Lab Alumni

  •  Dr Amy Edwards – (Post-doc 2017-2019) Dear old dad: returning to parental sex allocation Amy is now working as a project officer with NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service based in Dubbo NSW

amy-lion-e1533103462271.png

  • Dr Steve Griffiths (PhD 2019, Post-doc 2020-2021) – Efficacy of artificial roost-boxes as a conservation tool for tree-roosting bats. Supervised by Kylie Robert (La Trobe), Pia Lentini (University of Melbourne) & Dr Lindy Lumsden (Arthur Rylah Institute) Steve is a researcher with Nature Advisory examining bat strikes at wind turbines and he still working on various funded bat projects in his “spare” time.

me_installing_nestbox.jpg

  • Dr Danielle Eastick (PhD 2023) –
  • Dr Zak Atkins (PhD 2018) – Conservation of the Guthega skink (Liopholis guthega). Supervised by Kylie Robert (La Trobe) & Nick Clemann (Arthur Rylah Institute) Zak is director of his own consultancy – Snowline Ecology and still working with Guthega skink

Zak_FB

  • Dr Nicola Khan (PhD 2015) – The trans-generational effects of maternal stress on Zebra Finch (Taenopygia guttata). Supervised by Kylie Robert & Richard Peters (La Trobe) Niki is now a Lecturer at Nottingham Trent University, UK

Niki

  • Kushini Kularatne (Honours 2022) – Testing the immunocompetence handicap hypothesis in Jacky dragons (Amphibolurus muricatus). Supervised by Kylie Robert (La Trobe) & Richard Peters (La Trobe)  Kushini has submitted an application to start a PhD in 2023
  • Lauren Sandy (Honours 2021) – Non-invasive glucocorticoid monitoring of Gould’s wattled bats. Supervised by Kylie Robert (La Trobe) & Kerry Fanson (La Trobe) Lauren has been performing casual research assistant work in Kerry Fansons lab since submission of her thesis

Lauren S

  • Melissa von Moger (Honours 2019) – DNA-based diet analysis in fat-tailed dunnarts. Supervised by Kylie Robert (La Trobe) & Nick Murphy (La Trobe) Mel is a PhD candidate in conservation genetics at The Australian National University

Melissa Von Moger | ANU Research School of Biology

  • Kelly Williams (Honours 2019) – Female mate choice in Spinifex hopping-mice (Notomys alexis): Influence of male body condition and Testosterone levels. Supervised by Kylie Robert (La Trobe), Richard Peters (La Trobe), Kerry Fanson (Deakin University), & Prof. Bill Breed (Uni of Adelaide) Kelly started a PhD at LTU in 2020

kelly_fb.jpeg

  • Murraya Rose (Honours 2019) – Response of scorpions to mammal predator olfactory cues. Supervised by Heloise Gibb (La Trobe) & Kylie Robert (La Trobe) Murraya is a PhD candidate at The Australian National University
  • Brittney Gill (Honours 2018) – Can conservation-breeding programmes be improved by incorporating mate choice?: Testing female mate choice in fat-tailed dunnarts (Sminthopsis crassicaudata). Supervised by Kylie Robert (La Trobe), Amy Edwards (La Trobe) & Marissa Parrott (Zoos Victoria) Britt is currently working at Zoos Victoria

britt_fb.jpeg

  • Rhys Madkissi (Honours 2017) – Do juvenile Guthega skink (Liopholis guthega) mimic the colour patterns of the distasetful Alpine grasshopper (Monistra concinna) as an aposematic mechanism to avoid predation? Supervised by Kylie Robert (La Trobe) & Zak Atkins (La Trobe) Rhys started a PhD at La Trobe in the Centre for Future Landscapes in 2019

Rhys_FB

  • Alicia Dimovski (Honours 2016) – Mitigating the ecological impacts of artificial lighting in the highly synchronous breeding Tammar wallaby. Supervised by Kylie Robert (La Trobe) Alicia is currently a PhD candidate at La Trobe

Alicia

  • Melissa Walker (Honours 2016) – Dietary energetics in Gould’s wattled bats. Supervised by Kylie Robert (La Trobe) & Steve Griffiths (La Trobe) Melissa is currently a PhD candidate at Western Sydney University

melissa.jpg

  • Rob Hayes (Honours 2016) – Who’s your daddy? Investigating mating and social systems of the Guthega skink (Liopholis guthega). Supervised by Kylie Robert (La Trobe) & David Chapple (Monash)

