Blubber fatty acids reveal variation in the diet of male Australian fur seals
By: Knox, T. C., D. L. Callahan, L. Kernaléguen, A. M. M. Baylis, and J. P. Y. Arnould. Marine Biology 166, no. 9 (2019): 117. | Find with Google Scholar »
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Dear all
If you missed last week’s Department meeting, you can catch up with the presentation here. Apart from that the Department is busy with teaching, preparation for the 2020 curriculum and the 2020 budget. Don’t forget to send me your good news on grants, awards and prizes so that we can celebrate!
Cheers
Michelle
Save the Date
This week 9th – 13th September
Wed 11th: Department morning tea; 10:30-11am, 205B Culloden Rd.
Wed 11th: Department Seminar – Dr Luana Lins, CSIRO; 1.00pm – 2.00pm; 14EAR(E8A)-280 (Biology Tea Room).
Thu 12th: AARGH: R-Users Group (RUG) Help Session; 3.30 PM – 5.30 PM; Continuum room (75 Talavera road, room 3114); snacks provided, BYO mug.
Following week 16th – 20th September
Wed 18th: Department Morning Tea; 10.30-11am; (Biology Tea Room).
Wed 18th: Department Seminar on hiatus due to break
Thu 19th: REP: Reviewing for Journals workshop; 3:00 – 5:00 pm; 14EAR(E8A)-280 (Biology Tea Room) – Register here.
Thu 19th: Biology Social Club; 5.00pm – 7.00pm; 205b Culloden Rd.
Weekly Events
Wed: Shut up and Write sessions; 11.00am – 12.00pm; 6WW(E8C)-212 or 14EAR(E8A)-360A.
Thu: Venture Café; 3–8pm; (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
September 23rd: MQ graduation ceremony for Biological Sciences; 10.30am-12pm; register for the academic procession here.
September 23rd: MRes Seminars; 10.00am – 4:30pm (TBC); 14EAR(E8A)-280 (Biology Tea Room). Schedule to be send out closer to the date.
September 24th: HDR Supplementary Conference; 9:30am – 10:45am (TBC); 14EAR(E8A)-280 (Biology Tea Room). Schedule to be send out closer to the date.
September 29th: Managing data in R: a beginner’s guide; 3.30 PM – 5.30 PM; Continuum room (75 Talavera road, room 3114); snacks provided.
October 2nd: Developing your five-year plan workshop; 12:30 – 2:00 pm; 12 Wally’s Walk, 801 – Register here.
General News and Announcements
Vale Dr Malcolm Reed
Dr Malcolm Reed died on August 29th this year after a long illness. He was an academic in the Department for many years, with particular research interests in mycorrhizal-plant interactions. He was President of the Australian Flora Foundation during the 1990’s and the Foundation and his teaching at Macquarie University were his life passions.
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.
Lunchtime Litter Collection Competition is on again, tomorrow Tuesday 10th September, 1pm. Meet in the Biology courtyard, bring a bucket or bag if you can.
A New Faculty Website is Under Development – IT would like you to undertake a 5-10 minute click test before Tuesday 10th September, to evaluate the usability of a Faculty of Science and Engineering landing page, a key jump off point for the discoverability of the Faculty’s activities.
You will be helping Macquarie University’s Faculty of Science and Engineering to create a better online experience.
The test will work best in your web browser on your PC or Laptop.
https://01y04f78.optimalworkshop.com/chalkmark/lq45o24v-0-0-0-0-0
All professional and academic staff and students are welcome to do the click test.
Plant of the Week – click the thumbnails for larger images-
Aloe! Aloe! Aloe! – What’s all this then?
Actually, you need to write Aloe many times more as there are ~ 550 species in this remarkable and exceptionally large genus of succulents. Most are from southern Africa, some from tropical northern Africa, and a smattering from Jordan, the Arabian Peninsula and various islands of the Indian Ocean, including Madagascar, Comoros, Mauritius and Réunion.
.OPPORTUNITIES
FIXED TERM RESEARCH ASSISTANT POSITION, BENTHIC ECOLOGY LABORATORY, MACQUARIE UNIVERSITY – A/Prof Melanie Bishop is presently seeking a Research Assistant to support her oyster reef restoration and living seawalls research at Macquarie University. Applications close 10 Sept, must be able to start Oct 2019.
