Over 40 years experience in university teaching, research, research training and administration, having recently moved to a Professorial position at CQU.

I enjoy a very broad range of biological interests, specializing in behavioural ecology and the study of social insects and bats.

Especially interested in the organization of complex systems using social insects as study systems. How can numerous simple individuals, together, produce a collective intelligence that exceeds to capacity of a single individual? How might this improve our understanding of collective behaviour and collective robotic systems?

Always interested to hear from potential students and collaborators.

Examples of ongoing collaborative research projects are as follows:

Australia

2018+ Dean Jerry: CRISPR-Cas9 approaches for developing improved yields of blue-swimmer crab adults in aquaculture systems. Marine Biology & Aquaculture, James Cook University QLD.

2017+ Chris Burwell: Taxonomic revisions of the ant genus Polyrhachis. Queensland Museum, QLD

2017+ Martin Bird: Generalised models of collective behaviour. Biological Sciences, Monash University VIC.

2016+ Chris Reid: Collective-decision making during group retrieval in the weaver ant Oecophylla. Ecological Neurosciences Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, NSW.

2000+ Ajay Narendra: Sensory ecological approaches to collective behaviour in social insects. Ecological Neurosciences Group, Macquarie University, NSW.

Belgium

2002+ Jean-Louis Deneubourg: The organisation and evolution of collective cognition. Center for

Nonlinear Phenomena and Complex Systems, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Bruxelles.

China

2018+ Zeng Quian: Phylogenetic studies of the ant genus Polyrhachis. College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Shaanxi

Indonesia/Malaysia

2017+ John Payne: Using eDNA to detect mountain populations of the Sumatran Rhinoceros Borneo Rhino Alliance

Singapore

2018+ Dean Jerry: CRISPR-Cas9 approaches for developing improved yields of mud crab adults in aquaculture systems. Marine Biology & Aquaculture, James Cook University Singapore.

USA

2018+ Fred Larabee: In the footsteps of Alfred Russell Wallace: Rediscovering the world’s largest and rarest bee (Megachile pluto: Wallace’s Giant Bee). Department of Entomology, National Museum of Natural History Smithsonian Institution, Washington DC.

2018+ Andy Suarez & Michael Rivera: Global approaches to the morphological evolution and biogeography of the cosmopolitan ant genus Camponotus. School of Integrative Biology, University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois.

2017+ Simon Garnier: Nest-buildimg ant as models for swarm construction and intelligence. New Jersey Institute of Technology and Rutgers University, New Jersey.

2017+ Andrew Burchill: 3D transport construction in the weaver ant Oecophylla, University of Chicago, Illinois

2016+ Tom Bochynek: Biological behaviour as models for swarm robotics. School of Engineering and Computer Science, Northwestern University, Illinois

2016+ Jessie Ebie: Queen control of worker behaviour in the weaver ant Oecophylla. Animal Behaviour, Arizona State University, Arizona.

2000 James Traniello: Neurophysiological approaches to the study of social insect organisation, evolution and cognition. Biological Sciences, Boston University, Massachusetts.

PhD Department of Biology, Boston University, USA

Dissertation Title: Individuals and Groups: Behavioral Integration and Organization in the Social Insects. Thesis Adviser, James F.A. Traniello (1995)

BSc Honours (First Class), Zoology Department, University of Queensland, AUSTRALIA

Thesis Title: Myotis adversus (Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae): Australia's Fish-Eating Bat. Thesis Adviser, Peter D Dwyer (1984)

Adjunct Professor (School of Health, Medical and Applied Sciences, Central Queensland University) 2018 Dec -

Honorary Professor (School of Life & Environmental Sciences, The University of Sydney) 2018 Nov - 2020 Nov

Academic Head, Zoology & Ecology, James Cook University 2015-2018

Professor, James Cook University 2013-2018

Director, Centre for Tropical Biodiversity & Climate Change, James Cook University 2012-2014

Deputy Head of School, Marine & Tropical Biology 2010-2015

Associate Professor, James Cook University 2009-2012

Acting Dean, Graduate Research Studies, James Cook University 2006 (6mth)

Deputy Dean, Graduate Research Studies, James Cook University 2005-2009

Senior Lecturer, James Cook University 2003-2008

Lecturer, James Cook University 2000-2002

James Cook University Postdoctoral Fellow. James Cook University 1998-1999

Australian Research Council Postdoctoral Fellow, James Cook University 1995-1998

Teaching Fellow, Extension School, Harvard University, USA 1994-1995

Teaching Fellow, Department of Biology, Boston University, USA 1991-1993

Teaching Fellow, Extension School, Harvard University, USA 1991

Teaching Fellow, Extension School, Harvard University USA 1986-1989

Research Assistant, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Queensland 1985-1986

Teaching Fellow, Zoology Department, University of Queensland 1984

1st George C. Eickwort Student Research Award. Awarded for the best doctoral research on social insects by a Ph.D. student at a North American University. International Union for the Study of Social Insects. (1995)

Frank A Belamarich Award, for Outstanding Scholarship and Performance in Graduate Studies. Awarded for the best doctoral research in any field of biology. Boston University, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences and Department of Biology. 1995

During my tenure as an academic I have actively and successfully advertised my research and teaching at a local, national and international scale. I frequently provide stories to the University Media Officer 'sand Outlook Magazine, am registered with the Australian Science Media Centre as an Australian expert on animal behaviour and social insects, providing commentary to local newspapers up to prestigious international journals such as Nature.

My research has been showcased in over 1500 media events and continues to grow.

My recent success as co-rediscover of the world's largest bee resulted in an incredible media response: over 1,500 media outputs, an audience of over 20% of the world's population (1.8 billion), the highest trending story on BBC World News and the second highest searched story, globally, on GOOGLE on the day of the media release.

