People
Mark Ooi - Senior Research Fellow
My research focuses on fire-prone heath and forests in coastal southeastern Australia, and arid ephemeral plant communities in the outback. I also have on-going research interests in fixed dune annual plant communities on the Atlantic coast in Europe and in northeastern China. The central theme of seed ecology, in particular figuring out how dormancy and germination drive plant dynamics, is interwoven with the disturbance regimes (fire) and global change biology. Results from this work are applied to understanding related key issues, including maintaining biodiversity and the impacts of climate change.
Before academia, I worked as a Project Officer at the NSW National Parks & Wildlife Service, and then Research Scientist when it became the Department of Environment & Climate Change. I completed an MSc (Hons) (2003) and then PhD (2007) at Wollongong University. From 2007-2012 I ran a research project in Europe as a postdoc at the University of Sheffield (UK) and was awarded an Australian Research Council Research Fellowship in 2011.
My research focuses on fire-prone heath and forests in coastal southeastern Australia, and arid ephemeral plant communities in the outback. I also have on-going research interests in fixed dune annual plant communities on the Atlantic coast in Europe and in northeastern China. The central theme of seed ecology, in particular figuring out how dormancy and germination drive plant dynamics, is interwoven with the disturbance regimes (fire) and global change biology. Results from this work are applied to understanding related key issues, including maintaining biodiversity and the impacts of climate change.
Before academia, I worked as a Project Officer at the NSW National Parks & Wildlife Service, and then Research Scientist when it became the Department of Environment & Climate Change. I completed an MSc (Hons) (2003) and then PhD (2007) at Wollongong University. From 2007-2012 I ran a research project in Europe as a postdoc at the University of Sheffield (UK) and was awarded an Australian Research Council Research Fellowship in 2011.
Berin Mackenzie - PhD student
PhD title: The role of seasonal and fire cues in dormancy and germination of Boronia (Rutaceae): implications for population persistence under a changing climate
Supervisors: David Keith (UNSW), Mark Ooi and Tony Auld (OEH)
PhD title: The role of seasonal and fire cues in dormancy and germination of Boronia (Rutaceae): implications for population persistence under a changing climate
Supervisors: David Keith (UNSW), Mark Ooi and Tony Auld (OEH)
Justin Collette - PhD student
Thesis title: The ecology of the rare and endangered Asterolasia buxifolia
Supervisors: Mark Ooi & David Keith
UNSW Australian Postgraduate Award (APA)
Thesis title: The ecology of the rare and endangered Asterolasia buxifolia
Supervisors: Mark Ooi & David Keith
UNSW Australian Postgraduate Award (APA)
Lab Alumni
Alice Hudson - PhD student
PhD title: The relative importance of genetic diversity and phenotypic variation as determinants of germination in the face of climate change
Supervisors: Mark Ooi, David Ayre (University of Wollongong) and Tony Auld (NSW Office of Environment & Heritage)
ARC Postgraduate Award (Industry). Completed in 2017 and is now at the Millennium Seed Bank (Kew Gardens) as the UK Native Tree Seed Project Officer.
PhD title: The relative importance of genetic diversity and phenotypic variation as determinants of germination in the face of climate change
Supervisors: Mark Ooi, David Ayre (University of Wollongong) and Tony Auld (NSW Office of Environment & Heritage)
ARC Postgraduate Award (Industry). Completed in 2017 and is now at the Millennium Seed Bank (Kew Gardens) as the UK Native Tree Seed Project Officer.
Ganesha Liyanage - PhD student
PhD title: Physical dormancy variation and its ecological role in unpredictable environments
Supervisors: Mark Ooi and David Ayre
UOW University Postgraduate Award. Completed in 2017 and is currently with the lab as a Research Assistant
PhD title: Physical dormancy variation and its ecological role in unpredictable environments
Supervisors: Mark Ooi and David Ayre
UOW University Postgraduate Award. Completed in 2017 and is currently with the lab as a Research Assistant
Juana Correa-Hernandez - Research Assistant
Juana has been with our group for two years and has experience both in the field and lab. She has worked on a range of projects, from conducting seed-based experiments to understand plant dynamics in fire-prone Australia, to researching the reproductive ecology of the Magdalena River Turtle in Colombia. Her interests in science communication have been applied to promote biodiversity conservation, including in her home city of Medellín (Colombia) (see aburranatural.org)
Juana has been with our group for two years and has experience both in the field and lab. She has worked on a range of projects, from conducting seed-based experiments to understand plant dynamics in fire-prone Australia, to researching the reproductive ecology of the Magdalena River Turtle in Colombia. Her interests in science communication have been applied to promote biodiversity conservation, including in her home city of Medellín (Colombia) (see aburranatural.org)
Harrison Palmer - Honours student
Research: The impact of fire severity on post-fire Acacia recruitment in the Warrumbungle NP
Supervisors: Mark Ooi and Andrew Denham (NSW Office of Environment & Heritage)
Harrison was awarded 1st Class Honours and is now undertaking a PhD at Curtin University (Perth, Western Australia)
Research: The impact of fire severity on post-fire Acacia recruitment in the Warrumbungle NP
Supervisors: Mark Ooi and Andrew Denham (NSW Office of Environment & Heritage)
Harrison was awarded 1st Class Honours and is now undertaking a PhD at Curtin University (Perth, Western Australia)
Tom Le Breton - Honours student
Research: Ecology of the threatened species Pomaderris bodalla
Supervisors: Mark Ooi
Tom was awarded 1st Class Honours and is now an Environment Officer at the NSW Office of Environment & Heritage (Science Division)
Research: Ecology of the threatened species Pomaderris bodalla
Supervisors: Mark Ooi
Tom was awarded 1st Class Honours and is now an Environment Officer at the NSW Office of Environment & Heritage (Science Division)
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Suzanne Eacott - Honours student
Project title: The role of diurnal temperature in controlling seed bank dynamics of Boronia floribunda Supervisors: Mark Ooi and Berin Mackenzie (OEH) Suzanne was awarded 1st Class Honours and is now working in ecological consultancy |
Sophie Natale - Honours student
Research: Ecology of the threatened species Pomaderris walshii
Supervisors: Mark Ooi, Ben Gooden (University of Wollongong) and David Bain (NSW Office of Environment & Heritage)
Sophie was awarded 1st Class Honours
Research: Ecology of the threatened species Pomaderris walshii
Supervisors: Mark Ooi, Ben Gooden (University of Wollongong) and David Bain (NSW Office of Environment & Heritage)
Sophie was awarded 1st Class Honours
Luke Skelton - Honours student
Thesis title: Future temperature impacts on growth and phenology across a simulated summer period on the Australian semi-arid ephemeral Swainsona laxa
Supervisor: Mark Ooi
Luke was awarded a Class 2 (i) and is studying for a teaching qualification
Thesis title: Future temperature impacts on growth and phenology across a simulated summer period on the Australian semi-arid ephemeral Swainsona laxa
Supervisor: Mark Ooi
Luke was awarded a Class 2 (i) and is studying for a teaching qualification