Education
2017 – 2020: PhD, Chancellor’s Prize for Excellence [conferred March 2021]
School of BioSciences, University of Melbourne
Thesis: “Phylogenomics, molecular evolution and extinction in the adaptive radiation of murine rodents” [link]
2014 – 2015: Bachelor of Science (Honours), First Class Honours
School of Biological Sciences, University of Auckland
Thesis: “Population structure and sex-biased dispersal in the short-tail stingray”
2010 – 2014: Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Arts, Sir John Monash Medal
Monash University
Academic appointments
2020 – Present: Postdoctoral Research Fellow (Moritz Group), The Australian National University
Publications
See my Publications page
Supervision
Joely Echalar (2023 – present) PhD (co-supervised with Dr Sally Potter, Macquarie University)
Project: Introgression and speciation in Australian rodents
Kate O’Hara (2022 – present) PhD (co-supervised with Professor Craig Moritz, Dr Clare Holleley and Dr Erin Hahn, CSIRO)
Project: Genomic and epigenomic evolution of a parthenogenetic Australian gecko
Ching Ching Lau (2022 – present) Master of Science in Quantitative Biology & Bioinformatics (Advanced)
Project: Predictors of genetic diversity in Gehyra geckos
Kate O’Hara (2020 – 2021) Honours (co-supervised with Professor Craig Moritz), Research School of Biology Director’s Prize for the top Honours thesis in 2021
Project: Are endemic species confined to stable refugia more vulnerable to future climatic stress?
Rhiannon Schembri (2020 – 2021) Summer Scholar
Project: Reconstructing reticulate evolution with phylogenetic networks
Invited Talks/Award Presentations
2022 ‘The genomic impact of island isolation’. Invited speaker, ComBio2022, 27th – 30th September, Melbourne, Australia.
2021 ‘Museum genomics unlocks a historical record of extinction in Australia’. D.G. Catcheside Prize talk, Genetics Society of Australasia Conference, 6-8th October (online due to COVID-19).
2021 ‘Museum genomics unlocks a historical record of extinction in Australia’. Ernst Mayr Symposium Finalist, Evolution 2021 Conference, 25th June (online due to COVID-19).
2020 ‘Museum genomics unlocks a historical record of extinction in Australia’. Walter M. Fitch Award talk, Society of Molecular Biology and Evolution Conference, 30th June (online due to COVID-19, recording: https://youtu.be/KD_F3RlLE_Y%5D.
2019 ‘Museum genomics unlocks a historical record of extinction in Australia’. Student Plenary Talk, Australasian Evolution Conference, 25th – 27th November, Sydney, Australia.
2019 ‘Adaptive evolution during the diversification of murine rodents revealed by whole exomes’. Invited speaker, American Society of Mammalogists Conference, 28th Jun – 2nd July, Washington DC, USA.
2018 ‘Decoding the evolution of native rodents’. Invited Keynote Speaker, Soroptimist International Conference, 4 – 6th May, Melbourne, Australia.
Contributed Presentations
2021: Roycroft E et al. ‘Museum genomics unlocks a historical record of extinction in Australia’. Australian Mammal Society Conference, 29th September – 1st October [online due to COVID-19].
2021: Roycroft E et al., ‘Remnant genetic diversity in the New Holland mouse’. New Holland Mouse National Forum, Zoos Victoria. 15-16th February [online due to COVID-19].
2020: Roycroft E et al., ‘Unravelling the complex biogeography of Australo-Papuan rodents’. 2020 Australasian Evolution Society Conference. 3rd-4th December [online due to COVID-19].
2020: Roycroft E et al., ‘Museum genomics unlocks a historical record of extinction in Australia’. Global Resources Symposium, 2020 Biodiversity Genomics Conference. 5-9th October, Wellcome Sanger Institute [online due to COVID-19].
2020: Roycroft E et al., ‘Continental-scale phylogenomics unravels the complex biogeography of Australo-Papuan rodents. Evolutionary Biogeography symposium, Humboldt Day 2020. 17th September, International Biogeography Society [online due to COVID-19].
2020: Roycroft E, et al., ‘Museum genomics reconstructs the catastrophic extinction of Australian rodents’. 2020 Victorian Biodiversity Conference. 6-7th February, Melbourne, Australia. [First prize, best presentation]
2019: Roycroft E et al., ‘Linking genomics and ecology: increased rates of adaptive molecular evolution in dietary specialists’. Oral presentation. 5th Annual BioSciences Postgraduate Symposium (The University of Melbourne), 15th December, Melbourne, Australia.
