Extreme effects of extreme disturbances: a simulation approach to assess population specific responses
By: Reed, Joshua, Robert Harcourt, Leslie New, and Kerstin Bilgmann. Frontiers in Marine Science 7 (2020): 829. | Find with Google Scholar »
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Message from the HoD
Dear all,
Another busy week all round in the teaching space as S2 convenors prepare for end of semester exams. We have also been planning next year’s curriculum offerings and hope to provide teaching staff with a draft plan for Unit delivery very soon.
Lots going on the HDR space, including the opening of the HDR Road to Research Scholarships for coursework Masters students and a host of training and mentoring activities avialble (see below). It’s also great to see our HDR students having success with grant applications to a range of funding bodies.
Cheers – Nathan
Save the Date
This Coming Week
26th October: Advanced Sci (Biology) research seminars, 4.15pm; see below.
27th October: STEM Careers Q&A, 5pm – 6pm; see below.
29th October: Pride in Diversity online learning series, 12:30pm -2:00pm; see below.
5th-10th November: 6WW (E8C) Electrical Shut-down; see below.
Weekly Events
Wed, 1-2pm: Department Seminar, Zoom link will be emailed out.
Mon-Fri: morning writing sessions on Zoom with HDR Learning Skills; see below.
General News and Announcements
The Holsworth Wildlife Research Endowment
Congratulations to Skye Davis from the Conservation Genetics Lab who was awarded The Holsworth Wildlife Research Endowment (ESA) for their project ‘Informing the conservation of Australia’s waterbirds from genetic connectivity analyses and eDNA’.
Grant Success
Congratulations to Thea Fraser (PhD, supervised by Rob Harcourt), CI of a recently awarded Australian Marine Parks community grant! This work will be a collaboration with Alana Grech at James Cook University, David Slip at Taronga Zoo, and Viv Tullocj at the University of British Columbia.
Biofoundry Project – Fire Hydrant Installation – E8A/E8C
You may have already noticed that the entry into 14EAR (E8A) has been fenced off for the installation of a fire hydrant. You will only be able to enter via 6WW (E8C) and the doors along 14 Eastern Rd, signage is in place to direct you.
MUST READ – 6 Wally’s Walk (E8C) Electrical Shut-Down Planned for 5th-10th November
There will be a planned Electrical shutdown in 6WW (E8C) from Thursday 5th November to Tuesday 10th November 2020 to replace the main electrical board for the building.
ALL POWER, PHONES AND INTERNET will be shut down. For safety reasons, the building will be closed, and NO ONE WILL BE ALLOWED TO ENTER.
Those impacted are asked to work from home; if this is not an option, please contact Marita Holley before COB Friday 23rd October to arrange an alternative lab or office space for the duration of works.
End of Year – Processing Deadlines via Admin team = 16th November 2020
The end of the year is approaching fast! The admin team needs your help to ensure all administration processes are finalised before the university shuts down. Any items below that don’t have a due date yet will be updated in due course.
To help us carry out your request, please email fse.bio-adm@mq.edu.au
What Happens to 2020 Funds?
Grants ending this year, funds in operating accounts or 2020 approved HDR funds may be absorbed by the faculty. Please spend funds by the above dates to prevent this from happening.
If you hold a research grant and need an extension, request one as soon as possible. Please contact Veronica Peralta, veronica.peralta@mq.edu.au if you are unsure about how to do this.
What if I can’t meet the deadlines?
Please contact the Department Manager Sharyon O’Donnell.
Admin understands that requests may be needed after these dates but we cannot guarantee that your request will be met due to our extreme workload during this busy time. If we cannot process your request, it will be held for processing in 2021.
Admin may have a closed-door policy, dependent on the workload.
Biology WHS committee – call for agenda items
If you have an issue you would like raised at the November Dept WHS committee meeting, please contact Michelle Leishman <michelle.leishman@mq.edu.au> or Jenny Ghabache <jenny.ghabache@mq.edu.au> by Friday 30 October.
L&T: New Academic Integrity Insights features in Turnitin
Additional features have been enabled in Turnitin that can help with identifying academic misconduct such as contract cheating and text manipulation to hide plagiarism.
