BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES DEPARTMENT MATTERS | September 23, 2019

Dear all,

This week is busy with Graduation on Monday plus MRes and PhD supplementary conference Monday and Tuesday. Please come along to support our HDR students! And if you have any great photos from graduation that you would like to share, send them to the newsletter email for publishing next week (fse.bionewsletter@mq.edu.au)

Cheers

Michelle

Save the Date

This week 23rd – 27th September

Mon 23rd: MQ Graduation Ceremony for Biological Sciences; 10.30am-12pm

Mon 23rd: MRes Seminars; 10.00am – 4:30pm; 14EAR(E8A)-280 (Biology Tea Room).

Tue 24th: HDR Supplementary Conference; 9:30am – 10:45am; 14EAR(E8A)-280 (Biology Tea Room).

Wed 25th: Department Morning Tea; 10:30-11am, 205B Culloden Rd.

Wed 25th: Department Seminar on hiatus due to break.

Wed 25th: MQU 3 Minute Thesis Competition Finals; 1:30pm – 3.30pm, Macquarie Theatre. Please RSVP here for catering purposes.

Thu 26th: AARGH: R-Users Group (RUG) Help Session; Managing Data in R: a Beginner’s Guide; 3.30 PM – 5.30 PM; Continuum room (75 Talavera road, room 3114); snacks provided, BYO mug.

Following week 30th September – 4th October

Tue 1st: Department Meeting; 1pm – 2pm; 14EAR(E8A)-280 (Biology Tea Room).

Wed 2nd: Department Morning Tea; 10.30-11am; (Biology Tea Room).

Wed 2nd: Developing Your Five-Year Plan Workshop; 12:30 – 2:00 pm; 12 Wally’s Walk, 801 – Register here.

Wed 2nd: Department Seminar – Laura Jade, Artist; 1pm – 2pm; 14EAR(E8A)-280 (Biology Tea Room).

Thu 3rd: Biology Social Club; 5.00pm – 7.00pm; Biology Courtyard.

Weekly Events

Wed: Shut up and Write Sessions; 11.00am – 12.00pm; 6WW(E8C)-212 or 14EAR(E8A)-360A.

Thu: Venture Café; 3–8pm; 58 Waterloo Road, Macquarie Park, NSW (map). Find out what is on each week here – https://venturecafesydney.org/

Fri: Writing Workshops with Prof Ken Cheng – to support HDRs and ECRs with scientific writing; 2–4pm; Ken’s office at 205b Culloden Road, G12.

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

Weekly Biological Sciences seminar program is here

Future Events

October 9th: Faculty Safety Fair

December 3rd: Department formal exam meeting

December 5th: Department research retreat

General News and Announcements

Vale Malcolm Reed – Malcolm Reed passed away recently, after a long and very sad illness. He was a member of academic staff from 1970s to 1990s, teaching plant and fungal biology. Mark Westoby has organised for informal drinks for those who would like to get together and raise a glass to Malcolm. It will be held on Thursday 26th Sept, from 4 pm in the Biology tearoom.

Do You Have a New Visitor or Member of Your Research Group? There are a number of new faces around the place so the Department is planning a general welcome to all newcomers at morning tea on Wednesday 2nd October. Please let Calli Miller know if there is a new member of your lab that you would like to welcome. Everyone welcome to come along and join in of course! As always, there will be cakes.

Senior Lecturer (Teaching & Leadership) – Vertebrate Physiology – The Department is currently advertising a ‘teaching and leadership’ academic position, with teaching responsibilities in our physiology units and leadership within the BMedSci and BSc(Human Biology) programs.

The closing date is Sunday 6th October 2019.

Please pass this on to potential quality applicants. The link for the position is: http://jobs.mq.edu.au/cw/en/job/505381/senior-lecturer-in-vertebrate-physiology

The Coffee Machine – The trial of the replacement coffee machine in the Biology tearoom was very successful – 350 coffees made in one week and general agreement that the quality of the coffee was good. However unfortunately the Faculty have not approved replacement of the old machine due to budget constraints, so we will have to survive on instant coffee or a walk to the nearest cafe for the foreseeable future.

