News & Events
September, 2008 |
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Students in the news From Science News: "Alarming Sex Appeal." Roosters that call out in alarm prove popular with hens. In the long run it's not a guy's looks that count. It's his little clucks in the face of danger. A high rate of calling out in alarm turns out to be one of the clearest signs of a rooster with a successful sex life, says Chris Evans of Macquarie University in Sydney, Australia. A rooster that readily gives warning calls when danger looms tends to rank high in number of times hens accept him as a mate and in number of chicks sired, Evans, David R. Wilson and colleagues report in the September Animal Behaviour. Read the rest of the story at Science News. |
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August, 2008 |
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Apple University Consortium Honours Scholarship Recipients Congratulations to Renata Pronk on receiving one of the three Apple University Consortium Honours Scholarships! Read more about the scholarship program at: http://www.auc.edu.au/ |
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June, 2008 |
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CISAB Announces the Availability of Two New Staff Positions. This is an ideal opportunity for imaginative scientists who are prepared to challenge existing paradigms and wish to work in a stimulating collaborative environment. Applications are invited from: Neuroethologists interested in examining topics such as sensory processes or the way patterns of natural behaviour develop or are encoded in an organism Sensory Ecologists examining how perceptual abilities and computational processing shape social behaviour Performance Physiologists investigating the capacity of individuals for functionally critical behaviour, with the goal of understanding constraints and processes Quantitative Geneticists studying the heritability of behaviour and/or experimentally driving evolution in model systems. For information on selection criteria and how to apply please see the Jobs website: http://galliform.bhs.mq.edu.au/jobs/ |
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February, 2008 |
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CISAB Staff in the News Dr Rob Harcourt's research on seal pups was featured in the New York Times' article, "Taking Play Seriously." The article provides a fascinating look at the significance and evolution of play behaviour in humans and other animals. Click here to download the PDF version.
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December, 2007 |
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Preethi Radhakrishnan was awarded one of the four Divisional HDR Excellence awards. The award was presented by Jim Piper at the HDR Festival opening. Congratulations Preethi! |
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November, 2007 |
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Wendy Rahtz, CISAB's first Honours student, has just been awarded a scholarship of $5,000 from the CRC for Plant Biosecurity for her project entitled "Larval diet as an influence on nutritional stores and quality of adult Queensland fruitflies". These nationally competitive scholarships are offered annually to outstanding students enrolled in an Honours degree in an area relevant to Plant Biosecurity. Learn more about Plant Biosecurity research and scholarships: http://www.crcplantbiosecurity.com.au/index.php?id=education_schlrshps.htm |
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October, 2007 |
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CISAB's Dr. Andrew Barron was featured in the "Postgraduate and Beyond, a Macquarie University enewsletter for postgraduate study." "New research opportunities in animal behaviour Exciting new opportunities for postgraduate research students are opening up in the Centre for the Integrative Study of Animal Behaviour (CISAB) at Macquarie University. CISAB has appointed a number of highly regarded researchers under the University's Concentrations of Research Excellence (CORE) scheme, each of whom will take on a number of postgraduate students. The team is unique in Australia because it combines psychological and biological approaches to the study of animal behaviour. Dr Andrew Barron 'My research explores how invertebrates, with small and supposedly simple brains, generate some astonishingly complex patterns of behaviour," explains Barron. "I have focused on the honey bee, which lives in one of the most complex animal societies, and yet each bee's brain measures little more than 1 mm3.' ... " Read the rest of the article on Postgraduate and Beyond website: http://www.postgradandbeyond.mq.edu.au/enewsletter/research/edition4/story3.html And check out the postgraduate opportunities page for more information. |
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"Lizards do push-ups" Our own Daniel Van Dyk was recently interviewed about his Jacky dragon research on the Earth & Sky, a clear voice for science, program. The interview will air on October 16th or you can download the program at any time by clicking on this link: http://www.earthsky.org/radioshows/51871/lizards-do-push-ups.
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September, 2007 |
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Congratulations to Simon Griffith and Barbara Tischirren on their ARC Discovery-Project grants, which both provide fellowships, together with funds for research. Simon Griffith's ARC: Mate choice near and far: Genetic compatibility, sexual selection, and speciation in Australian grass finches. The pressure on individuals to choose a genetically compatible partner has the capacity to drive the evolution of mating systems and the process of speciation, and is therefore a major engine of biodiversity. Reproductive failure resulting from incompatibility between individuals is more likely when individuals from fragmented and genetically structured populations mate with one another. This work will give new insight into biological processes that drive biodiversity and effect the management of threatened populations and endangered species. The proposed research will raise the international profile of Australian science and biodiversity and improve our ability to manage our natural biological resources. Barbara Tschirren's ARC: Mother knows best: an integrative study on the causes and fitness consequences of individual maternal strategies in the Australian zebra finch. Mothers can shape the development and behavior of their offspring by differentially allocating recourses at early life stages. Such early maternal effects have been described throughout the animal kingdom, from insects to man, their long-term consequences for the offspring are however poorly understood. Using the iconic Australian zebra finch, I will investigate how early maternal strategies can shape the offspring's later life, including their sexual behavior and own reproduction. This project is at the forefront of this topical biological discipline and will significantly rise the international profile of Australian basic research.