These include Flags of inconsistencies and Document Details that provide a focus for further review of potential academic misconduct. The attached document provides details and steps on how to access the new features and the Learning Innovation Hub will be updating online guides: New academic integrity features in Turnitin
Of course, multiple approaches are needed to encourage and maintain academic integrity (Turnitin is only a small part) and a larger initiative is currently underway to promote academic integrity at Macquarie. Some great resources and strategies are outlined in the Teche article, Three ways to enhance academic integrity in your unit and also in the recently developed TEQSA Academic Integrity Toolkit.
MQRIS funding Schemes
The MQRIS Large and Small schemes are now open for applications. The funding rules and the application forms are available from the Research Services Fellowship and Grant Opportunities webpages (Internal Grants section). Because these schemes are being opened much later in the year than normal, the application forms have been amended to reduce the amount of time required to complete the application. The Faculty review process has also been adjusted to this shorter timescale. For FSE, the Faculty Deadline for both schemes will be Monday the 16th November 2020. No late applications will be accepted this year. If anyone intends to apply to this internal scheme, please contact Andrew Barron <andrew.barron@mq.edu.au>
For MQRIS (Large): Please email the completed application form to sci.research@mq.edu.au by the Faculty due date (16th November 2020).
For MQRIS (Small): RIS Small MUST BE SUBMITTED THROUGH PURE by the lead CI, by the Faculty due date (16th November 2020). Please check the funding rules carefully – MQRIS (Small) does not support costs for personnel this year.
Department Vehicles – New contact
Josh Griffiths has now taken over managing all department vehicles from Tarun. Any vehicle related inquiries, induction requests, or key safe access please contact Josh via josh.griffiths@mq.edu.au, or 9850 7484.
This covers: computers (and notebooks, laptops, phones), cameras, hard drives, software, services (including subscriptions), and all computer peripherals (keyboard, mouse, dock, webcam, headset, etc.).
1x. If unsure, just submit a OneHelp ticket with a description/links/attachments of what you want to buy; FSE IT can give you a quote.
1a. If ordering from a preferred supplier, submit a OneHelp ticket and FSE IT will help you.
1b. If ordering from outside standard options/suppliers (including custom computers or services), then you will need to submit a OneHelp ticket for CIO approval – this is a fast process.
2a. [Admin purchase – hardware] When you receive approval, forward emails with OneHelp approval + any quotes to fse.bio-adm@mq.edu.au, and admin can assist with making the purchase.
2b. [Credit card purchase – some software and services] IF you are able to buy the product (e.g. software licence) on a corporate credit card, then you will need to attach a copy of the OneHelp approval to your card reconciliation.
3. If you are given a purchase order number from admin for a computer/IT hardware, attach this number to the OneHelp ticket; this allows FSE IT to match-up your ticket with the item when it is delivered.
Department intranet
Pride in Diversity online learning series, October – limited places!
Trans Pride in a Pandemic
This is a four-part online forum series with two remaining dates for trans and gender diverse people and allies, developed in partnership by ACON and Trans Pride Australia with funding support by the City of Sydney. Every forum is free and all speakers are paid. Register for one, some, or all forums.
Forums will take place on Thursdays 6-7pm:
- Gender Euphoria :: A New Narrative – 29 October
Phil Dartnell brought the Manchineel Tree, Hippomane mancinella, to our attention, not only is it another toxic tree in the Euphorbia family but recognized by the Guinness Book of Records as the World’s Most Dangerous Tree! The Spanish name suits it well – La Manzanilla de la Muerte – Little Apple of Death. Every part of the tree is dangerous. Curiously, the way in which the toxins from this Caribbean tree affect people (and other animals) seems not dissimilar to the action of Covid_19.
Plant of the week – Euphorbia peplus – Petty Spurge – Radium Weed
Plant of the week – Manchineel – Hippomane mancinella
OPPORTUNITIES
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).
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).
BIOL2910 Advanced Sci (Biology) research seminars: Monday 26th October, 4:15pm
https://macquarie.zoom.us/j/87996002023?pwd=L1FNNU5FcXY5WVd2cFE3THZqZklQZz09
Please join us on Zoom to hear about what our 2nd-year Adv Sci (Biology) students have been researching!
Each speaker will give an approx.. 8 minute talk, followed by 2-5 minutes for questions.
4.15 pm. Akshay Rampersad. Rapid evolution of invasive species and its drivers.
(Supervisor: Jaco Le Roux)
4.25 pm. Connor McLoughlin. Population Frequency Distributions of Two Species of Upper Devonian Placoderm.
