Department of Brain, Behaviour and Evolution

Higher Degree Research Students

Julie Bednarski Location: W19C Phone: +61-2-9850-9465 Fax: +61-2-9850-8245 Email: jbednars@nsm.umass.edu Lab Affiliation: Phil Taylor		Comparing cognitive functions of jumping spiders with different ecological challenges.
James Brazill-Boast Location: W19C Phone: +61-2-9850-4187 Fax: +61-2-9850-9231 Email: james.brazill-boast@students.mq.edu.au Lab Affiliation: Simon Griffith		Breeding behaviour and ecology of the endangered Gouldian finch (Erythrura gouldiae). I am investigating ecological factors affecting reproduction and population dynamics of Gouldian finches in the east Kimberely region of Western Australia. Specifically, factors such as nest site limitation and interspecific competition with long-tailed finches (Poephila acuticauda), and their potential contribution to the species' recent decline in the wild.
Sam Collins Location: W19C Phone: +61-2-9850-4187 Fax: +61-2-9850-9231 Email: sam@galliform.bhs.mq.edu.au Lab Affiliation: Phil Taylor		Developing improved irradiation procedures to sterilize tephritid flies for use in the Sterile Insect Techniqe (SIT) of pest management.
Libby Eyre Location: W21B Phone: +61-2-9850-8168 Fax: +61-2-9850-9231 Email: leyre@rna.bio.mq.edu.au Lab Affiliation: Chris Evans		Variation in the song of migrating humpback whales.
Ben Fanson Location: W19C Phone: +61-2-9850-9465 Fax: +61-2-9850-9231 Email: bfanson@gmail.com Lab Affiliation: Phil Taylor		Strategies used by Queensland fruit flies to optimize nutritition.
Amanda Gilby Location: W19C Phone: +61-2-9850-4187 Fax: +61-2-9850-9231 Email: amanda.gilby@students.mq.edu.au Lab Affiliation: Simon Griffith		Maintenance of genetically determined polymorphism in the Gouldian finch (Erythrura gouldiae). The Gouldian finch exists in three forms (red-, black-, and yellow-headed) of which the yellow-headed morph is extremely rare in wild populations and is generally shunned by the other two forms. I will investigate the yellow-headed morph using behavioural, physiological and molecular approaches.
BOB KILGOUR Location: Phone: +61-2-9850- Fax: +61-2-9850-9231 Lab Affiliation: Chris Evans
Mylene Mariette Location: W19C Phone: +61-2-9850- Fax: +61-2-9850-9231 Email: mmariette7@hotmail.com Lab Affiliation: Simon Griffith		The evolution of coloniality in the zebra finch (Taeniopygia guttata). In wild populations of this classic model organism I aim to understand the evolutionary forces underlying the social reproductive behaviour and the alliances formed between small groups of individuals over time.
Catherine Prabhu Location: W19A Phone: +61-2-9850-9460 Fax: +61-2-9850-9231 Email: cathy@galliform.bhs.mq.edu.au Lab Affiliation: Ken Cheng		Learning, memory and memory retrieval processes in free flying honeybees. I am studying the acquisition, retention and integration of odour and odometric memories in honeybees. My research is concerned with both behavioral ecology and comparative cognition.
Veena Prabhu Location: W19A Phone: +61-2-9850-9465 Fax: +61-2-9850-9231 Email: veena@galliform.bhs.mq.edu.au Lab Affiliation: Phil Taylor		Predictors of pre-copulatory mating success of male Queensland fruit flies. Who are the sexiest males and do the females agree? What role does diet play in maturation and sexual activity?
Marianne Peso Location: W19A Phone: +61-2-9850- Fax: +61-2-9850-9231 Email: marianne.peso@students.mq.edu.au Lab Affiliation: Andrew Barron		Bees are amazing and complex little creatures. From the highly social honeybee to semisocial and solitary species, bees exhibit immense variation in social structure and mechanisms of resolving conflict. My research will focus on whether bee queens are actively coercing her daughters into helping her raise offspring or whether workers are using queen cues to choose their most productive fitness strategy.
Preethi Radhakrishnan Location: W19C Phone: +61-2-9850-4187 Fax: +61-2-9850-9231 Email: preethi@galliform.bhs.mq.edu.au Lab Affiliation: Phil Taylor		Post-copulatory sexual selection of the Queensland fruit fly (Bactrocera tryoni). I am determining the role of accessory gland proteins (Acp's) in modulating female behavior. Other questions include, individual male variation and tracking down of Acp's in the female reproductive tract using radioactive isotopes.
Erica van Rooij Location: W19C Phone: +61-2-9850-4187 Fax: +61-2-9850-9231 Email: erica@galliform.bhs.mq.edu.au Lab Affiliation: Simon Griffith		Behavioural ecology of the long-tailed finch (Poephila acuticauda). The aim of my project is to study the breeding behaviour and basic ecology of this species which occurs in the tropical northern Savannah country. My work focuses on a population around Wyndham, WA. This species is of interest because of the clinal expression in bill colour (from yellow in the west to red in the east), and because it is ecologically very similar to the endangered Gouldian finch and yet has not declined over the same period.
