Evidence for condition mediated trade-offs between the HPA- and HPG-axes in the wild zebra finch
By: Crino, Ondi L., Sophia M. Jensen, Katherine L. Buchanan, and Simon C. Griffith. General and comparative endocrinology (2017). | Find with Google Scholar »
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Dear all,
I will be representing the Faculty of Science & Engineering next week with visits to Exeter, Bristol, Hamburg, Groningen and Wageningen universities in order to strengthen research partnerships and develop cotutelles. Forecast for Hamburg next week is -6C so I am off to pack my woollies! Sharyon and the exec team will be here and happy to help sort out any issues you may have.
cheers,
Michelle
Save the Date
This coming week 19th – 23rd March
Wed 21st: Department Morning Tea; 10.30am – 11.30am; (Biology Tea Room).
Wed 21st: Departmental Seminar – Prof. Geoff Hill – Speciation and sexual selection as processes to maintain mitonuclear coadapation; 1.00pm – 2.00pm; (Biology Tea Room).
Thu 22nd: MRes Seminars; 9.00am – 5.00pm; (Biology Tea Room).
Fri 23rd: Writing Workshop by Ken Cheng; 2.00pm – 4.00pm; 6SR (E8B) 111.
Following week 25th – 29th March
Wed 28th: Department Morning Tea; 10.30am – 11.30am; The Hill.
Wed 28th: Departmental Seminar – Dr. Michael Stat – Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University; 1.00pm – 2.00pm; (Biology Tea Room).
Thu 29th: HDR Supervision Training – Mental Health; 10.30am – 12.00pm; (Biology Tea Room).
Thu 29th: R Users Group; 3.00pm – 5.00pm; (Biology Tea Room).
Fri 30th: Public Holiday – Good Friday
Coming up
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 14SCO (E7B) main hall.
Departmental Seminar Series
Wed Apr 4th: Departmental Seminar – Dr. April Reside – University of Queensland; 1.00pm – 2.00pm; 14EAR (E8A)-280 (Biology Tea Room).
Wed Apr 11th: Departmental Seminar – Assoc. Prof. Kira Westaway – Department of Environmental Science, Macquarie University; 1.00pm – 2.00pm; 14EAR (E8A)-280 (Biology Tea Room).
General News and Announcements
RESEARCH STORIES, OUTCOMES AND OPPORTUNITIES
60 Seconds with HDR student Vanessa Pirotta
In case you missed it in MQ’s This Week, here is 60 seconds with our very own Vanessa Pirotta.
Ecological Society of Australia Grant Opportunities for HDR Students
https://www.ecolsoc.org.au/news/2018/02/holsworth-round-1-applications-now-open
As an added bonus, the dept will match funds up to $3k for successful applicants.
Raine Island Recovery Project – Turtle Nesting Environment Research Expression of Interest
Through the Queensland Department of Environment and Science the Raine Island Recovery Project is seeking Expressions of Interest for research proposals to address whether there is a relationship between the nest micro-environment and green turtle hatching failure at Raine Island. Details regarding the EOI can be found in the attached two documents.
The EOI closes on the 19th of March 2018 at 4pm Australian Eastern Standard time. EOIs will be considered and assessed against the evaluation criteria, following which selected applicants will be requested to develop a full application. Collaborations are strongly encouraged. Should you have any queries please email <Raineresearch@des.qld.gov.au>. Nesting Environment Expression of Interest Guidelines Nesting Environment Expression of Interest Form
LEARNING AND TEACHING
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 29th March 10:30-12 (Note new date!)
Where: Biology Tea Room
This workshop will cover managing the supervisory relationship and supporting students with symptoms of mental illness. To register: please email <julian.may@mq.edu.au>.
SEMINARS AND WORKSHOPS
Departmental Weekly Seminar
Day/Date/Time/Place: Wednesday, 21st March, 1:00pm – 2:00pm, 14EAR (E8A)-280 (Tea Room).
Speaker: Professor Geoff Hill, Auburn University, Alabama, United States.
Title: Speciation and sexual selection as processes to maintain mitonuclear coadapation Abstract: https://goto.mq.edu.au/biologyseminar2018-abstracts
Research Enrichment Program – Outlook Conference
July 24-25, Incubator Building, Macquarie University – “The Future of the Human Landscape”
The Outlook Conference will bring together leading thinkers in diverse disciplines, spanning molecules to landscapes, and from scientific, historical and social viewpoints. The objective 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. To register, email <fse.rep-admin@mq.edu.au>.