(Supervisors: Zoe Wyllie & Glenn Brock)
4.35 pm. Luke Haeusler. Trapped in-doors or range rovers? A systematic literature review of the distribution and dispersal of mygalomorph spiders and review of Australian mygalomorph ranges.
(Supervisor: Bruno Buzatto)
4.45 pm. Niamh Mcgovern. The Effect of Urban Environment on the Limpet Species Cellana transmoserica.
(Supervisors: Matt Kerr & John Alroy)
Mol Sci Seminar – Dr Yu Heng Lau – Pore structure controls stability and molecular flux in engineered protein cages
Date/Time: 27 October, 1 pm to 2 pm
Zoom Link: https://macquarie.zoom.us/j/98709416879
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.
Online Statistics Workshops
Insight Research Services Associated is proud to be presenting three workshops online in October/November 2020. 2020.11 Insight Online
* October 24/25: A Gentle Introduction to Statistics in SPSS and R
* October 28/29: Introduction to Linear and Logistic Regression
* November 4/5: Introduction to Longitudinal Data Analysis
These workshops are aimed at non-statisticians as well as statisticians new to these fields. Please read the attached flyer for more information, or visit our website at <https://insightrsa.com/workshops/upcoming>. For questions please contact Mark Griffin at m.griffin@insightrsa.com or by phone on 0448 176 926.
To keep up to date with the training programs being delivered by Insight please consider joining our email list at <https://insightrsa.com/connect-with-us>.
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 Road to Research (R2R) Scholarships Now Open.
The OHDRTP is pleased to announce that applications are now open for the HDR Road to Research Scholarships. Applications are invited from international and domestic candidates eligible for direct entry to the Master of Research Y2 program in Session 1 2021 who are currently located in Australia, for completion of MRes Y2 in 2021. Further details regarding eligibility, selection process and application procedure are available on the website for international and domestic scholarships.
Applications will close on 30 November 2020 at 11:59PM AEST. Additional information:
• Candidates currently enrolled in BPhil or MRes Y1 programs do not need to apply for this scholarship and will be considered through the usual progression round later this year
• Domestic candidates who have already applied in the Main Domestic Scholarship round (closing at the end of this month) will automatically added to the Road to Research round where they are approved for MRes Y2 entry.
• Domestic candidates who have not yet applied for the Main Domestic Scholarship round and wish to be considered for both scholarships will need to select both scholarship types in the application form.
• International candidates who applied through the main international round who were not successful for a scholarship, but are onshore and eligible for MRes Y2 entry should submit a scholarship only application form.
If anyone is interested in applying please contact Ajay Narendra <ajay.narendra@mq.edu.au>
The Thesis/Research Whisperer’s #Whisperfest 23-26 November 2020
HDR Candidates are invited to register for a series of great events around surviving research training and careers.
Here’s what the program looks like, and here are the registration links:
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MONDAY – Let’s talk about perfectionism, imposter syndrome, and burnout
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TUESDAY – The future of universities
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WEDNESDAY – #circleofniceness: the origin story
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THURSDAY – Why academia shouldn’t be a competition
>> The Research Whisperer team, Tseen Khoo and Jonathan O’Donnell
>> Narelle Lemon from Explore and Create Co
>> The Thesis Whisperer, Inger Mewburn
STEM Q&A – 5 pm to 6 pm, Tuesday 27 October
Join the STEM Careers Q&A with alumni panelists from NSW Health Pathology, Aginic, Dell Technologies, and Macquarie Telecom.
Led by the Executive Dean Faculty of Science and Engineering Prof Magnus Nyden, Director Student
Life Kylie Ebert, and Deputy Associate Dean Learning and Teaching Dr Kerrie Tomkins, the panelist
will discuss:
• How did they maximise their university learning and experience?
• Where do they work now and how did they get into it?
• What tips and advice would they give to students interesting in the STEM field or their
industries/organisations?
Register and ask a question of the panellists here – https://macquarie.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_iRbvxBHOT167ohtYiDDfQw
More information in the following PDF link – http://bio.mq.edu.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/STEM-Careers-QA.pdf
Rice Field Research Award – applications open!
This award is open to PhD candidates and MRes candidates undertaking their second year in 2021, enrolled in the Department of Biological Sciences. The scheme is supported by a bequest by the Rice Memorial Fund, established in the memory of Barbara Rice (1944-2009).
