Evolution & Ecology Research Centre (University of New South Wales)

The graduate program of the Evolution & Ecology Research Centre at UNSW aims to foster excellence in postgraduate research and supervision, and the development of skills to better equip research students for careers in science. Students are offered support for their own research projects and a wide-ranging program of activities aimed at developing a broader conceptual understanding of the discipline and enhanced research skills. Excellence in postgraduate research is recognised by annual prizes for theses, publications, presentations and research activities.

Postgraduate Research Forum

Twice each year, the research activities of students are featured in the E&ERC Postgraduate Forum. Presentations from students across the centre, and associated social events, promote the effective communication of science and allow students to receive valuable feedback from fellow students and academics. The forum will be held in the week after the last week of each session (June and November).

E&ERC Research Seminars

The Centre will feature regular research seminars by resident and visiting academics and research fellows. Attendance at these seminars is considered essential for exposure to wide variety of evolutionary and ecological research topics, critical thinking beyond a student’s individual project and gaining potential contacts.

Seminars are co-ordinated by Dr Angela Moles (a.moles@unsw.edu.au). Students should check the E&ERC website for dates and times of upcoming seminars.

Distinguished Visitor Program

The E&ERC will host extended visits from distinguished research scientists. The visitors will give research presentations, participate in workshops and discussions, meet individually with research students, and attend dinners or other social events.

Once a year our visitor will be part of a Diversity in Science program which is based on the successful BEES Women in Science program (2004-6). The aims of this program are to showcase excellent science, highlight and address issues associated with diversity in science and to workshop strategies for career success. This program is targeted especially at early career researchers.

One of the distinguished visitors each year will be selected by the postgraduate students, offering an opportunity for students to meet important researchers relevant to their field and make important contacts (i.e., potential employers of postdocs). Students with ideas for potential visitors should contact Dr Angela Moles (a.moles@unsw.edu.au) with their suggestions.

Research Discussion Groups

Students and staff regularly meet to discuss ideas in evolution and ecology. These groups feature discussions of published papers, short presentations of student research, and sessions for planning proposed research. Currently active discussion groups include:

• Evolution of sexual selection, ageing – Brooks & Bonduriansky laboratories
• Conservation genetics – Sherwin laboratory
• Marine ecology and evolution – Johnston, Poore and Steinberg laboratories
• Fisheries and marine environmental research – Suthers laboratory
• Predator-prey interactions and invasive species – Banks laboratory
• Ecogeeks – Bonser and Moles laboratories
• Stata Journal Club - David Warton's group and other statisticians

Students should contact the academics in charge to obtain discussion schedules.

Development of Research Skills

The E&ERC will host workshops and discussions throughout the year aimed at improving the research skills of postgraduate students. These will be held by centre academics, research fellows and distinguished visitors. Postgraduate students are encouraged to be actively involved in the selection of topics that will most benefit their research project and development as a research scientist.

Writing skills: The centre strongly promotes the written communication of research via journal articles, and the popular media. Workshops will give guidance in all steps of the publication process: manuscript preparation, selection of appropriate journals, dealing with reviewers’ comments and manuscript revisions. Excellence in publication is recognised by the annual E&ERC postgraduate award for Outstanding Paper in Evolution and Ecology.

Communicating research to the broader community is encouraged via preparation of articles for the popular press, and promotion of student research on the E&ERC web page. Excellence in scientific communication in addition to journal articles is recognised by the annual E&ERC award for Outstanding Evolution & Ecology Postgraduate Researcher.

Practical skills: Academics, research fellows and distinguished visitors will periodically present workshops on specific skills relevant to their research (e.g., advanced statistical analyses). A database of research skills held by centre staff and students will facilitate skill sharing among postgraduate students.

Students should check the E&ERC website for dates and times of upcoming events.

Development of a research career

There is more to developing a research career than simply finishing a postgraduate degree. With experienced mentors, we aim to provide resources and advice for students at various steps along the pathway to a research career. With a program of activities for students, the E&ERC will provide advice on several aspects of a successful research career including funding opportunities, grant writing, research networking, and finding employment.

Students should check the E&ERC website for dates and times of upcoming events.