ACST for Biological Sciences Staff Postponed
Unfortunately the planned ACST for Biology staff set down for 12 April 2018, 14 Eastern Rd Level 2 Room 280, 9:00am – 1:00pm, has had to be postponed. The providers are taking stock of the many great recommendations from previous ACST participants and now working very closely with LIH partners to build a better product for delivery and that is beneficial for staff and the various Faculties, Departments and Offices. They are streamlining the whole package for every Faculty, Departments and Offices to ensure the quality of the content and accessibility for staff. Once customisation is complete, a new date will be set for the session.
Respect. Now. Always. Programme – More information click here.
Respect@MQ Workshops– More information click here.
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 one day symposium is to foster the Macquarie University researcher 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.Click here for more information and to register
Last Call for Expressions of Interest to Participate in the REP Leadership Program ‘Make Your Mark on Macquarie – Lead a Project for Change’
Do you want to improve Macquarie University? Do you have an idea on a project that you wish to lead that will have a lasting impact? This is an invitation for expressions of interest to participate in the Research Enrichment Program Leadership series: Make your mark on Macquarie – Lead a project for change, organised by Mauricio Marrone and Marie Herberstein. This leadership program is open to all career stages, from PhD, ECR, mid-career and senior academics.
In this 6-month support program, up to ten applicants will undergo a six-month leadership development process, mentored by senior members across the university. Selection into the program will be based on the projects that you wish to lead and the impact that these projects will have on the University, or broader community. Please submit your expression of interest to be one of the 10 participants here. Applications close on 23rd of March
The Impacts of Gendered Perspectives in the Sciences
Thursday 5th April (10am – 3pm) Continuum room, level 3, 75 Talavera road
Organisers: Barron, Herberstein and Ah-King
Can we ever explore questions of the evolution of human society without tripping over our own biases surrounding contemporary gender stereotypes and gender roles in society?
The meeting will consider current hypotheses of human social evolution, especially Survival of the Friendliest, and how gendered assumptions can cloud progress in this area.
Some pre-reading will be required for this workshop. Numbers will be capped – first-in secures a place. Click here to register for ‘The impacts of gendered perspectives in the sciences.’
ADMIN THINGS
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.
Staff parking permits – Now available from the Admin Office – 6SR (E8B) 206
Photo Competition – March 2018 – 1x $100 Gift Card to Win each month!
This month’s theme is SUMMER
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 March 2018 You can enter as many photos as you like – one entry to the draw for each good photo, good luck!
Congratulations to the winner of the February draw! HDR Student Kaja Wierucka pictured with her $100 gift card!
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.
Follow us on Social Media
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
JOB POSITIONS AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Position Vacant – Administrative Assistant for CAPSTAN
The Collaborative Australian Postgraduate Sea Training Alliance Network (CAPSTAN) seeks an administrative assistant on a casual term for an expected average of 8 to 16 hours per week. Candidate should be responsible, organised, passionate about marine science and enthusiastic about STEM education. Questions? Please contact April Abbott at <april.abbott@mq.edu.au>.
Responsibilities will include:
- Verbal and written communication with stakeholders through emails, newsletters, and short articles
- Voyage planning and administration including application processing and making arrangements for travel and accommodation
- Board member arrangements and communications
- Representing CAPSTAN to the Australian Marine Science Community with potential for conference attendance
- Supporting marine science education research efforts
- Promoting CAPSTAN to potential partner universities and industries
Job Opportunity – Outreach activity development
As a Department we want to offer a range of high quality learning activities, for outreach events, that are related to our research and teaching. We are currently adapting two undergrad practicals to create 40 min+ lesson plans for high school students (any year 7-11) for various events and school visits. We can pay HDR, MRes, or excellent UG students up to 10 hours at Dem rates.
