminar you will have the opportunity to engage in open discussion and Q&A. REGISTER HERE
Social Network Analysis Mini-conference & Workshop – Social network analysis is increasingly used to study the social behaviour of animals and interactions in complex biological systems. We are holding a workshop to provide students and researchers with an opportunity to learn from leaders in the field and receive face-to-face guidance on applying these techniques to their own data. The workshop, run by Dr Damien Farine (Max Planck Institute of Ornithology) covers all of the knowledge needed to use SNA, including key concepts, methods and R packages.
The workshop is preceded by a mini-conference, after which attendees give a very short talk & present a poster. Each day workshop activities start with a plenary talk from guest speakers including:
Dr Mauricio Cantor (Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina) on social interactions and cultural transmission in cetaceans. Dr Stephan Leu (Macquarie University) on using network analysis to model disease transmission.
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>.
The workshop is preceded by a mini-conference, after which attendees give a very short talk & present a poster. Each day workshop activities start with a plenary talk from guest speakers including:
Dr Mauricio Cantor (Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina) on social interactions and cultural transmission in cetaceans. Dr Stephan Leu (Macquarie University) on using network analysis to model disease transmission.
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>.
Call for Abstracts and Registration Now Open – The Macquarie Neurodegeneration Meeting is an inaugural event hosted by the Centre for Motor Neuron Disease Research, Macquarie University. The aim of this event is for Australian neuroscientists to showcase their research and to stimulate conversation and foster collaboration to develop treatments for diseases including motor neuron disease, Alzheimer’s disease, frontal temporal dementia, Parkinson’s disease and other degenerative brain disorders. We have assembled a program which will feature several keynote speakers.
Franklin Women Event: Perfecting Your Personal Pitch – Happiness Concierge Nicole will talk through how to put together a sound bite that clearly communicates your expertise and helps others see the value you deliver through your research and work.
When: Wednesday 27th June 2018. Time: 5.30pm to 8pm. Where: Club Bar, Hotel CBD, 52 King St, Sydney. Inclusions: An absolutely inspiring guest speaker, delish food, drinks and lots of networking with other inspiring women in the sector! Registration: Essential via our website – spaces are limited. Cost:Franklin Women Members – $33 (+GST) Franklin Women guest – $65 (+GST)
Research Enrichment Program – Outlook Conference
July 24-25, Incubator Building, Macquarie University – “The Future of the Human Landscape”
The Outlook Conference (Research Enrichment Program Outlook Flyer) will bring together leading thinkers in diverse disciplines, spanning molecules to landscapes, and from scientific, historical and social viewpoints. Speakers at 2018 Outlook conference include Professor Tim Flannery (Writer and Social Commentator), Professor Angela Moles (UNSW), Associate Professor Greg Downey (MQ) and Professor Rob Brooks (UNSW). The objective of Outlook is to immerse participants in the frontiers of adjacent, and more distant disciplines. Speakers will present their vision for humanity’s future. These talks will not recount personal research findings, but will be future-scoping exercises. Our goal is to identify promising areas for high level trans-disciplinary collaboration, for novel applications, and to expose postgraduate students and early career researchers to different ways of thinking. REP Outlook is free and open to all. Please register for REP Outlook here
The upcoming PRIMER v7 workshop to be held at the National Marine Science Centre (NMSC), Southern Cross University, in Coffs Harbour. The dates for this PRIMER workshop are 25th-29th June 2018. Also, to follow this, there will be an Advanced workshop on PRIMER v7/PERMANOVA+ which will be held from 16th-20th July 2018 in Canberra at Geoscience Australia. This latter one might be of particular interest to staff and students, because it showcases the more advanced features of PRIMER v7 and also delves into the PERMANOVA+ stuff and complex experimental designs. For more info on these and to download registration forms, etc. visit this website: http://www.primer-e.com/workshops/workshops.htm
aaRgh (ask an Rgeek for help) – Second Thursday of every month 3 – 4pm, Biology Tearoom – 14EAR (E8A) 280. Frustrated? Having an R-related problem? We will also run regular afternoon tea sessions where you can get one-on-one help, or just introduce yourself and chat. Snacks provided!
ADMIN THINGS
Admin Alert! Admin workload is particularly high, so this is a reminder to submit your Absence on Duty early. Please give a minimum of 3 weeks before you travel domestically, and 6 weeks internationally, for approvals to be processed and bookings made for you. The more notice you give, the easier it is, and the better prices you can get. Any last-minute travel requests may not be processed.
Session 2 2018 Tutor Applications are now open! Click here to apply. Applications close Sunday 24 June. Please contact <caitlin.kordis@mq.edu.au> with any questions.
PURE Training – The PURE system is used to manage researcher profiles, outputs including publications, funding applications, awards, projects and reports. Do you feel like you could use some more PURE training? Please register your interest via an email to <jenny.ghabache@mq.edu.au>.
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
Photo Competition – JUNE 2018 – Enter to win a $100 Gift Card this month!
