Continuing on … my academic life in Australia

So, in my last blog, I reintroduced myself and provided some of my background. I’ll pick up where I left off and talk a bit about what I have done since completing my PhD.

I emigrated from South Africa at the start of 2012 to take up a position as an associate lecturer at James Cook University (JCU; Fig. 1) in Cairns, Australia. The University campus is beautiful, nestled at the base of Saddle Mountain, which is comprised of complex notophyll vine forest, or in the vernacular, rainforest that has experienced a bit of disturbance from selective logging in the past. Cairns campus is small, only about 3000-4000 students or so, although JCU as a whole is quite large if you take into account Townsville campus, Singapore campus and the subsidiary study centres in places like Mount Isa and Mackay.

Fig. 1. Aerial view of James Cook University, Cairns, Queensland, Australia

I was employed as a first year coordinator, so one of my primary roles is facilitating the transition of students into University life. In addition, I also lecture and coordinate into first year Diversity of Life, which covers plants, animals and fundamental biological processes, and second year Evolutionary Biology. I coordinate all practical laboratories and tutorials for these subjects. I also taught into first year Introductory Ecology for 4 years, but did not teach this in 2016, as all staff in my group were semesterised for one year to allow us to focus on research or other activities. At the end of 2016, I also taught into a field-based course, Field Studies inthe Equatorial Tropics, which takes students to Danum Valley in Borneo (Fig. 2), home of orang-utan Pongo pygmaeus (Fig. 3), which was a really fantastic experience!

Fig. 2. Suspension bridge into the rainforest at Danum Valley

Fig. 3. Orangu-tan Pongo pygmaeus

Besides my teaching activities, I also provide service to the University in other ways. I am a member of the Undergraduate committee, as well as an animal ethics monitor. I am an Open Day coordinator, and am actively involved in engagement with prospective students at a variety of information evenings and days held by the University. I am an academic advisor for the Collegeof Science and Engineering, with one of my jobs in this role assisting students with study plans. I am also a part of the timetabling team. I am also an active member of one of JCU’s research centres, the Centre for Tropical Environmentaland Sustainability Sciences (TESS), which is directed by Distinguished Professor Bill Laurance (Fig. 4). I am the theme leader of Education, Training and Capacity Building of this group.

Fig. 4. Distinguished Professor Bill Laurance

But it doesn’t end there. Stay tuned for more about my research activities, some of which are featured in my publications on my blog. You can also find me on ResearchGate or the James Cook University website.

A return to blogging ... and a re-introduction

Well, it’s been quite a while since my last blog and with the rapid approach of the end of 2016, and the looming menace of “new year’s resolutions”, I will endeavour to blog more frequently. I originally intended to provide some discussion on various aspects of animal behaviour. However, I have decided to digress and take a more casual approach to blogging. 

I’ll start by re-introducing myself and giving some background. I am Dr Tasmin Rymer, currently employed as a lecturer at James Cook University in Cairns, Australia. But that’s a story for another blog. My animal behaviour journey began when I first studied a Bachelor of Science at the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits; Fig. 1) in Johannesburg, South Africa. I completed a double major in Zoology and Ecology, Environment and Conservation and, during this time, conducted numerous mini-research projects, including a study of con- and inter-specific interactions of captive raptors at the Johannesburg Zoo (conveniently titled “Do raptors in captivity have friends?”).

Fig. 1. Great Hall, University of the Witwatersrand

 

I went on to complete my honours in Zoology under the supervision of Associate Professor Martin Whiting, now at Macquarie University in Sydney. I spent a lot of time watching Kalahari tree skinks Trachylepis spilogaster (Fig. 2) on sociable weaver Philetairus socius (Fig. 3) nests in the middle of the Kalahari Desert. I got distracted for a few years (12 to be exact!) before the paper was published (see my list of publications)!

Fig. 2. Kalahari tree skink Trachlepis spilogaster (Photo: A. Dreyer; http://www.ispotnature.org/node/662576)

Fig. 3. Sociable weaver Philetairus socius nest (Photo: R. L. Thomson)

I then moved to the University of Pretoria, South Africa, to undertake a Master of Science in Mammalogy, at the Mammal Research Institute. My research project focused on modelling eland Tragelaphus oryx population dynamics in the Pilanesberg National Park, where I found that lions Panthera leo were driving eland population numbers down.

Fig. 4. Eland Tragelaphus oryx (Photo: T. Junik)

I then returned to Wits to study a PhD in Animal Behaviour, focusing on paternal care behaviour of African striped mice Rhabdomys pumilio (Fig. 5 and 6) under the supervision of Prof. Neville Pillay. During this period, I developed an inordinate fondness for rodents. While I learned a considerable amount about paternal care, I also learned that, just when you think you have your head around how mice will behave, they surprise you! This continues to this day.

Fig. 5. African striped mouse Rhabdomys pumiiio (Photo: E. Yuen; www. striped mouse.com)

Fig. 6. African striped mouse (Photo: Photo: E. Yuen; www. striped mouse.com)

If you’re interested, check out some of my publications. You can also find me on ResearchGate or the James Cook University website.