Plant of the Week – click the thumbnails for larger images-

This week:

Rhododendron cv. Elegans – presented by Roger Hiller.
This Rhododendron is a selected form of R. catawbiense from south-eastern USA. It can be seen flowering now in many Sydney suburbs and one of the finest specimens is in the Biology courtyard!

Free Boxes – The Downing Herbarium has a 100 boxes with lids to give away.  They are new, but not fit for purpose in the herbarium. The measurements are 475 x 310 x 90 x 35 mm.

.

These boxes could be handy for storage in your labs or even at home (socks, toys, Lego etc.). Or to package a fragile gift, perhaps.  They will be available until the end of September by contacting either Karen Marais <karen.marais@mq.edu.au> (Mondays and Tuesdays) or Muhammad Masood <muhammad.masood@mq.edu.au> to arrange collection.  Boxes left over by the end of September will be discarded.

RESOURCE CANCELLATION: FEEDBACK OPPORTUNITY – In the Library we regularly evaluate products based on support for learning, teaching and research, content overlap with other resources, usage and cost effectiveness. In response to a recent evaluation we have identified the following CSIRO journals for cancellation:

Animal Production Science
Environmental Chemistry
Reproduction, fertility and development
Invertebrate Systematics

These journals have low usage and consequently high cost per use. It is important to us that we use our funds wisely to provide the most value to you – access to resources that are useful for learning, teaching and research. For this reason we are proposing cancelling our subscription to these journals.

We appreciate your participation in the collection management process. If you have reservations about cancellation of one or more of these journals, please forward your rationale for continuation to Abigail Baker <abigail.baker@mq.edu.au> by Tuesday 24 September 2019.

COMINGS AND GOINGS

Visitor in Our Department Until the End of the Year – Prof. Jaume Martinez is a group leader at the Centre for Research in Agricultural Genomics (CRAG) in Barcelona. If you see him please say hello, and of course please shoot him an email if you’d like to chat about science <jaume.martinezgarcia@mq.edu.au>. Jaume’s team works on the molecular and genetic basis of plant responses to shading from neighbouring plants (“shade avoidance syndrome”, SAS). Initially working with the model species Arabidopsis thaliana, their research has subsequently spread to closely-related wild species that tolerate (instead of avoid) plant shade. While here at MQ (based in Ian Wright’s group) Jaume plans to spread the investigation further, to shade tolerant/intolerant species pairs in the Australian flora.

Simon Baeckens a Visiting Scholar and Postdoctoral Researcher from University of Antwerp, Belgium, will be working with Martin Whiting over the next 12 months. Simon is an evolutionary ecologist and functional morphologist interested in determining what drives and constrains phenotypic diversity, and how it relates to organismal function.
Currently, he is studying the evolution and function of fine surface structures of lizard skin. In his collaborative project with Martin, Simon is aiming (1) to get a better understanding on how variation in skin morphology affects light reflectance or “shine”, and trying (2) to estimate the importance of shine-suppression for lizard camouflage. Aside from biking and playing (European) soccer, Simon is keen on drinking good coffee.
Please make Simon feel welcome!

OPPORTUNITIES

Postdoctoral Fellowships – Lizard Island Research Station, AU
These enable early-career scientists to conduct research at the Lizard Island Research Station. Fellowships are worth up to AUD 15,000 each towards bench fees, travel costs, freight, field and lab consumables and other field work expenses.

Maximum award: AUD 30,000

Closing date: 11 October

Biological Sciences Seminar – Date/Time: Wednesday, 2nd October, 2019; 1pm – 2pm. Speaker: Laura Jade, Artist. Title: Light, Art and The Brain. Venue:  14EAR-280 (Biology Tea Room). More information on this and all department seminars ON OUR WEBPAGE HERE.

AARGH: R-Users Group (RUG) Help Session – Do you have a problem with data analysis? You might want to give R a go which is a fantastic analytical and plotting tool. For all your R-related queries, drop by ‘Ask An R Geek for Help’ (aaRgh) session where you can get one-on-one assistance. Or just come by, have some tea, and work on your code. No registration is required and snacks and beverages will be provided (BYO mug). Date: September 26, 2019. Time: 3:30 PM to 5:30 PM. Venue: Continuum Room (75 Talavera Road, room 3114).