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CISAB Staff in the News From the Macquarie University news: "Fiery redheads rule the roost Macquarie University has appointed two new researchers to the Animal Behaviour Centre of Research Excellence who are making great strides in the nature vs nurture debate. When together red-headed male Gouldian finces are more agressive - but also more stressed out. When together like this, red-headed male Gouldian finches (centre) are more aggressive - but also more stressed out - than yellow-headed and black-headed males. Evolutionary biologists Drs Simon Griffith and Sarah Pryke are conducting world-class research on Gouldian finches which suggests that while certain male birds in the species are predisposed to aggression through their genetic makeup, it is their social situation that actually influences the amount of aggression they display." Read the full story on the Macquarie University News webiste |
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August, 2007 |
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Congratulations to Sarah Pryke on receiving the L'Oréal Australia For Women in Science Fellowship. L'Oréal Australia established the L'Oréal Australia For Women in Science Fellowships as part of L'Oréal's global contribution to the development and recognition of women in science. The fellowships are being co-ordinated with the support of the Australian National Commission for UNESCO and with the endorsement of the Australian Academy of Science. Four fellowships were awarded for scientific excellence by early-career researchers in the areas of life sciences, material sciences, mathematics or engineering. ABS statistics show the proportion of women in science drops dramatically at this career stage. The goal of the L'Oréal Australia For Women in Science Fellowships is to help women transition from their PhD to a long-term career in science. |
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Congratulations to Andrew Russell for his publication in Science (17th August). Click here to download the article. Andrew Russell has recently moved to CISAB (July 2007) as a visiting fellow. He is working on the evolution of cooperative breeding in Chestnut-crowned babblers, a species of bird native to the arid zone of Australia and in which groups of up to 15 individuals help a breeding pair to raise their young. Andrew's paper in Science focuses on work that was conducted in Canberra in collaboration with workers from ANU and Wollongong in Australia and Cambridge and Sheffield in the UK. In humans, the concept of family-living and cooperation are well known; helpful offspring can reduce the work-load of parents. One might expect that producing helpful offspring will allow mothers to invest more in current offspring. However, researchers from the Universities of Sheffield and Cambridge in the UK and the Australian National University, and Macquarie and Wollongong Universities in Australia, suggest that this might not be the case. By studying the cooperative system of the superb fairy-wren, a small bird endemic to south-eastern Australia, the researchers showed that mothers breeding with helpers actually reduced their investment in eggs. Mothers breeding in the presence of helpers laid smaller eggs of lower nutritional content that gave rise to lighter chicks. Mothers benefited by reducing investment because they were more likely to survive for longer, and so to reproduce again in their lifetimes. The chicks did not suffer costs, because the helpers compensated for maternal reductions in investment by increasing the amount of food that the chicks received during development. Our study shows that studies will underestimate the benefits of cooperation if they do not consider the possibility that mothers might reduce their investment in offspring when they have helpers. |
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CISAB congratulates Alan Taylor on winning the prestigious Carrick award for excellence in teaching. The Citation for Outstanding Contribution to Student Learning, awarded by the Carrick Institute for Learning and Teaching in Higher Education, recognises Alan "for using the optimal learning conditions inherent in individual and small group statistical consulting to inspire students to develop their research and data analytical skills."