Postgraduate Guide

The graduate program supports the research students of the academics and research fellows in the E&ERC. These are from the School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, the School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, the School of Mathematics and Statistics, and the School of Medical Sciences. The students may be enrolled in the following postgraduate research degrees:

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD): 3-4 years full time
Master of Science by Research (MSc): 2 years full time
Master of Philosophy (MPhil): 1.5 years full time, 18 units of credit coursework, 54 units of credit research

The MPhil provides an alternative to the Honours year for those students with an excellent academic record, providing greater research experience and a postgraduate degree within 18 months of completing undergraduate studies. MPhil places within the E&ERC are offered on a competitive basis.

Students are required to enrol through the school of their supervisor. The supervisor may then elect students to be part of the EERC graduate program.

Doctor of Philosophy (Research)

· Biological Science (1435)

· Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics (1410)

· Biotechnology (1036)

· Mathematics (1880)

Master of Science (Research)

· Biological Sciences (2485)

· Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics (2460)

· Biotechnology (2036)

· Mathematics (2920)

Master of Philosophy (2475)

The Master of Philosophy is 1.5 years full time with 18 units of credit coursework and 54 units of credit research. The MPhil provides an alternative to the Honours year for those students with an excellent academic record, providing greater research experience and a postgraduate degree within 18 months of completing undergraduate studies. MPhil places within the E&ERC are offered on a competitive basis.

Further information on the differences between these degree programs can be found here.

Evolutionary Ecology of Sexual Reproduction Research Group The following Projects are based in the Brooks lab and may include cosupervision with Drs Erik Postma, Alexei Maklakov or Simon Lailvaux at UNSW or colleagues overseas. We are looking for honours and PhD students interested in evolution, ecology and/or behaviour.Our research has both laboratory and field components.We use a variety of insect and fish species that are well suited to experimental work, although opportunities exist to work on other vertebrate and invertebrate groups as well as on humans.	Mate choice and life-histories Evolutionary biology of ageing and physiological performance Behavioural evolution The intra-genomic conflict that arises from sex-dependent selection Ecological and evolutionary genetics/genomics Sexual selection and sexual conflict Using computer graphic animations to study human attractiveness Measuring selection on complex suites of traits in any organism The interaction between conservation and mating systems Mating behaviour and life history evolution (with Dr Alexei Maklakov) Projects for Faculty of Science Vacation Research Scholarship (summer 2007/8)
Research Projects in the Bonduriansky Lab Our research focuses on the causes and consequences of sexual selection and conflict at genetic and phenotypic levels, and the evolution and expression of ageing. Our main study system is the giant stilt-legged flies of Australia (Family: Neriidae; Genus: Telostylinus). These flies occur along the east coast, with one species in NSW and another in tropical North-Queensland. We also maintain laboratory populations of each species for experiments.	Sexual conflict and sexual dimorphism in body size and shape in flies Effects of phenotype and environment on ageing Parental age effects on offspring phenotype and fitness Sexual behaviour and sexual selection in flies (lab and field projects) Condition dependence, and condition transfer across generations Karyotype and sex-determination in Telostylinus flies Projects for Faculty of Science Vacation Research Scholarship (summer 2007/8)
Experimental Marine Ecology and Evolution Projects in the laboratory of Dr Alistair Poore and Dr Emma Johnston involve the use of manipulative experiments to understand ecological and evolutionary processes in marine ecosystems. We are interested in supervising students that have interests in marine ecology, evolution, toxicology and environmental impacts.	Evolutionary ecotoxicology 1: How do animals adapt to toxicants? Evolutionary ecotoxicology 2: How does contamination affect sexual dimorphism? (with Russell Bonduriansky) Effects of habitat change on biodiversity Nutritional ecology of marine herbivores How much damage can a plant tolerate? (with Steve Bonser) How does plant structure affect animal communities? Contemporary ecological threats from historical pollution events (with Nathan Knott) Invasion resistance: assessing the role of disturbance and diversity How does contamination affect communication in the sea? (with Peter Banks)
Research Projects in the Ord lab There are a number of projects available with Terry Ord. Topics include the evolution of animal communication, behavioural adaptations to major ecological transitions, genetic differentiation and 'neutral' change in behaviour, the role of phenotypic plasticity in macroevolution and others. Please see the Ord Lab page for details.

The E&ERC offers advanced courses in evolution and ecology for postgraduate and honours students. These are aimed at developing the research and critical thinking skills of students, giving them a broader conceptual understanding of their discipline.