Registrations for Macquarie University’s 3MT Final are Now Open – The 3MT Finals will be held on Wednesday, 25 September 2019 at the Macquarie Theatre from 1.30pm-3.30pm. Doors will close promptly at 1:30pm. Please RSVP here for catering purposes.

Alternatively, copy and paste the url into your browser: https://mqedu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_2h3XrVLwZQcLZMV?Q_DL=4MAROs59riXM6Y5_2h3XrVLwZQcLZMV_MLRP_1TdGWhO3gRmLPhz&Q_CHL=email

The 3MT is an academic competition that challenges PhD candidates to describe their research within three minutes to a general audience. The 3MT celebrates the discoveries made by research candidates and communicates the importance of their research to the broader community. The winning candidate will go on to compete in the 2019 Asia-Pacific 3MT Competition. We would like to encourage you to attend and participate in this exciting event by voting for People’s Choice. To learn more about the competition history and rules, visit the MQ 3MT and the Asia-Pacific 3MT website.

Let’s Talk Sex! Thursday September 26th, 6pm for 6:30 start. Scientist and debut author Dr Amanda Niehaus in discussion with UNSW Scientia Professor Rob Brooks, author of Sex, Genes & Rock’ n ‘ Roll. Based on Amanda’s scientific research, The Breeding Season is an astounding debut novel that forensically and poetically explores the intersections of art and science, sex and death, and the heartbreaking complexity of love.  GLEEBOOKS. 49 Glebe Point Rd, Glebe NSW 20377. Reserve a spot at https://gleebooks.worldsecuresystems.com/bookings

Upcoming Franklin Women Event: Research Impact – Increasingly, those working in the health and medical research sector are being asked to demonstrate the impact of their work. But for many of us, the term Research Impact is relatively new and what it means, how to capture it, and how to communicate it, are unclear. At this event, we are excited to welcome Tamika Heiden from the Research Impact Academy, to help us develop the skills we need to successfully navigate the pathway to impact. We will also be joined by a panel representing diverse research stakeholders to provide insights into how we can communicate impact to them in a meaningful way. Join us for an evening of good food and drinks, new skills, and new connections!    

Details in the attached flyer. To be held this Thursday 26 September
Research Impact_Flyer

Genomes and Biodiversity: Research and Career Development Workshop – A Theo Murphy Initiative (Australia) – The Australian Academy of Science invites early- and mid-career researchers (EMCRs) and PhD students in the life sciences to apply to attend the Genomes and Biodiversity: Research and Career Development Workshop. Opportunities to hear from research leaders, receive hands-on training in analysis of big data delivered by experts in genomics, phylogenomics, biodiversity analysis, and pathogen biology, and participate in career development sessions. The workshop will be held at the University of Sydney on Wednesday 20 November – Friday 22 November 2019. The workshop aims to create a space for EMCRs and research leaders from a range of disciplines to meet and share their latest research.

Opportunities to present a 10-minute talk and to be considered for a mobility grant are available as part of the application process. For more information about the event and how you can join visit the event website. Applications close midnight AEST Monday 30 September 2019.

Molecular Sciences Seminar – Date/Time: Tuesday, 24th September, 2019; 1pm – 2pm. Speaker: Professor Justin Gooding, UNSW. Title: Single Entity Biosensors: From Detecting Many to Detecting One to Detecting Many. Venue: 4WW 322 Seminar room.

And;

Date/Time: Frisday, 27th September, 2019; 11am – 12pm. Speaker: Dr Rebekah Gundry from University of Nebraska Medical Center, USA. Title: Expanding our View of the Cardiac Surfaceome: New Bioinformatic Tools and Technologies for Mapping Glycoproteins and Glycans from Small Sample Sizes. Venue: 4WW 322 Seminar room.

And;

Date/Time: Tuesday, 8th October, 2019; 1pm – 2pm. Speaker: Associate Professor Manuel Rodriguez-Concepcion from Centre for Research in Agricultural Genomics (CRAG). Title: Synthetic pathways to make and store carotenoids in plants. Venue: 4WW 322 Seminar room.

