photo
Projects

3

Publications

12

Awards

9

Contact Details

Postdoctoral Research Fellow

    Biography

    I am interested in the evolutionary genomics of Southern Ocean marine benthic taxa. Topics include how animals survived throughout the historic Pleistocene Southern Ocean environments and applying this knowledge to advance the understanding of Antarctica's past.  

    Research

    Research Interests

    Population genomics

    Antarctic benthic ecology and evolution

    Antarctic ice sheet collapse

    Projects
    On the evolutionary rescue of Antarctic marine fauna – did the IPCC AR6 get it right? (Old ID 29003)
    22 May 2023 - 22 May 2025
    Reconstructing past grounded ice extent over time around Wilkes Land margin, East Antarctica, using animal genomes (Old ID 27730)
    01 Jun 2022 - 31 Dec 2023
    Molecular signatures of historic glacial events in marine benthic taxa (Old ID 26383)
    01 Jun 2019 - 31 May 2021

    Teaching

    Research Advisor Accreditation
    Advisor Type

    Primary

    Current JCU Research Students
    Population Genomics of the Remote Sub-Antarctic Heard Island and McDonald Islands benthic taxa
    Doctorate by Research - time-based
    Population Connectivity of Antarctic Marine Invertebrates
    Doctorate by Research - time-based

    Activities

    Education
    MSci Marine Biology (honours), University of Southampton
    2012 - 2016
    PhD (cum laude), James Cook University
    2018 - 2022
    Awards
    AeRO Cloud Grants Program
    2021
    Antarctic Science International Bursary
    2019
    Promoting Environmental Research (David Pearse Bequest)
    2018
    James Cook University Postgraduate Research Scholarship
    2018
    Antarctic Science Foundation PhD student support grant
    2020
    The Undergraduate Awards: Highly Commended Entrant
    2016
    University of Southampton Tyler Prize for the Best MSci Marine Biology Project
    2016
    SCAR INSTANT fellowship
    2022
    Finalist for the Eureka Prize for Excellence in Interdisciplinary Scientific Research
    2024
    Media
    https://theconversation.com/what-octopus-dna-tells-us-about-antarctic-ice-sheet-collapse-218810, The conversation
    2023
    https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/21/climate/octopus-west-antarctic-ice-sheet.html?mwgrp=c-dbar&unlocked_article_code=1.Hk0.Iw5P.EZAFOf3T1HLo&smid=url-share, The New York Times
    2023
    Antarctic Octopus Holds Secrets of Prehistoric Ice Loss in Its Genome, Scientific American
    2023
    Octopus DNA seems to confirm scientists’ theory about a long-standing geological mystery, CNN
    2023
    Octopuses help solve a longstanding mystery of West Antarctica demise, The Washington Post
    2023
    Clue to rising sea levels lies in DNA of 4m-year-old octopus, scientists say, The Guardian
    2023
    First Dog On the Moon. EXCLUSIVE: The octopus sex scandal that rocked the Antarctic, Guardian Australia
    Employment
    Research Assistant, University of Hong Kong
    2016 - 2018
    Postdoctoral Research Fellow, James Cook University
    2022
    Committees
    Healthy and Resilient Ocean Working Group, Southern Ocean United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development

    Output

    Southern Ocean Action Plan (2021-2030) in support of the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development
    2022
    Janssen, Annemie R.; Badhe, Renuka; Bransome, Nicole C.; Bricher, Phillippa; Cavanagh, Rachel; de Br...
    Other Publication ResearchOnline@JCU
    Genomic evidence for West Antarctic Ice Sheet collapse during the Last Interglacial
    2023
    Lau, Sally C. Y.; Wilson, Nerida G.; Golledge, Nicholas R.; Naish, Tim R.; Watts, Phillip C.; Silva,...
    Journal Publication ResearchOnline@JCU
    Genomic insights of evolutionary divergence and life histories innovations in Antarctic brittle stars
    2023
    Lau, Sally C.Y.; Strugnell, Jan M.; Sands, Chester J.; Silva, Catarina N.S.; Wilson, Nerida G. (2023...
    Journal Publication ResearchOnline@JCU
    Emerging biological archives can reveal ecological and climatic change in Antarctica
    2022
    Strugnell, Jan M.; Mcgregor, Helen; Wilson, Nerida G.; Meredith, Karina T.; Chown, Steven L.; Lau, S...
    Journal Publication ResearchOnline@JCU
    Population genomics of the Eastern Rock Lobster, Sagmariasus verreauxi, during spawning stock recovery from over-exploitation
    2021
    Woodings, Laura N.; Murphy, Nicholas P.; Liggins, Geoffrey W.; Miller, Marcus E.; Ballinger, Giles M...
    Journal Publication ResearchOnline@JCU
    Evolutionary innovations in Antarctic brittle stars linked to glacial refugia
    2021
    Lau, Sally C.Y.; Strugnell, Jan M.; Sands, Chester J.; Silva, Catarina N.S.; Wilson, Nerida G. (2021...
    Journal Publication ResearchOnline@JCU
    Restoration potential of Asian oysters on heavily developed coastlines
    2020
    Lau, Sally C.Y.; Thomas, Marine; Hancock, Boze; Russell, Bayden D. (2020) 'Restoration potential of . Restoration Ecology, 28 (6):1643-1653. [D ...
    Journal Publication ResearchOnline@JCU
    Something old, something new: historical perspectives provide lessons for blue growth agendas
    2020
    Caswell, Bryony A.; Klein, Emily S.; Alleway, Heidi; Ball, Johnathan E.; Botero, Julián; Cardinale, ...
    Journal Publication ResearchOnline@JCU
    Detecting glacial refugia in the Southern Ocean
    2020
    Lau, Sally C. Y.; Wilson, Nerida G.; Silva, Catarina N. S.; Strugnell, Jan M. (2020) 'Detecting glac. Ecography, 43 (11):16...
    Journal Publication ResearchOnline@JCU
    Rapid assessment of the invasive Xenostrobus securis on cultured oysters in Hong Kong
    2018
    Lau, Sally C.Y.; Brettell, Dominic L.D.F.; Astudillo, Juan C. (2018) 'Rapid assessment of the invasi. Regional Studies in Marine S, 17 :11-16. [DOI] ...
    Journal Publication ResearchOnline@JCU
    The reproductive ecology of the Antarctic bivalve Aequiyoldia eightsii (Protobranchia: Sareptidae) follows neither Antarctic nor taxonomic patterns
    2018
    Lau, Sally C.Y.; Grange, Laura J.; Peck, Lloyd S.; Reed, Adam J. (2018) 'The reproductive ecology of. Polar Biology, 41 :1693-1706. [DOI] ...
    Journal Publication ResearchOnline@JCU
    Is the Southern Ocean ecosystem primed for change or at the cliff edge?
    2022
    Lau, Sally C.Y.; Strugnell, Jan M. (2022) 'Is the Southern Ocean ecosystem primed for change or at t Global Change Biology, 28 (15) :4493-4494. [DOI] ...
    Journal Contribution ResearchOnline@JCU