Patrick Schultheiss Location: W21A Phone: +61-2-9850-9460 Fax: +61-2-9850-9231 Email: patrick@galliform.bhs.mq.edu.au Lab Affiliation: Ken Cheng		Foraging ecology of the Australian desert ant Melophorus bagoti. This thermophilic ant is widespread in central Australia. I am looking at patterns of foraging and food use over the course of a season. I am also interested in the search patterns and strategies that these ants display when locating food sources or nest sites. Fieldwork will be conducted in two different habitats, namely Buffel grassland (an invasive species of grass) and Spinifex grassland (the natural habitat).
Sebastian Schwarz Location: W21D3 Phone: +61-2-9850-4189 Fax: +61-2-9850-9231 Email: sebastian@galliform.bhs.mq.edu.au Lab Affiliation: Ken Cheng		Learning and memory in social insects. I am currently working with Australian desert ants (Melophorus bagoti). The main focus of my project is a better understanding of their cognitive abilities such as learning and memory. Moreover I am interested in the navigation behaviour of African desert ants (Cataglyphis fortis) and honeybees (Apis mellifera).
Carolynn "K-lynn" Smith Location: W21C Phone: +61-2-9850-9233 Fax: +61-2-9850-9231 Email: kls@galliform.bhs.mq.edu.au Lab Affiliation: Chris Evans		Multi-modal communication in birds. I am primarily interested in animal communication and the evolution of social signals. I am currently studying the tidbitting behavior of chickens (Gallus gallus) to understand the relationship between and the integration of the two components of this multi-modal (visual and vocal) signal. For more information: http://galliform.bhs.mq.edu.au/~kls/
Fernando Soley Location: W19C Phone: +61-2-9850-4183 Fax: +61-2-9850-9231 Email: Fernando@galliform.bhs.mq.edu.au Lab Affiliation: Phil Taylor		Life history, behaviour and ecology of an Australian assassin bug, Stenolemus giraffa. My project combines expansive field studies at numerous sites in The Northern Territories as well as detailed laboratory studies in Sydney.
Enrico Sorato Location: W19C Phone: +61-2-9850-4187 Fax: +61-2-9850-9231 Email: enrico.sorato@students.mq.edu.au Lab Affiliation: Simon Griffith		A comparative study of multiple populations of the cooperatively breeding chestnut-crowned babbler (Pomatostomus ruficeps). I will work on several populations of this Australian bird in the arid zone across four states, studying families in three ecological settings from scrubland to sand dune country. This work using a combination of behavioural field techniques and molecular techniques will help us to understand the evolution of cooperative breeding and animal societies.
Danielle Sulikowski Location: W19E Phone: +61-2-9850-4191 Fax: +61-2-9850-9231 Email: dani@galliform.bhs.mq.edu.au Lab Affiliation: Andrew Barron		Evolution of cognition. I'm investigating specific cognitive abilities that represent evolved adaptations and the ecological pressures that resulted in their selection. I'm using native Australian honeyeaters as model species. For more information: http://galliform.bhs.mq.edu.au/~dani/
Jessica Taubert Location: W21C Phone: +61-2-9850-9595 Fax: +61-2-9850-9231 Email: jtaubert@psy.mq.edu.au Lab Affiliation: Chris Evans		Evolution of visual system. I'm primarily interested in comparative research, focusing on the evolution of the visual system. Currently I'm investigating higher-level, perceptual expertise.
Miyako Warrington Location: W21C Phone: +61-2-9850-9233 Fax: +61-2-9850-9231 Email: miya@galliform.bhs.mq.edu.au Lab Affiliation: Chris Evans		Optimal strategies for different individuals in a structured society. I am looking at the role of social status on signal structure, receiver response and associations in fowl. I am also interested in which factors predict association in fowl, and how they choose associations.
Anne Wignall Location: W19C Phone: +61-2-9850-4187 Fax: +61-2-9850-9231 Email:anne@galliform.bhs.mq.edu.au Lab Affiliation: Phil Taylor		Stenolemus assassin bug hunting behaviour. Assisin bugs hunt spiders by mimicking insect prey, luring the spider within attacking range. I want to understand how they do this. For More Information: http://stenolemus.blogspot.com
David Wilson Location: Phone: Fax: Email: drwilson@uwindsor.ca Lab Affiliation: Chris Evans		Evolution of alarm communication by integrating aspects of cognition, sexual selection, parental investment, and predation risk. For More Information: www.uwindsor.ca/drwilson
Kevin Woo Location: W21C Phone: +61-2-9850-9595 Fax: +61-2-9850-9231 Email: kwoo@galliform.bhs.mq.edu.au Lab Affiliation: Chris Evans		Psychophysics of the Jacky dragon visual system, signal design, and how it relates to species ecology. For Further Information: http://galliform.bhs.mq.edu.au/lizard/index.html
Daniel Zurek Location: W21C Phone: +61-2-9850-9595 Fax: +61-2-9850-9231 Email: daniel.zurek@gmail.com Lab Affiliation: Chris Evans /Ximena Nelson		Visual perception in jumping spiders. I am investigating how the modular visual system of Servaea species manages to achieve extremely high acuity and large field of view with only modest computational power