Media groups showing this story included ABC, BBC, NBC, National Geographic, Wired, The Guardian, New Your Time, Times, Times Magazine and Discover.

Examples as media exposure prior to 'the bee' include the following:

PRINT MEDIA includes Local (JCU Outlook, Townsville Bulletin, Cairns Post, Bay Side Star, Grafton Newspaper, Atherton Tablelander), National (Courier Mail, West Australian, Sydney Morning Herald, Herald Sun) and International (Cosmos, Austria, Germany) newspapers and magazine

RADIO MEDIA includes Local (ABC Far Nth Quensland Cairns, ABC Far Nth Queensland Townsville, 4MK Mackay), National (ABC Science Show with Robyn Williams, ABC Sydney, ABC Radio National Perth, ABC Gold Coast, ABC Adelaide, ABC Perth, ABC Brisbane, ABC Melbourne) and International (ABC Science Show with Robyn Williams) programs.

INTERNET presentations include National (ABC NewsOnline) and International (Kerala News, DNA India) WWW pages / on-line newspapers.

TELEVISION NEWS, PROGRAMS and DOCUMENTARIES include Local (ABC North Queensland, Channel 7 Townsville, Channel 9 WIN TV Townsville, Channel 7 Cairns) and International (“Life in the undergrowth” David Attenborough / BBC, “Natures Animals” NHK Japan, DISCOVERY Channel News Canada, DISCOVERY Channels News USA) programs.

Although it is difficult to determine how may people have become aware of my research and the activities of JCU through these and ongoing media events, it is worth noting:

My print and news media presentations in Australia had a combined audience of over 1.8 million people

My NHK Japan programs have been viewed by over 40 million people

The DISCOVERY channel has over 1.5 billion subscribers

It is conservatively estimated that billions of people have watched the David Attenborough BBC documentary

In September 2012 the BBC returned to my lab in Townsville to film a new series “Survival” planned as the sequel to the most successful biological documentary series made, “Life on Earth”, along with a “Making off . . . .” program.

Extensive international teaching experience at all levels of undergraduate and graduate study (21 and 8 subjects respectively), at five Universities in two countries (Boston University & Harvard University USA, Central Queensland University, James Cook University & the University of Queensland, Australia).

Since joining CQU I have enjoyed teaching four subjects: Science Research fundamentals, Life Science Laboratory, Australian Vertebrate Biodiversity and Integrated Pest Management,

Undergraduate and graduate subjects most commonly taught include Behavioural Ecology, Statistics and Field studies in Tropical Biology.

Teaching expertise matched by extensive curriculum development, including revisions of Bacheler of Science and Bachelor of Advanced Science degree programs.

External administration and engagement activities

Australian Entomological Society

International Union for the Study of Social insects

Significant responsibilities associated with previous positions as Head of an Academic Unit, Acting Dean Graduate Studies and Director of a Level 1 Research Centre.

REVIEW OF EXTERNAL GRANT APPLICATIONS (AUSTRALIAN & INTERNATIONAL)

1995+ I have acted as either an Australian Reader or an International Expert for the Australian Research Council continuously since this date, typically reviewing up to 20 research and Fellowship grants per year. I also review grants for the National Science Foundation (USA), National Research Foundation (South Africa), the American Institute of Biological Sciences (USA), the Marsden Foundation (New Zealand), Czech Science Foundation Evropska (Czechoslovakia), National Geographic and Bat Society International.

REVIEW OF EXTERNAL PhD THESES

2018 Maquarie university

2017 University of Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, MALAYSIA

2016 University of Sydney

2012 University of Sydney

2012 Macquarie University

2006 University of Sydney

2000 Flinders university of South Australia

International Union for the Study of Social Insects (President, Australasian Section)

Australasian Bat Society

Entomological Society of Australia

Family.

Studying in both Australia and the US.

My students (undergrad and postgrad).

A wonderful set of international colleagues.

Discovering an Australian bat that catches and eats fish (1984), an Australian ant that swims (1995) and rediscovering Wallace's Giant bee Megachile pluto, the world's largest bee (2019). Media releases associated with this covered an audience of over 20% of the world's population.

Developing a rainforest ecology research subject that provided Australian students with the opportunity to visit, experience and hone their skills in the lowland rainforests of Borneo, a world biodiversity hot-spot.

R

SPlus

SAS

SPSS

Statistica

Systat

Office . . .

& a very tiny bit of Python

CONSULTANCY & INDUSTRY REPORTS

2021    Ecological Entomology, special issues "Insect Learning"

2015+ Behavioural Ecology & Sociobiology, special issue “Integrative studies of the division of labor”

2014+ Editorial Board, Ecological Entomology

2013 -2017 Editorial Board, Psyche

1998+ Editor, Asian Myrmecology

CONSULTANCIES

Over 30 consultancies involving ants, bats and planes . .e examples include . . .

2017-20201Ongoing studies fro numerous Nth Queensland Environmental Monitoring Companies: Bat sureveys, survey design and survey analysis

2017 AECOM: Bruce Highway Microbat Survey ($1,000)

2016 QLD Department Transport & Main Roads: Riverway Bat Survey ($7,557)

2016 AECOM: Haughton River Floodplain Upgrade Microbat Survey ($12,325)

2012-2013 Arrow Energy: Mitigation strategies for the little pied bat ($55,000)

2008-2005 Townsville Airport Authority: Minimizing the risk of bats strikes ($41,766)

2008 Maunsell: Faunal Surveys ($6,354)

2007 PowerLink: Faunal Surveys ($15,226)

2003 ToxiTech: Faunal Surveys ($5,121)