Dr Julian Beaman

Research Associate

College of Science and Engineering

place Information Science & Technology

I joined Flinders University as a Research Associate in 2020, having completed a PhD in Evolutionary Physiology at the University of Queensland (2019) and a year as a Research Officer at Monash University. My research seeks to understand how ecological and evolutionary processes shape animal behaviour and physiology and to predict the individial- and population-level responses of animals to changing environments. I currently study terrestrial animals (koalas and native bees) and in the past I have studied cockroaches, freshwater fish and Arctic seabirds.

At Flinders, I am part of an interdisciplinary team working on an ARC Linkage Project bringing together expertise on koala ecology and behaviour, conservation genomics, and ecological modelling to develop advanced computational models of genetic rescue of inbred koala populations. I am enthusiastic about collaborative research and impact beyond academia. Through my research, I have helped to strengthen our existing Linkage Project partnerships with the University of Sydney, Kangaroo Island Wildlife Park, South Australia Department for Environment and Water, Koala Life, and WWF-Australia. I have also helped to grow our network of partners across government departments/agencies (NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service, CSIRO's National Koala Monitoring Program), consultancy firms (Endeavour Veterinary Ecology), technology engineering company (LX Group), and a number of Australian universities (the University of Queensland, Macquarie University, University of Newcastle, University of the Sunshine Coast). I am the co-lead of the SA Node of the National Koala Monitoring Program.

I have also helped to co-develop the Citizen Science Passport to Recovery program based on Kangaroo Island, which engages visitors and local business to participate in 12 citizen science projects aimed at monitoring post-fire recovery of natural ecosystems on the island.

Qualifications

PhD in Evolutionary Physiology, The University of Queensland (2019)

Bachelor Arts and Sciences (Honours I in Ecology), University of Sydney (2011)

Honours, awards and grants

Vice Chancellor's Award for Innovation in Teaching, Flinders University (2023)

Company of Biologists Travelling Fellowship (2018). Awarded to support travel to Prof Cameron Ghalambor's lab at Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA.

Best Early Career Researcher Oral Presentation, Australasian Evolution Society (2021)

Invited Seminar, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, USA (2020)

Invited Seminar, Monash University, Victoria (2020)

Best Student Oral Presentation, Australian and New Zealand Society for Comparative Physiology and Biochemistry (2018)

Best Post Presentation, Australasian Evolution Society (2017)

Best Student Oral Presentation, Australian and New Zealnad Society for Comparative Physiology and Biochemistry (2011)

Key responsibilities

My role is research focused. My currently responsibilities include coordinating field-based research on koala population ecology and individual behaviour, the collection of tissue samples for genomic analysis by collaborators at Flinders and the University of Sydney, and the development of computational models that guide the genetic rescue of inbred koala populations. I co-supervise PhD and Honours students researching koala ecology, behaviour and health.

Expert for media contact
Ecology
Insects
Mammals
Conservation biology
Evolution
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Media expertise
  • Ecology
  • Insects
  • Mammals
Interests
  • Conservation biology
  • Evolution