In session 1, 2009, the course is entitled:

Selling Your Science

Enrolment: This is a course targeted to postgraduates within the Evolution & Ecology Research Centre. Enrolment is limited to 12 students. PhD and MPhil students enrol in BEES5001 Topics in Biological Science.

Teachers: Tracey Rogers and other members of the EERC and other specialists.

Course Topic: The public are interested in science in particular when it’s being presented by the researchers who’ve conducted the work themselves. If scientists were more involved in public debate about science itself then the public would be able to obtain a true picture of scientific views, a picture which is not dominated by commercialism, nationalism, political motives, and religious mythology. As young scientists you represent the future of science, and it’s likely that you will need to be more media savvy than those who have come before you. Communicating your work, in many forums, may strongly influence your career. However when put on the spot, a television camera in your face, the discussions about your research don’t always go the way you as a scientist expect them to. Why? Learning how to communicate the importance of your research work to a general audience is a skill. Do you, as a student, feel prepared to talk about your research work in a public forum?

In this course we will work through the process of building your confidence in the media and from a public outreach perspective. Topics that will be covered include: media training, an understanding of what the media are looking for or not looking for, insights about how the media works, and practical tips about what you can do when you’re put on the spot. At the end of the course you should feel comfortable with developing media around your research project either on the web, or animated through YouTube.

Format: Weekly group meetings of no longer than 90 minutes in duration. Each week students will be expected to either read one or two articles/chapters set by the tutors or prepare outreach material about your projects (written for websites or footage for YouTube). The course will be graded based on outputs and on performance in class discussions. This topic is being offered in Session 1 2009 only.

If you wish to do this course, can you please email Tracey Rogers with an expression of interest and a 100-word description of your research project.

Step 1. Check eligibility

Ensure that you are eligble for admission into a postgraduate research degree by reading the minimum requirement entry.

Step 2. Identify a potential supervisor and research area

Prospective students should familiarise themselves with the research activities of academics and research fellows within the E&ERC and contact them directly regarding potential research projects. You will need to find a supervisor willing to accept you as a postgraduate student in their research group before proceeding further with applications and scholarships.

Step 3. Begin the formal admission process

Students with an agreement from an academic to supervise their research degree may begin the formal admission process. Follow the instructions here.

Step 4. Identify potential scholarships

A range of scholarships is available to support Australian and international postgraduate students. Students are expected to apply for available scholarships to provide a stipend (living costs) and the student fees of international students. Check under the Scholarships tab above.

Contact the E&ERC for further information on the Graduate Program in Evolution and Ecology.

Dr Alistair Poore, Deputy Director (Education)

Evolution & Ecology Research Centre

University of New South Wales

Sydney NSW 2052

Email: a.poore(at)unsw.edu.au

Phone: (02) 9385 2154

Fax: (02) 9385 1558

Further information on admission, enrolment, scholarships and costs is provided by the UNSW Graduate Research School.

Each year, the E&ERC awards prizes that recognise excellence in postgraduate research conducted at UNSW. We offer the following prizes:

Outstanding Evolution and Ecology Paper

• Awarded to a study published in each calendar year with research conducted at UNSW and postgraduate student as first author.
• The paper will be selected by the E&ERC Education Subcommittee based on the significance and originality of the research, and quality of the journal in which it was published.

Outstanding Evolution and Ecology Presentation

• Awarded to an outstanding oral presentation at the E&ERC Postgraduate Forum.
• The outstanding presentation will be selected by a panel of academics, research fellows and postgraduate students. All students presenting in a given forum will be considered for the prize.

Outstanding Evolution and Ecology (Postgraduate) Researcher

• Awarded to a student with outstanding overall research performance in 2007.
• The student will be selected by the E&ERC Education Subcommittee based on the significance and originality of the research conducted, research output (publications and conference presentations) and contributions to outreach and E&ERC activities.

Outstanding Evolution and Ecology Thesis

• Awarded to a thesis approved for the degree of PhD, MSc or MPhil.
• The thesis will be selected by the E&ERC Education Subcommittee based on the significance and originality of research, comments from thesis examiners, research output, and documented evidence of impact. All theses submitted in a calendar year will be considered for the prize.

To be eligible for the paper or researcher prizes, students must nominate themselves or their publication. Forms will be available on the E&ERC website, with nominations due by the end of November.

Local research student scholarships

International research student scholarships

Information will be available in March 2008 for the next round of International Research Scholarships, starting semester 2, 2008.

Visit the UNSW Graduate Research School for more information on scholarships and details of eligibility and how to apply.