So we are looking for one or two people depending on the skill set of the applicants. We are specifically looking for people that have:
- Some molecular skills to adapt a prac in Biol115 to create a versatile activity called solving mysteries with DNA
- Interests in marine conservation with an emphasis on fish to build resources for a marine reserve activity built around a fish ID prac
The second task will be delivered as part of an event later this semester and so there is further opportunity to also be paid to present it. Although we have the framework sorted original input into the activities will not be discouraged. Please contact <matthew.bulbert@mq.edu.au> or <katherine.mcclellan@mq.edu.au>
BLOGS AND OTHER THINGS OF INTEREST
Plant of the Week!
This week – Hare’s Foot Fern – Davallia solida var. pyxidata – from a family of epiphytic and epilithic ferns from tropical, sub-tropical and temperate regions of the world.
Red Cross Calling…
…is the annual door knocking/fundraising Event for the Australian Red Cross.
Prasanth Subramani from the department will be volunteering and fund raising between 9th and 25th March. A collection box will be left in the Biology Tea Room through next week (19th-23rd) if you would like to support the cause. Alternatively, donations can also be dropped off with Prasanth. All donations over $2 are tax deductible. To see how funds raised make a difference, please see http://bit.ly/red-cross-calling
2018 Nikon Small World Competition
For those with the skills and interest in microbiological photography. https://nikonsmallworld.magnet.fsu.edu/
Shuttle Bus
Did you know that the University has a free shuttle bus service during semester time? Follow this link to find out more – https://www.mq.edu.au/about/contacts-and-maps/getting-to-macquarie/shuttle-bus
New Publications
Continental-scale animal tracking reveals functional movement classes across marine taxa
By: Brodie, S., Lédée, E.J., Heupel, M.R., Babcock, R.C., Campbell, H.A., Gledhill, D.C., Hoenner, X., Huveneers, C., Jaine, F.R., Simpfendorfer, C.A. and Taylor, M.D., 2018. Scientific reports, 8(1), p.3717. | Find with Google Scholar »Onuphid polychaetes associated with the Cymodocea nodosa meadows of La Gomera (Canary Islands, NW Africa) – new species and new records from the eastern North Atlantic
By: Arias, Andrés, Jorge Núñez, and Hannelore Paxton. Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom 97, no. 5 (2017): 857-869. | Find with Google Scholar »Phylogeography of the invasive Mediterranean fan worm, Sabella spallanzanii (Gmelin, 1791), in Australia and New Zealand
By: Ahyong, Shane T., Elena Kupriyanova, Ingo Burghardt, Yanan Sun, Pat A. Hutchings, Maria Capa, and Serena L. Cox. Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom 97, no. 5 (2017): 985-991. | Find with Google Scholar »Deep, helical, communal nesting and emergence in the sand monitor: ecology informing paleoecology?
By: Doody, J. Sean, Colin McHenry, Mike Brown, Gordon Canning, Gary Vas, and Simon Clulow. Journal of Zoology | Find with Google Scholar »The search for loci under selection: trends, biases and progress
By: Ahrens, Collin W., Paul D. Rymer, Adam Stow, Jason Bragg, Shannon Dillon, Kate DL Umbers, and Rachael Y. Dudaniec. Molecular ecology (2018). | Find with Google Scholar »Additional notes, corrections and sporophyte descriptions for Mesochaete (Bryopsida: Aulacomniaceae) in Australia
By: Ramsay, Helen, Rodney Seppelt, and Alison Downing. Telopea 21 (2018): 1-8. | Find with Google Scholar »In the Media
Rachael Dudaniec, Adam Stow and others (Ahrens et al.) mentioned in The Molecular Ecologist blog
A paper in Molecular Ecology by Rachael Dudaniec, Adam Stow and others (Ahrens et al.) was discussed in The Molecular Ecologist blog: http://www.molecularecologist.com/2018/03/are-population-genomic-scans-for-locally-adapted-loci-too-successful/
Lesley Hughes featured on ABC New England North West, ABC Riverina and ABC Central West NSW radio
Distinguished Professor Lesley Hughes from the Department of Biological Sciences featured on ABC New England North West, ABC Riverina and ABC Central West NSW radio in relation to the announcement that she will be discussing current climate change research with the Bathurst Climate Action Group. See page 1 of the report.
Simon Griffith contributed to The Conversation
Professor Simon Griffith from the Department of Biological Sciences contributed the article ‘Curious Kids: Why aren’t birds pulled down by gravity while they’re flying?’ to The Conversation.