All details at the below link:
Faculty Staff (Professional & Academic) Travel Grants – support for staff travel is now provided centrally by the Faculty. Funding is available for ECR travel, international collaboration, teaching and professional staff development. If you would like to apply, please discuss with your supervisor and A/Prof Andrew Barron (for research travel) or Dr Drew Allen (for teaching travel). Research Eligibility and application details can be found here.https://staff.mq.edu.au/intranet/science-and-engineering/faculty-awards,-schemes-and-procedures
One round remain for the rest of the year:
– Round 3 closes Friday 27 September 2019
Apply as soon as possible for any travel you intend on taking in 2019, that meets the criteria. Funds awarded must be spent in 2019 and will not be carried into 2020.
SEMINARS AND WORKSHOPS
Biological Sciences Seminar – Date/Time: Wednesday, 11th September, 2019; 1pm – 2pm. Speaker: Dr Luana Lins, CSIRO. Title: Evolutionary history of antifreeze proteins, recent research trip to Antarctica. Venue: 14EAR-280 (Biology Tea Room). More information on this and all department seminars ON OUR WEBPAGE HERE.
Drone & Satellite Data Workshop – The Department of Physics and Astronomy at Macquarie University is pleased to announce a free 1-day workshop on using drones and satellite data for research, to be held on September 20th at MQ. Our invited speakers are Professor Steven Longmore, head of the Astro-Ecology at Liverpool John Moores University (UK) and Dr Paul Butcher, senior research scientist in charge of shark management at the NSW Department of Primary Industries.
Registration is free and includes morning and afternoon tea. Come along if you are thinking about using satellite data in your research, or you are simply drone-curious. If you already use drones or satellites, please consider giving a short talk on your work.
For further details and to register please see the meeting website: http://cormacpurcell.net/public/drone_workshop
Mason Public Lecture – Date/Time: Thursday, 12th September, 2019; 6pm – 7.30pm. Speaker: Prof Jim Paulson of the Scripps Institute. Title: AIRWAY RECEPTORS OF HUMAN INFLUENZA VIRUS: A BARRIER FOR HUMAN TO HUMAN TRANSMISSION OF ‘AVIAN FLU’. Venue: Conference Room D Level 3 MUSE, 18 Wally’s Walk. More information https://www.mq.edu.au/about/events/view/airway-receptors-of-human-influenza-virus-a-barrier-for-human-to-human-transmission-of-avian-flu/
To register for this event please register 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 12, 2019. Time: 3:30 PM to 5:30 PM. Venue: Continuum Room (75 Talavera Road, room 3114).
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.
Research Impact_Flyer
Molecular Sciences Seminar – Date/Time: Tuesday, 10th September, 2019; 1pm – 2pm. Speaker: Dr Sophie Goodchild, Department of Molecular Sciences, Macquarie University. Title: Metamorphic proteins – the reversible transition between immunoglobulin fold and amyloid fibril structure of β2-microglobulin. Venue: 4WW 322 seminar room.
And;
Date/Time: Wednesday, 11th September, 2019; 11am – 12pm. Speaker: Professor Albert Heck from Utrecht University. Title: A mass spectrometry view into diverse aspects of glycobiology. Venue: 14EAR-280 (Biology Tea Room).
And:
Date/Time: Thursday, 12th September, 2019; 11.30am – 12.30pm. Speaker: Associate Professor Federico Lauro from Nanyang Technological University Singapore. Title: Marine microbes: from victims to detectives. Venue: 4WW 322 seminar room.
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 10th September, 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 10th September; Tues 8th October; Tues 12th November; Tues 10th December.
Venture Café – Want to know more about innovation, and how to achieve it? Come along to the Venture Cafe, Thursday, 3pm – 8pm, (map). Find out what is on each week here – https://venturecafesydney.org/
This week: 3.00pm: Innovate Hear Meetup, 3.30pm: Pitch Workshop: Storytelling For Impact.
Wildlife at the Watering Hole – 3rd Tuesday of each month, 6:30pm @ Botany View Hotel, King St Newtown!
HDR NEWS AND OPPORTUNITIES
Research Enrichment Program (REP) Workshop Series – The Department now has a fully fledged research enrichment program for 2019 – you can find out about upcoming workshops here (click on this PDF). All HDR students are encouraged to attend several of these workshops each year to develop their skills and track record for the post-PhD world. Supervisors please encourage your students!
Reviewing for Journals – Thursday 19 September, 3:00 – 5:00 pm; 14EaR(E8A)-280 (Biology Tea Room); facilitated by Rachael Gallagher.
Would you like to review for journals, but are not too sure how the whole process works? Have you already reviewed, but would like to brush-up on your skills?
This short, two-hour course is designed to introduce young researchers to the ethics and skills required to become a good journal reviewer.
WHAT WILL BE COVERED:
– The ethics of reviewing – how to be fair and helpful to authors
– Examples of good and not-so-good reviews
– Worked examples of scenarios that may arise when reviewing
– The opinions of journal editors from within the Department
Suitable for: Early-mid career researchers.