E&ERC postgraduate scholarships

Postgraduate scholarships are currently available for interested students to work with Prof. Bill Ballard (details here), Dr Russell Bonduriansky and Dr Angela Moles. Contact those academics directly with your CV and research interests.

Research funding opportunities

Contact Alistair Poore for a list of further awards, grants and travel scholarships available to postgraduate students.

Faculty of Science Vacation Research Scholarship

The Vacation Research Scholarship provides an excellent research opportunity for science undergraduate students to experience working in a research environment. Further details are available here.

Applications for summer 2007/2008 are now closed.

Further information on admission, enrolment, scholarships and costs is provided by the UNSW Graduate Research School.

Supervision

Each postgraduate student will be assigned a supervisory panel, comprising the student’s supervisor and cosupervisor(s). A student may have joint supervisors if more than one academic is equally responsible for a given project. While the student will meet regularly with the primary supervisor, an important role of the supervisory panel is to assess progress and provide feedback on project and thesis planning via annual progress meetings (see below). The UNSW policy on postgraduate supervision can be found at:
www.policy.unsw.edu.au/policy/higher_degree_research_supervision.htm

Introductory Research Proposal

Within four months of commencing their project, students participating in the E&ERC graduate program are expected to submit a written introductory research proposal. The proposals are modeled on part of the grant proposals that are submitted each year to the Australian Research Council Discovery Projects scheme.

The proposal should include text in the following sections:

Student and supervisor(s):

Project tilte:

Aims and background:

Describe the aims and background of the project
Include information about recent international progress in the field of the research and the relationship of this project to work in the field generally

Significance and innovation:

Describe how the research is significant and whether the research addresses an important problem.
Describe how the anticipated outcomes will advance the knowledge base of the discipline and why the project aims and concepts are novel and innovative.
Detail what new methodologies or technologies will be developed in the course of the project

Approach and methodology

Outline the conceptual framework, design and methods, and demonstrate that these are adequately developed, well integrated and appropriate to the project aims
Include a research plan and proposed timelines.

References:

Page limit: 5 pages.

After consultation with their supervisor, students should submit their introductory proposal to the Centre Manager Gemma Smart (eerc@unsw.edu.au).

The proposals will be reviewed by your supervisor and supervisory panel for critical feedback.

Research Presentations

Students enrolled in a PhD program are expected to give research presentations once each year at the E&ERC Postgraduate Forum, and a final seminar after completion.

annual research seminars (12 minutes +3 for questions). The research seminars are expected to be in the style of a conference presentation, covering one aspect of the project.
review seminar (25 minutes+10). The review seminar is a longer talk, where the student outlines progress to date, how each of the thesis components relate to each other, and how the remaining research will proceed. This is given after four enrolled sessions and replaces the annual research seminar for that year.
final seminar (30 minutes +10). A final seminar summarises the entire research program for a wide audience.

Students enrolled in a MSc program are expected to give research presentations once each year at the E&ERC Postgraduate Forum, and a final seminar after completion.

annual research seminars (12 minutes +3 for questions)
final seminar (30 minutes +10)

Progress Reporting

Annual progress reports
Students are required to submit annual progress reports within the first 12 months of
enrolment, and again for each year enrolled. The UNW policies on adequate progress are available at: www.grs.unsw.edu.au/currentstudents/progress.html

Student participation in the events presented as part of the E&ERC graduate program should be documented as “other achievements” in section B3 of the form. Student contributions in this regard will be assessed by supervisors and recognised by the annual prize for Outstanding Postgraduate Researcher

Major project review
For PhD students, the Annual Progress report that occurs after four enrolled sessions (or prorata for part-time students) must include a detailed review of progress toward thesis completion (section B2), and planning for remaining research (section B4). Section B4 of the form should include a thesis outline with all completed chapters, planned chapters and intentions for research publication.

A major project review and review presentation should also be undertaken by students in the MSc program wishing to transfer to the PhD program.

Submit your progress reports to the Centre Manager Gemma Smart (eerc@unsw.edu.au) two weeks prior to your postgraduate committee meeting.

E&ERC staff and students get to do fieldwork in all sorts of exciting places. This webpage is to keep us all up to date on all the cool projects and trips that are going on. If you are doing fieldwork, please send Gemma Smart a short email and/or pictures to let us know what you are up to.

Visit the Letters from the Field page.