Joint User Meeting (ANSTO and the Australian Synchrotron) will be held on the Macquarie Campus Dec. 2-3rd. ‘Showcasing Scientific Success.’ The Meeting will be at MUSE – Macquarie University NSW campus to showcase the achievements of scientists who have accessed ANSTO’s landmark infrastructure and capabilities in the last year. Abstract deadline is this Friday, 20th September.

More info – https://www.ansto.gov.au/whats-on/ansto-user-meeting-2019

Shut Up and Write Sessions – every Wednesday 11am. It’s pretty simple, we shut up… and we write. Using the pomodoro technique we’ll meet at 11am to write, stop 25 minutes in for a 10 min break, then settle down again for another 25 minutes of writing. You’ll be amazed how productive you can be. More details on the concept here: https://thesiswhisperer.com/shut-up-and-write/

Room will be either 6WW(E8C)-212 or 14EAR(E8A)-360A, email <lizzy.lowe@mq.edu.au> to confirm or with any questions.

All welcome!

Lunchtime Litter Collection – The days may be cooler, but they’re also clear and sunny. Lunchtime is a great time to go for a walk and get some vitamin D! It’s also a great time to join the Biology Litter Collection competition! The next event will be Tuesday 8th October, 1pm. Meet in the Biology courtyard, bring a bucket or bag if you can.

We’ll be holding events throughout the rest of the year, every few weeks. At each event you go out to collect litter, between 1 and 1:30pm. Collections will be assessed at the end of each collection and gold stars awarded accordingly. Event results are tallied at the end of the year with a prize for the best collector.

Event dates: Tues 8th October; Tues 12th November; Tues 10th December.

This week: 3.30 – 4.30pm: Innovate Hear Meetup; 3 – 8pm: Demo Tables: EdTech Thursday Gathering; 4 – 5pm: Office Hours: Mark Stanley – Data Analytics Products; 4 – 6pm: Info Session: Meet EduGrowth; 4 – 6pm: Office Hours: Jeannette Tran – Selling to K-12 Schools; 4.15 – 5.00pm: Workshop: Neuropschology, Games & Rewards – How Technology Is Revolutionising Learning & Behaviour Change; 5.00 – 5.45pm: Panel: Australia’s Opportunity in the Global EdTech Landscape; 5 – 6pm: Office Hours: Jack Goodman – EdTech Business Models; 6.00 – 6.45pm: Panel: How Experiential Learning Unlocks the Skills to be Successful in the Workplace.

The Department’s Annual Report 2018 is now published and available here. It is packed full of news and events and showcases our people and achievements for the year. A cracker of a read! It will be available on the website very soon, so please pass on to your networks, colleagues and friends.

Need to Contact the Biology Admin Team via Email? Please send your email to <fse.bio-adm@mq.edu.au> or drop in and see us. The old google group (sci.bio-adm) email no longer works, if you have this email as a remembered address please delete.

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

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.

THIS AND THAT

Call for Cystic Fibrosis Christmas Markets Volunteers! Cystic Fibrosis Australia is in need of Volunteers for their Christmas markets on December 5^th and 6^th at Martin place. Volunteers are needed to sell Raffle tickets/Merchandise and all funds received support Cystic Fibrosis research and advocacy. All Fixed term and continuing staff are eligible to two days community volunteering leave. Such fund raising events are also great for team building. Please email queries or expressions of interest to Prasanth Subramani <prasanth.subramani@mq.edu.au>.

Volunteers CFA_Markets_Flyer CM_20191

Harvest Hub – great food that doesn’t cost the earth

Do you want:

• To eat with the seasons?
• Have fresh fruit and veg delivered weekly?
• Buy from local growers and support local farmer more directly?
• Access weekly specials and a flexible, easy to use ordering system?
• Have produce delivered to you at work?
• Buy grains and cereals too?

Then try Harvest Hub www.harvesthub.com.au

Hub name: MACQUARIE04 F: @harvesthubau

More information?

• Check out the website
• Talk to Samantha Newton <samantha.newton@mq.edu.au>.
• Orders are delivered weekly, on Tuesdays

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