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Dr. Bob Wong
Lecturer in Behavioural and Evolutionary Biology
Bob received his PhD from the Australian National University for his work on sexual selection and speciation in the Pacific blue-eye fish under the supervision of Assoc Prof. Scott Keogh and Assoc. Prof Michael Jennions. After his PhD, Bob spent a couple of years doing postdoctoral research in the USA (with Dr. Gil Rosenthal) and Finland (with Prof. Kail Lindström) before joining Monash in 2006. His current, ARC-funded research is looking at sexual signalling and parental care in Australian desert gobies. |
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Dr. Phil Byrne
Monash Fellow
Phil Byrne received his PhD from the University of Western Australia working on sperm competition in frogs under the supervision of Prof. Dale Roberts and Prof. Leigh Simmons. After a postdoctoral sojourn in the USA working with Prof Bill Rice, he embarked on an ARC-funded APD in Assoc. Prof. Scott Keogh’s lab looking at toadlets before recently completing a research fellowship in Assoc. Prof Martin Whiting’s lab in South Africa studying the fascinating sex lives of foam nest frogs. Phil is currently investigating the benefits of polyandry in Australian frogs. In his spare time, Phil is a mad keen surfer who likes to catch the big waves down at Phillip Island. |
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Postdoctoral Research Fellow, 2007-2009
Andreas is working in collaboration with Bob Wong on an ARC-funded Discovery Project looking at sexual signalling and parental care in the Australian Desert goby. Andreas did his PhD under the supervision of Prof. Trond Amundsen and Dr. Jonathon Blout at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology on female colouration, egg carotinoids and reproductive success in the two-spotted goby. Here is a picture of Andreas training in Europe in preparation for fieldwork in the Australian desert. |
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Dr. Topi Lehtonen
Postdoctoral Research Fellow, 2008-2010
Topi is working in collaboration with Bob Wong on a joint Academy of Finland and Finnish Cultural Foundation grant looking at sexual selection in gobies. Topi completed his PhD in Dr. Kai Lindström’s lab on sexual selection in the sand goby. He then went on to work on neotropical cichlids in Axel Meyer’s lab at the University of Konstanz, Germany. Although Topi enjoys listening to Hard Rock (whether doing Science or taking a break from it), "Lordi" has never been one of his favourites. |
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Daniel Paz Decanini
PhD student, 2007-2009
Supervised by Dr. Bob Wong & Dr. Paul Sunnucks
Daniel completed his MSc under the supervision of Dr. Regina Macedo at the University of Brasilia working on social behaviour in marmosets. He commenced an IPRS-funded PhD in 2007 working on sexual selection and social behaviour in slaters and other creepy crawlies. |
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John Morrongiello
PhD student, 2007-2009
Supervisers: Dr. Bob Wong, Dr. Nick Bond and Dr. Dave Crook (Arthur Rylah Institute)
John completed a BA/BSc with honours from The University of Melbourne under the supervision of Dr. Steve Swearer, Dr. Nicole Barbee and Dr. Barb Downes working on variation in reproductive investment in galaxias. After growing a beard and working in the real world for a couple of years (at the Arthur Rylah Institute, Department of Sustainability), John decided to go back to uni to do a PhD project examining reproduction and life-history strategies in the pygmy perch. |
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Helene Lowry
PhD student, 2007-2009
Supervisors: Dr. Bob Wong and Dr. Alan Lill
Helene completed her BSc with honours from Monash University under Dr. Alan Lill’s supervision working on the urban ecology of red rumped parrots. She is now working on another urban invader, the noisy miner, comparing the behaviour of rural and urban populations. |
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Zoe Squires
PhD student, 2008-2011
Supervisors: Dr. Devi Stuart-Fox (University of Melbourne), Dr. Mark Norman (Museum Victoria) and Dr. Bob Wong
Zoe completed her honours project on the impact of salinity on anti-predator behaviour in tadpoles under the joint supervision of Dr. Bob Wong and Dr. Paul Bailey. She is currently working on a co-supervised PhD project investigating female reproductive strategies in dumpling squid and is based at the University of Melbourne. |
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Noriyoshi Kawasaki
PhD student, 2009-2011
Supervisors: Dr. Bob Wong and Dr. James Bourne (Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute)
He completed his honours project on ageing in a native Australian fly Telostylinus angasticollis in the wild and captivity under the supervision of Dr. Russell Bonduriansky and Dr. Rob Brooks at UNSW. Currently he is investigating cooperative behaviour in common marmosets. |
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Benjamin Wegener
PhD student, 2009-2012
Supervisors: Dr. Bob Wong, Dr. Devi Stuart-Fox (University of Melbourne) and Dr. Mark Norman (Museum Victoria)
Ben completed his BSc with honours at James Cook University under the supervision of Prof. Ross Crozier and Dr. Simon Robson, on the behavioural organisation of the Weaver Ant, Oecophylla smaragdina. In 2006 he returned to Melbourne and held a Research Assistant position at the Centre for Environmental Stress and Adaptation Research (CESAR - Melbourne and Monash Universities). He is now undertaking a PhD, researching the male reproductive strategies of the Southern Dumpling Squid, Euprymna tasmanica. |
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Lexie Slingerland
Honours student, 2009
Supervisor: Dr. Bob Wong
Lexie is investigating environmentally variation affecting parental care in the Australian desert goby. |
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Tim Blackburn
Honours student, 2009
Supervisor: Dr. Phil Byrne
Tim is studying the foraging behaviour of a terrestrial frog. He also works in the Live Exhibits department at Melbourne Museum. |
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Sarah Simmonds
Honours student, 2009-2010
Supervisors: Dr. Bob Wong and Dr. David Chapple
Sarah is investigating the behavioural ecology of two species of Australian skinks. |
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Skye Boyd-Gerny
Honours student, 2009-2010
Supervisors: Dr. Adrian Dyer and Dr. Bob Wong
Skye is studying the interactions between Australian native bees and a food deceptive orchid. |
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Emma Jensson
Honours student, 2009-2010
Supervisor: Dr. Bob Wong
Emma is investigating vocal communication and signal reliability in common marmosets. |
