Biologue

Article by
Gilianne Brodie, James Cook University, TOWNVILLE QLD 4810

My name is Gilianne Brodie and I am studying in the School of Marine Biology and Aquaculture at James Cook University, Townsville, North Queensland. I am currently finishing a part-time PhD on the systematics and phylogeny of dendrodorid nudibranchs (seaslugs). Members of this groups of nudibranchs are particularly interesting for several reasons, but primarily because they have lost the characteristic molluscan radula or feeding tongue and have therefore evolved novel ways to digest their sponge prey.

In May 2001, I was very proud to be awarded an Australian Biological Resources Study Bursary, which assisted with my conference expenses and travel to attend the 14th World Mollusc Congress in Vienna, Austria. This conference was held at the historic University of Vienna and for me, included a visit to the Naturhistorisches Museum Wien and a field trip to the Danube Valley. The meeting involved over 400 scientists from over 60 countries, including six participants from Australia. Without ABRS support I would not have been able to attend this meeting and give an oral presentation on my PhD results to such a distinguished international audience. The opportunity to give this presentation, at such a vital stage of my thesis writing, was invaluable. The constructive feedback and encouragement I received from experienced researchers in my field was very motivating and had me impatient to be home and able to incorporate their valuable comments into my analyses.

In my oral presentation I concentrated on my phylogenetic results highlighting some of the new histological characters I have utilised. These characters include uniquely structured glands in the mantle and digestive system, and symbiotic bacteria in the reproductive system of several species. One of the conference highlights for me, was a keynote address by Professor Patricia Morse from the University of Washington. Although I had never met her, it was Professor Morse's research on molluscs (while she was undertaking a Fullbright Scholarship in Fiji) that led indirectly to my own interest in studying marine molluscs. Was it sheer coincidence that her presentation contained a strong message on the importance of role models, and their influence on inspiring student research! I was so enthused by the conference experience that I have now offered to assist with an opisthobranch mollusc activity at the next World Mollusc Congress to be held in Perth, Western Australia in 2004.

I would like to conclude by saying how much I appreciate the support of ABRS. I have often found studying taxonomy at a regional Australian university very isolating (although I never have to worry about whose idea it was!), particularly in a School dominated by ecologists. I would therefore like to thank ABRS for addressing this isolation and for its support of postgraduate students who would like to undertake taxonomic studies. It makes a huge difference for a student to be recognised by such an award and on moral grounds alone, is invaluable in a climate of dwindling funds for basic research and a lack of adequate recognition of the fundamental importance of taxonomy to all scientific research programmes.