Rob_FB

  • Angela Russell (Honours 2016) – Wildlife and roads: A killer combination. Supervised by Kylie Robert (La Trobe) Ange has returned as a PhD candidate at La Trobe

  • James Buxton (Honours 2015) – An investigation into the function of pilosity and sculpturing in ants. Supervised by Heloise Gibb (La Trobe) & Kylie Robert (La Trobe) James is currently a PhD candidate at La Trobe

  • Scott Turnbridge (Honours 2015) – Are mammals important pollinators of Grevillea obtecta? Supervised by Susan Hoebee (La Trobe), Trevor Edwards(La Trobe) & Kylie Robert (La Trobe) Scott is currently working in plant production at the LTU Wildlife Sanctuary

scott.jpg

  • Jacinta Humphrey (Honours 2014) – Ecology and management of the Swamp Skink (Lissolepis coventryi) at Cardinia Reservoir. Supervised by Steve Leonard (La Trobe) & Kylie Robert (La Trobe) Jacinta is currently a PhD candidate at La Trobe

jacinta.jpg

  • Danielle Eastick (Honours 2014) – Does the cassowary’s casque have a thermoregulartory role? Supervised by Kylie Robert (La Trobe) & John Lesku (La Trobe) Dani is currently a PhD candidate at La Trobe

Danielle_FB

  • Zak Atkins (Honours 2013) – Ecology of the Guthega skink (Liopholis guthega) in relation to fire history in the Bogong High Plains. Supervised by Kylie Robert (La Trobe) Nick Clemann (Arthur Rylah Institute) & David Chapple (Monash) Zak continued as a PhD candidate at La Trobe and completed in 2018. He is currently a director of his own consultancy “Snowline Ecology”

Zak_FB

  • Lydia Rehenberg (Honours 2013) – Social interaction and environmental enrichment on cats in shelters. Supervised by Richard Peters (La Trobe) & Kylie Robert (La Trobe) Lydia is currently a PhD candidate at The University of Melbourne

Lydia

  • Larissa Wheeler (Honours 2013) – Marsupial Sex Allocation: Does offspring sex vary with maternal ability to invest during lactation? Supervised by Kylie Robert (La Trobe) Larissa is now a mum with 2 kids and works with the RSPCA as an adoption coordinator

  • Emily Moore (Honours 2012) – High density and resource competition drives male-biased sex allocation in a captive breeding colony of Bridled nailtail wallabies (Onychogalea fraenata), in south-western NSW? Supervised by Kylie Robert (La Trobe) & Matt Hayward (Australian Wildlife Conservancy) Emily went back to Uni and is studying outdoor education, she also recently became a mum

Emily.M_FB

  • Bridget Doyle (Honours 2012) – Host plant quality drives offspring phenotypes and reproductive investment in a parthenogenetic viviparous aphid. Supervised by Kylie Robert, Martin Steinbauer (La Trobe),  Piotr Trebicki (DPI) Bridget is now a Research Agronomist in South-Western Victoria, working on plant breeding and crop protection

bridget_fb.jpeg

  • Shannon Braun (Research Project 2011) – Milk composition during lactation is a mechanism for male biased allocation of maternal resources in a wallaby. Supervised by Kylie Robert (La Trobe) Shannon completed a Masters by Research at La Trobe in Mike Clarkes Lab

Shannon_FB

  • Inshani Sappideen (Honours 2011) – Sex allocation, diet and body condition in the Fat-tailed Dunnart (Sminthopsis crassicaudata). Supervised by Kylie Robert (La Trobe) Inshani returned to study Law at La Trobe

inshani_fb.jpeg

  • Megan Callander (Honours 2010) – Effects of an endocrine disrupting contaminant (atrazine) on sexual differentiation and offspring fitness in the Murray River Turtle (Emydura macquarii). Supervised by Ricky Spencer (UWS) and Kylie Robert (La Trobe).

  • Rebecca McCracken (Honours 2009) – Insufficient evidence that disease is preventing the recovery of the key populations of brush-tailed phascogale (Phascogale tapoatafa) in south-western Australia. Supervised by Kylie Robert (UWA/La Trobe) and Adrian Wayne (DEC). Rebecca works for Pendoley Environmental