To attend: REGISTER HERE
PhD Students: got a grant? Dept. will co-fund up to $1500 – The Department would like to encourage students to seek external sources of funding, and has a small budget with which to support successful candidates.New limits from 2019:PhD students ONLY: Dept. will match up to $1500 of external (non-MQ) funding ONCE during the student’s candidature.
If you have received a grant (student as chief investigator) and wish to request co-funding, please forward a copy of the award letter to <sharyon.odonnell@mq.edu.au> and <julian.may@mq.edu.au>.
Are you a HDR student? Need help with writing? HDR Mentors in collaboration with HDR Learning Skills is running another round of Peer Writing Assistance (PWA) for the rest of the year! This program is designed to support MRES and HDR candidates in managing thesis writing and research-related concerns. All peer writing assistants have undergone training for their role and are current PhD candidates at Macquarie.
The PWA program is based on the principle of collaborative learning in which a more experienced research student helps you develop stronger academic and research skills. Peer Writing Assistants are not teachers. Rather, they are trained to function as a ‘friendly audience’ or ‘fresh pair of eyes’ to help you gain new perspectives on your writing or research ideas.
Registrations are now open for individual consultation bookings. If you are interested, please go to book in for a 45-minute session with a PWA here.
And:
Writing workshops – Convened by Ken Cheng, running weekly for most of the year: Fridays 2-4pm in Ken’s office at 205b Culloden Road, G12.
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.
ADMIN THINGS
September Department Meeting Slides
Dept meeting 03September2019
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 5th and 6th 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
Correct Method for Submitting to Department Matters
Department Matters submissions now have their own email address. Please send all your news items for 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.
- Keep your submission short and direct (two paragraphs) and if possible provide a document, email or link where readers can get more information. Any long submissions will be cropped.
Keeping to these guidelines will streamline your article’s addition to the newsletter. Thank you.
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
Impact of geomorphic disturbance on spatial variability of soil CO2 flux within a depositional landform
By: Mohseni, Neda, Amir Mohseni, Alireza Karimi, and Farzin Shabani. Land Degradation & Development (2019). | Find with Google Scholar »Global spatial risk assessment of sharks under the footprint of fisheries
By: Queiroz, N., Humphries, N.E., Couto, A., Vedor, M., Sequeira, A.M.M., Mucientes, G., Santos, A.M., Abascal, F.J., Abercrombie, D.L., Abrantes, K. and Acuña-Marrero, D., 2019. Nature, 572(7770), pp.461-466. | Find with Google Scholar »The Embryos of Turtles Can Influence Their Own Sexual Destinies
By: Ye, Yin-Zi, Liang Ma, Bao-Jun Sun, Teng Li, Yang Wang, Richard Shine, and Wei-Guo Du. Current Biology 29, no. 16 (2019): 2597-2603. | Find with Google Scholar »Changes in local free-living parasite populations in response to cleaner manipulation over 12 years
By: Grutter, A.S., Blomberg, S.P., Box, S., Bshary, R., Ho, O., Madin, E.M.P., McClure, E.C., Meekan, M.G., Murphy, J.M., Richardson, M.A. and Sikkel, P.C., 2019. Oecologia, 190(4), pp.783-797. | Find with Google Scholar »Sharper eyes see shyer lizards: Collaboration with indigenous peoples can alter the outcomes of conservation research
By: Ward‐Fear, Georgia, Balanggarra Rangers, David Pearson, Melissa Bruton, and Rick Shine. Conservation Letters (2019): e12643. | Find with Google Scholar »In the Media
Rachael Gallagher was featured on SBS News
Dr Rachael Gallagher from the Department of Biological Sciences was featured on SBS News regarding plant species struggling to survive due to climate change.
Ajay Narendra was featured on ABC Radio Eyre Peninsula and West Coast News
Dr Ajay Narendra from the Department of Biological Sciences was featured on ABC Radio Eyre Peninsula and West Coast News regarding how the Eyre Peninsula town of Poochera could become the ‘ant research capital of the world’ to grow tourism.
Georgia Ward-Fear was interviewed on ABC Pilbara Statewide Drive
Dr Georgia Ward-Fear from the Department of Biological Sciences was interviewed on ABC Pilbara Statewide Drive regarding a new strategy against cane toads using food poisoning.
Ajay Narendra was featured on ABC Radio Adelaide News
Dr Ajay Narendra from the Department of Biological Sciences was featured on ABC Radio Adelaide News regarding how the Eyre Peninsula town of Poochera could become the ‘ant research capital of the world’ to grow tourism.