Exploring the spider social network

Posted on February 17, 2012 by Antra

The crab spider, Diaea Ergandros, is one of the very few ‘social’ spiders. (Photo: Jasmin Ruch)

German cotutelle PhD student Jasmin Ruch is fascinated with the kinds of spider behaviours that would frighten most people.

“One major characteristic of the spiders I am looking at in the crab spider Diaea Ergandros is extreme maternal care resulting in matriphagy – the consumption of the female by their own offspring,” she says.

Continue reading →

Exchange journal: ‘Ich bin ein Berliner!’

Posted on January 4, 2012 by Nizar

Loira Gail Paleracio takes us of a tour of Berlin.

Visiting Berlin’s haunting Holocaust Memorial.

Continue reading →

Language lessons in rainy Essen

Posted on November 30, 2011 by Nizar

Yvette Hymann writes of her short-term exchange to Essen, Germany.

Thanks to the diversity of her German language course group, Yvette managed to walk away from her exchange with Arabic and Russian language skills too.

Continue reading →

Royal reward for literature researcher

Posted on November 30, 2011 by rwallace

Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II is accustomed to the finest things in life – so it was no surprise when she requested a signed copy of a book created by Macquarie PhD graduate Alice Curry.

Alice Curry (left) at the UK launch of A River of Stories with award-winning illustrator Jan Pieńkowski (right).

Continue reading →