Professor Madeleine Beekman
Deputy Head of School
Chair of Ecology, Evolution and Environment
School of Life and Environmental Sciences
A12 - Macleay Building
The University of Sydney
Telephone | +61 2 9351 8779 |
Fax | +61 2 9351 4771 |
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Website |
Room 239c, A12 - Macleay Building Behaviour and Genetics of Social Insects lab |
Biographical details
I joined the University of Sydney in May 2001 after having been a postdoc at the University of Sheffield (UK). I collaborate extensively with people scattered around the globe and love doing field work.
Research interests
I am generally interested in evolutionary questions, and social insects are an excellent model system. I also work on a weird organism: the acellular slime mould (Google it!). It is a wonderful organism to address interesting questions.
Currently my research interests can be grouped into five main themes:
- Conflict and cooperation
- Evolution of the dance language in the genus Apis
- Decision-making in decentralised systems
- Inter- and intragenomic conflict
- The evolution of cognition
For more information see my research and publication pages.
If you are interested in doing a project, considering joining the lab, or you are just curious, drop by!
Current research students
Project title | Research student |
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Deformed Wing Virus: how do vector transmitted RNA viruses contribute to the death of honeybees? | Amanda NORTON |
Proto-Cognition and Brainless Choices: Decision making in simple organisms | Jules SMITH-FERGUSON |
Selected grants
2018
- Brainless intelligence - identifying the basis of intelligence using non-neural organisms.; Beekman M; Templeton World Charity Foundation/Research Support.
2017
- What is killing the honeybees? The role of RNA viruses; Beekman M, Hall R; Australian Research Council (ARC)/Discovery Projects (DP).
2015
- Why do honey bees survive Varroa infections in Tonga; Beekman M, Remnant E; Australia & Pacific Science Foundation/Research Project Grant.
2014
- The evolution of RNA viruses in honeybees; Beekman M; University of Sydney/MBI Seed Funding, Round 1, 2014.
- International Union for the Study of Social Insects; Beekman M; AgriFutures Australia/Travel Conference Support FPRx464 SCHx910.
- Asexual reproduction and social parasitism in honey bee invaders; Gloag R, Beekman M; DVC Research/Postdoctoral Research Fellowship Scheme.
- Intergenomic conflict and the evolution of uniparental inheritance of mitochondria; Beekman M, Lo N; Australian Research Council (ARC)/Discovery Projects (DP).
2013
- Social insects as model systems in complexity science; Beekman M; Australian Research Council (ARC)/Future Fellowships (FT).
2011
- Sydney basin Multi-purpose Spectral Analysis Facility for evolutionary and ecological studies.; Ballard J, McArthur C, Simpson S, Oldroyd B, Beekman M, Sword G; Australian Research Council (ARC)/Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment and Facilities (LIEF).
2009
- House hunting honey bees: speed-accuracy trade-offs in collective decision-making; Beekman M, Myerscough M; Australian Research Council (ARC)/Discovery Projects (DP).
2008
- Understanding social cancers: Intra-specific parasitism by honeybee workers; Beekman M, Oldroyd B; Australian Research Council (ARC)/Discovery Projects (DP).
- Video analysis suite for the integrative analysis of resource acquisition behaviour in animals; Simpson S, Shine R, Thompson M, Seebacher F, Pile A, McArthur C, Coleman R, Beekman M, Ward A, Sword G, Brooks R, Poore A, Bonduriansky R, Cassis G, Olsson M, Booth D, Williams S; Australian Research Council (ARC)/Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment and Facilities (LIEF).
2007
- Optimisation in natural systems: ants, bees and slime moulds; Beekman M; Human Frontier Science Program (HFSP)/Research Grant.
2006
- University of Sydney - International Senior Research Fellow; Beekman M; University of Sydney/International Senior Research Fellow.
- On the move: the study of self-organised movement of animal groups with and without leadership; Simpson S, Beekman M; Australian Research Council (ARC)/Discovery Projects (DP).
2004
- Swarm movement: how does a small group of honeybee scouts guides a swarm of uniformed bees; Beekman M; Australian Academy of Science/Travel Award.
2003
- JG Russell Award to assist with costs of research; Beekman M; Australian Academy of Science/Research Grant.
- Decision-making in social insects and nature-inspired algorithms; Beekman M, Oldroyd B; Australian Research Council (ARC)/Linkage International: ARC International Fellowships (ARCIF).
- Social insect behaviour: the importance of individual decision making and information transfer; Australian Research Council (ARC)/Discovery Projects (DP).
2002
- Travel Grant-Cambridge 2001; Beekman M; Ian Potter Foundation/Research Grants.
Selected publications
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