This month’s theme is BLACK & WHITE! Your images could be used on our Department website, this newsletter, on our social media and in other biology publications. A lucky person’s name will be drawn each month, and they will receive a $100 Gift Card! Criteria: you must provide caption information including details of what/where/who(names of people)/date & you must have taken all photos & the image was taken in the last five years. Please follow the dropbox file request link to submit your images. Submission close: 30 JUNE 2018 You can enter as many photos as you like – one entry to the draw for each good photo, good luck!
Location-W (Fauna Park) Admin Support – Monday, Wednesday & Friday from 10am – 1pm in W19F.
Deliveries – You will notice that we have placed a red “transfer Box” in W19F, put anything in this box that needs to be delivered to the E8 area location. We also have a red “Transfer Box” in E8B Level 2 location, which is for goods to betaken to the W location. These boxes will be emptied every Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 10am. Deliveries from the main “MQ” store will be delivered daily. Any questions please contact Sharyon O’Donnell.
Building Name Changes – Cheat Sheet – If you are trying to identify buildings on campus with new names or old names, please use this link to convert them from old to new or vice versa.
Correct Method for Submitting to Department Matters
Department Matters submissions now have their own email address. Please send all future submissions to 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.
- Please write in third person. The information is coming from the Newsletter, not directly from you.
- 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.
- 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.
Keeping to these guidelines will streamline your article’s addition to the newsletter. Thank you.
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JOB ADS
Bush Heritage Australia has a number of positions available
We are seeking a proficient Healthy Landscape Manager – NSW to join our dedicated South East Team.
About the role: The Healthy Landscape Manager is a key regional leadership position and will be responsible for coordinating land management and conservation activities in Bush Heritage’s programs in NSW, including on reserves and for aspects of program development on Bush Heritage’s Aboriginal partnerships. The Healthy Landscape Manager is responsible for managing staff, contractors and volunteers to deliver strategic conservation and biodiversity goals/objectives. The Healthy Landscape Manager will work with partners, staff and volunteers develop and deliver Priority Landscape plans, property management plans, operational work plans, budgets, HSE processes, governance, stakeholder communication & partnership engagement across their region of responsibility.
We are seeking a proficient Ecologist South East NSW and Victoria to join our dedicated South East Team.
About the role: The Ecologist South East NSW and Victoria will work with relevant Bush Heritage staff, partners and the broader scientific and natural resource management community to deliver a science program that reflects the conservation and cultural land management priorities of the regions within SE NSW and Victoria in which Bush Heritage operates. The Ecologist South East NSW and Victoria will be primarily responsible for the implementation of the research and monitoring plans for each of the reserves and partnerships in the Priority Landscapes in SE NSW and Victoria. This position will work collaboratively with the Healthy Landscape Managers and the Reserve Managers in the region to ensure conservation management, species recovery and research programs are developed and implemented for the purposes of delivering on the Bush Heritage Knowledge Strategy and ensuring adaptive management of our reserves.
See here for further information
New Publications
The genetic structure of the introduced house sparrow populations in Australia and New Zealand is consistent with historical descriptions of multiple introductions to each country
By: Andrew, Samuel C., Monica Awasthy, Peri E. Bolton, Lee A. Rollins, Shinichi Nakagawa, and Simon C. Griffith. Biological Invasions (2017): 1-16. | Find with Google Scholar »Genetic diversity through time and space: diversity and demographic history from natural history specimens and serially sampled contemporary populations of the threatened Gouldian finch (Erythrura gouldiae)
By: Bolton, Peri E., Lee A. Rollins, James Brazill-Boast, Kimberley L. Maute, Sarah Legge, Jeremy J. Austin, and Simon C. Griffith. Conservation Genetics (2018): 1-18. | Find with Google Scholar »The energetics of fish growth and how it constrains food-web trophic structure
By: Barneche, Diego R., and Andrew P. Allen. Ecology letters 21, no. 6 (2018): 836-844. | Find with Google Scholar »In the Media
Alex Carthey was asked to comment on a new publication in Biology Letters
Alex Carthey was asked to comment on a new publication in Biology Letters showing that northern quolls (Dasyurus hallucatus) moved to off-shore islands to save them from cane toads have lost their antipredatory defenses in just 13 generations – suggesting a Catch-22 when it comes to fencing for conservation. https://www.sciencenews.org/article/conservation-catch-22-efforts-save-quolls-might-endanger-them
Vanessa Pirotta provided comment to Sydney Morning Herald
Vanessa Pirotta from the Department of Biological Sciences provided comment to Sydney Morning Herald regarding whale watching and her research studying ‘whale snot’ using drones.
Vanessa Pirotta was interviewed on ABC Radio Sydney Drive and ABC TV News Afternoons
Vanessa Pirotta from the Department of Biological Sciences was interviewed on ABC Radio Sydney Drive and ABC TV News Afternoons about a whale that got tangled in a fishing net near Bondi.