Honours supervisors and projects

Dr Bob Wong

Behavioural and Evolutionary Ecology

Telephone: 9905 5652
Email: bob.wong@sci.monash.edu.au

Potential Projects

I am open to supervising students on a range of topics within the fields of behavioural and evolutionary ecology. A good starting point is to check out the research and publications links on my academic webpage which will give you a reasonably good overview of the sorts of stuff that I have worked on and the breadth of my interests. Although my own work focuses mainly on sexual selection and speciation (and my favourite study subjects are fish), I have successfully conducted and supervised projects on a whole range of topics using taxa as diverse as insects, fiddler crabs, birds and even plants! When perusing the website, if you see anything that sparks an interest, feel free to make an appointment with me to discuss potential project ideas.

What to Expect

I place great value in a close-knit lab. I want (and expect) students to work hard but they should also be amiable and socially adept. As a supervisor, I will be emphasizing projects that can yield results appropriate for the time frame but also stress the importance of key research skills (e.g. developing ideas, planning, carrying out projects, writing-up and effective communication). As a student, you can expect me to offer guidance and support, a rewarding and happy work environment, and just the right amount of ‘whip-cracking’ to bring out your best!

In terms of facilities, students in my lab will have access to a new, purpose-built aquarium room suitable for carrying out laboratory experiments. The aquarium facility sits adjacent to a dry room and several temperature control rooms that can also be set up as additional space for honours experiments (on aquatic as well as non-aquatic study animals). In addition, students will have access to indoor and out door enclosures at the Jock Marshall Reserve located a short (and scenic) walk from the School’s main building. Naturally, students will be provided with all the basic stuff such as computers, a desk, photocopier, printers, telephone and fax, as well as general access to the university library.

The Wong Lab at the Right Place

By doing your honours here at Monash, you will also be gaining a qualification from one of Australia’s top universities, which also happens to be the largest and most internationally-focussed in the country, with several campuses in Victoria as well as offshore campuses and offices in Asia, Africa and Europe.

The School of Biological Sciences is situated at Monash’s Clayton campus which is located in the beautiful city of Melbourne. The opportunity to live and study in Melbourne is a draw card in itself. Melbourne is the state capital of Victoria and is home to some of the nation’s premiere sporting and cultural events, beautiful parkland, the majestic Yarra River, an endearing tram network, and some of the best public museums and art galleries in Australia. It is also home to some of the most stylish and beautiful people in the country and is full of great bars, restaurants and cafes. The people and bars can be a distraction but the restaurants and cafes are perfect venues (in principle) for contemplating your experiments, analysing your results, and writing your thesis.

If you would like to know me better, take few moments to read my background