The award supports field work activities, by providing funding of $1000. Field research is interpreted as research undertaken in outdoor environments where wild populations of the study organism occur. The award will be given to a postgraduate research student who is judged to have prepared the best proposal towards their future field research, with the funds to be spent on that research within a year of receipt.
The application is to be signed and emailed to the Head of Department (fse.bio-hod@mq.edu.au) before the closing date: 30th November 2020. The application form with further details is attached: Rice Memorial Field Research Proposal Award_2020
Grants and Scholarships
King’s Park summer scholarships (Western Australia)
- To undertake a 12-week research project under the supervision of scientists at the Biodiversity Conservation Centre, King’s Park and Botanic Garden, WA. Includes stipend of $7000 and operating costs. Applications close 30 Oct 2020.
- USD$2000 towards research costs; applications close 31 Oct 2020.
Wine Australia top-up scholarships(PhD and MRes)
- Top-up stipend of approx. $6000 p.a. (to bring total to $35,000 p.a.) + $10,000 operating funds p.a. Applications close 6 Nov 2020.
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.
From next week onwards, Huong Ly Tong, a current PhD candidate from the Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, will be hosting an additional Zoom session 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
Program info and the submission link are on the HDR How to Apply webpage.
CSIRO PhD Top-up Scholarships are worth AUD 7,000 per year, plus an operating budget of up to AUD 10,000 per year. Projects offered:
THIS AND THAT
WWF Australia is launching a $1M Bushfire Regeneration Challenge with the kick-off meeting scheduled for next week. Some biology folks might be interested in attending.
https://wwf.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_Kj-xtRmmT02aVAykPaSrwg
Have You Participated in an Activity for Biology Recently? Don’t forget to fill in the super-quick form here – ACCESS OUTREACH FORM HERE
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
Non-breeding movements of Gentoo Penguins at the Falkland Islands
By: Baylis, Alastair MM, Megan Tierney, Rachael A. Orben, Daniel González de la Peña, and Paul Brickle. Ibis. | Find with Google Scholar »Coprosma autumnalis(kanono; Rubiaceae) in New Zealand: nomenclature, iconography and phenology
By: Large, M. F., Mabberley, D. J., & Wood, E. (2020). Kew Bulletin, 75(4), 1-7. | Find with Google Scholar »Biting off more than you can chew: Attempted predation on a human by a giant snake (Simalia amethistina)
By: Natusch, Daniel, Jessica Lyons, Lea‐Ann Mears, and Richard Shine. Austral Ecology (2020). | Find with Google Scholar »A famous failure: Why were cane toads an ineffective biocontrol in Australia?
By: Shine, Richard, Georgia Ward‐Fear, and Gregory P. Brown. Conservation Science and Practice: e296. | Find with Google Scholar »Ecosystem transpiration and evaporation: Insights from three water flux partitioning methods across FLUXNET sites
By: Nelson, Jacob A., Oscar Pérez‐Priego, Sha Zhou, Rafael Poyatos, Yao Zhang, Peter D. Blanken, Teresa E. Gimeno et al. Global Change Biology (2020). | Find with Google Scholar »The analysis of plant root responses to nutrient concentration, soil volume and neighbour presence: Different statistical approaches reflect different underlying basic questions
By: Chen, Bin JW, Heinjo J. During, Peter J. Vermeulen, Hans de Kroon, Hendrik Poorter, and Niels PR Anten. Functional Ecology 34, no. 10 (2020): 2210-2217. | Find with Google Scholar »Inferring Variation in Southern Elephant Seal At-Sea Mortality by Modelling Tag Failure
By: Henderson, Angus F., Clive R. McMahon, Rob Harcourt, Christophe Guinet, Baptiste Picard, Simon Wotherspoon, and Mark A. Hindell. Frontiers in Marine Science (2020). | Find with Google Scholar »Early Cambrian organophosphatic brachiopods from the Xinji Formation, at Shuiyu section, Shanxi Province, North China
By: Pan, Bing, Christian B. Skovsted, Glenn A. Brock, Timothy P. Topper, Lars E. Holmer, Luo-Yang Li, and Guo-Xiang Li. Palaeoworld 29, no. 3 (2020): 512-533. | Find with Google Scholar »In the Media
Dr Alessandro Ossola was interviewed by Nature Index in relation to different career paths to succeed after a PhD.
Read more »
Professor Culum Brown was mentioned on Newsweek after his recent comment to CNN regarding the average fatalities from shark attacks each year.
Read more »