My PhD research is looking at genomic approaches to understanding the evolution of Australo-Papuan rodents. During 2017 I prepared a manuscript for publication, based on analyses performed during the first 8 months of my PhD, assessing patterns of data conflict across the major lineages of rodents in Australia and New Guinea. Towards the end of 2017, I commenced analyzing whole-exome data (including developing bioinformatics protocols for these data) that will form the basis of the second major publication as part of my PhD.
Funds from the Dame Margaret Blackwood Soroptimist Scholarship have contributed to costs while I completed lab work in Canberra over the course of three research visits in 2017. It has also funded my attendance at three domestic conferences in 2017 where I was able to give talks about my research (Systematics 2017 in Adelaide, the Australasian Evolution Society meeting in Hobart, and the Genomics and Collections meeting in Canberra). In the course of these engagements I have gained a number of new contacts and potential collaborators. My attendance at the ‘Genomics and Collections’ conference was particularly valuable, as I was able to meet with a US-based collaborator who was also in attendance. This in-person meeting led to conversation about future collaborations, which will greatly benefit my research career.