Synopsis

We borrow methods from other sciences to invent better ways to understand natural populations:

  • endangered, pest, harvested species
  • measuring and forecasting molecular biodiversity
  • the methods are also used on ecological datasets.

You could join us in any of three different ways:

  • Trials on our datasets of vertebrates, invertebrates, plants.
  • Trials with computer simulations.
  • Even invent more methods of your own.

You need to like genetics and conservation, and be OK with high-school maths ( +, -, x, /).  

Aims

This project will investigate whether new methods are better at forecasting or measuring molecular biodiversity.

Student benefits

You’ll take part in a very active research area that is vital to conservation management and general evolutionary ecology. The skills you’ll learn through this project include:

  • analysing large molecular and/or ecological datasets
  • writing computer programs
  • writing a scientific paper.

Honours students in our lab publish their work in journals, such as:

  • Conservation Genetics Resources.
  • Australian Journal of Botany.

Get involved

To learn more about this project, contact Em. Prof. Bill Sherwin

E: w.sherwin@unsw.edu.au