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July, 2007 |
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Redheaded Gouldian finches are more competitive but also more stressed than the black-headed morphs. Recent research by Drs. Sarah Pryke, Simon Griffith and their colleagues at University of Wollongong has revealed that redheaded finches are more sensitive to changes in social situations, such as the presence of other aggressive redheads, and this results in increased stress levels and in a suppression of the immune system. In contrast, the black-headed finches are less aggressive and also less affected by changes in the social group. If you'd like to know more, the research is publised in the July 3rd issue of Biology Letters or you can check out the news coverage on The Age. |
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May, 2007 |
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CISAB Colloquium Series continues with Professor Robert Elwood of Queen's University Belfast (UK) speaking on "pain in crusteans" on 5 May and Dr. Marie Herberstein from Macquarie University, Biological Sciences, presenting a talk on "Deceptive signals in spiders" on the 17th. There will be an additional seminar on 22nd May by Diane Colombelli-Negrel from School of Biological Sciences, Flinders University on "Nest predation and vocalizations in the superb fairy wren." |
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April, 2007 |
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CISAB Colloquium Begins April 19, 2007 Dr. Beth Jakob from University of Massachusetts will be the first speaker. Her talk, Learning in jumping spiders, will be held in the Tinbergen room at 4PM on April 19, 2007. All are welcome to attend. The Series will be held fortnightly on Thursdays at 4PM in the CISAB seminar room. Click here for a list of presenters. |
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March, 2007 |
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CISAB's Newest Members CISAB is pleased to announce that Dr. Andrew Barron and Dr. Simon Griffith will be joining the team in 2007. |
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October, 2006 |
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ARC success rate of 100% Congratulations to Dr. Cheng (CISAB) and his collaborator, Dr. Wehner, on their new ARC grant entitled "Evolution, learning, and the use of multiple cues in desert ant navigation." This research on desert ants benefits Australia by fostering an international collaboration with one of the best European scientists, training students, and increasing knowledge about Australia's unique fauna, helping us to appreciate and better manage our fragile desert environments. Understanding insect behaviour also has benefits for robotics. Work on desert ants has already resulted in robotic applications, and our outcomes concerning the optimal integration of multiple spatial cues are especially relevant. Congratulations also go to Dr. Evans (CISAB), Dr. Nelson (CISAB) and Dr. O'Carroll (University of Adelaide) on their successful ARC funding. Their collaborative project, "Visual processing in a unique modular system - how can a simple cognitive architecture be used to solve complex visual tasks?", will study the visual system of jumping spiders and provide novel insights into how a simple cognitive architecture can be used to solve complex visual tasks. This will be the first comprehensive study of motion sensitivity in a spider. The insights obtained will be important for the development of artificial intelligence systems and the project will provide a stimulating environment to train a postdoctoral fellow with state-of-art skills ranging from single-cell neurophysiology through to using 3D animation for sophisticated behavioural assays. This second project is the product of a new collaborative relationship between CISAB and the University of Adelaide's Computational Neuroscience Research Cluster (http://www.adelaide.edu.au/cnrc)
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CISAB Staff in the News "An inquiring mind, passion for the topic and total commitment ... three leading academics talk to MQtv about their work and what it takes to be a leading researcher..." Watch the interview on MQtv:http://www.mqtv.mq.edu.au/PageVideo.php?Media=chris_evans or download the podcast: http://www.mqtv.mq.edu.au/PagePodcastArchive.php |
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September, 2006 |
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CISAB Staff in the News The Macquarie University News showcased Dr. Culum Brown's research in this article entitled: "Three-second memory? It's a fishy fallacy." "Over the years fish have endured an unjust reputation for being essentially no smarter in the water than they are on the dinner plate. However, it seems that humans are finally coming to realise what fish have known all along - that the infamous three-second memory gibe and associated stupidity is nothing more than a fishy fallacy. ..." Read the full article in the Macquarie University News or download the PDF version. |
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July, 2006 |
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CISAB Students in the News "Singing with humpbacks. While science is learning more and more about whales and their behaviour, the purpose of their epic songs remains a mystery. However, a Macquarie University researcher's work is bringing us one step closer to understanding. Libby Eyre's fascination with cetaceans stretches back over 30 years and when not studying them at university she's been employed by Taronga Zoo, Greenpeace International and even as a dolphin trainer by a theme park. ..." Read the full article in the Globe or download the PDF version. |
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CISAB Students in the News "Scholarship-winner's affection for fruit flies. Mexican researcher Diana Perez wants to make fruit flies sexy. ..." Read the full article in the Globe or download the PDF version. |
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May, 2006 |
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CISAB in the News The Macquarie Globe's article, "Macquarie launches new Animal Behaviour Centre," highlights the Centre's interdisciplinary nature, its world-class facilities, and its ability to attract top-notch Australian and international students. Read the full article in the Globe or download the PDF version. |
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CISAB Students in the News "Living a dream with dolphins. For the last decade, Michelle Lemon has lived out many peoples' dreams. ..." Read the full article in the Macquarie Globe or download the PDF version. |
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April, 2006 |
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CISAB in the News The Centre was showcased in the April edition of Macquarie University News. The feature article, "Talking to the Animals," highlighted the Centre's focus on interdisciplinary research. "Six Macquarie University researchers, from three different departments, have come together in a new Centre that aims to become the pre-eminent research group in Australia for the study of animal behaviour. ..." Read the full article |
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CISAB's Newest Member The Centre extends a warm welcome to it's newest member, Dr. Culum Brown. Dr. Brown will be joining the Centre in mid-year 2006. For more details about Dr. Brown's research, please see his staff page. |
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ASSAB 2006 CISAB was pleased to host the 2006 annual conference of the Australasian Society for the Study of Animal Behaviour. The conference was a tremendous success with over 100 academics and students from all over Australasia attending. For more information about the conference or about joining ASSAB, please see their website (http://assab.org/). |
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January, 2006 |
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CISAB Students in the News
"For German PhD candidate Kerstin Bilgmann, research has been a life-changing adventure..." Read the full article in the Macquarie Globe or download the PDF version. |
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