2019: Roycroft E et al., ‘Genomics of adaptation and convergence in the diversification of murine rodents’. Oral presentation. Evolution 2019, 21-25th June, Providence, Rhode Island, USA.
2019: Roycroft E et al., ‘Phylogenomics of Australo-Papuan rodents’. Oral presentation. 2019 Oz Mammals Genomics Meeting, 5-6th March, Melbourne, Australia.
2018: Roycroft E et al., ‘Genomics of convergent evolution: carnivory in Indo-Australian rodents’. Poster presentation. Evolution 2018 – II Joint Congress on Evolutionary Biology, 19-22nd August, Montpellier, France.
2018: Roycroft E et al., ‘Genomics of convergent evolution: carnivory in Indo-Australian rodents’. Poster presentation. 2018 Conference of the Society for Molecular Biology and Evolution, 8-12th July, Yokohama, Japan.
2017: Roycroft E et al., ‘Conflict and confidence in phylogenomics: an example from a recent and rapid radiation’. Oral presentation. 3rd Annual BioSciences Postgraduate Symposium (The University of Melbourne), 8th December, Melbourne, Australia. [Runner up, best presentation]
2017: Roycroft E et al., ‘Conflict and confidence in phylogenomics: an example from a recent and rapid radiation’. Oral presentation. 2017 Conference of the Australasian Evolution Society and ‘Phylomania’, 4-8th December, Hobart, Australia.
2017: Roycroft E et al., ‘Murid rodents as a model for decoding the genomic basis of adaptive radiations across Indo-Australia’. Oral presentation. Systematics 2017, Conference of the Society of Australian Systematic Biologists, 27-29th November, Adelaide, Australia.
2017: Roycroft E et al., ‘Phylogenomics to adaptation: exon capture of extant and extinct Australian rodents’. Oral presentation. Genomics and Collections: Adaptation to Macroevolution, 2017 Joint Conference of the Centre for Biodiversity Analysis and CSIRO NRCA, 12-14th September, Canberra, Australia.
2016: Roycroft E et al., ‘Population structure and sex-biased dispersal in the short-tail stingray’. Poster presentation. 2016 Joint Conference of the Society for Molecular Biology and Evolution and the Genetics Society of Australasia, 3-7th July, Gold Coast, Australia.
2015: Roycroft E et al., ‘Sex-biased dispersal in the short-tail stingray’. Oral presentation. 2015 Joint Conference of the New Zealand Marine Sciences Society and the Oceanic Chondrichthyan Society, 6-9th July 2015, Auckland, New Zealand.
Public Talks
2022: Roycroft E, ‘New Science from Historic Collections’. Atlas of Living Australia/CSIRO Public Webinar [https://www.ala.org.au/blogs-news/ala-webinar-new-data-from-historic-collections/]
2019: Roycroft E, ‘Museum genomics and the catastrophic extinction of Australia’s rodents.’ Royal Society of Victoria Young Scientist Research Prize Finals, August 2019, Melbourne, Australia.
Departmental Seminars
2019: Roycroft E, ‘Genomics of adaptation and convergence in the diversification of murine rodents’. Melbourne Cell and Developmental Biology Seminar Series, Melbourne, Australia.
2018: Roycroft E, ‘Phylogenomics, adaptation and extinction in the diversification of murine rodents’. Museums Victoria’s monthly ‘Science Interaction Seminar’, Melbourne, Australia.
Awards
2022 Early Career Research Excellence Award, Society of Systematic Biologists
2021 D.G. Catcheside Prize, Genetics Society of Australasia
2021 The Chancellor’s Prize for Excellence, University of Melbourne
2020 Walter M. Fitch Prize (shared), Society of Molecular Biology & Evolution
2020 Best presentation (First prize), 2020 Victorian Biodiversity Conference
2019 Young Scientist Research Prize, The Royal Society of Victoria
2019 Student Research Award, Australasian Evolution Society
2017 Best Presentation (Second Prize), BioSciences Symposium, University of Melbourne
2015 Joint Graduate School in Coastal & Marine Science Award, University of Auckland
2014 First in Course Award, The University of Auckland
2014 Sir John Monash Medal for Outstanding Achievement, Monash University
2013 Allan Wilson Centre for Molecular Ecology and Evolution Summer Scholarship
2013 Chris Maher Prize, Geography & Environmental Science, Monash University
2013 Sir John Monash Community Leaders Scholarship, Monash University
2013 School of Biological Sciences Summer Research Scholarship, Monash University
2012 Summer Research Scholarship, The Australian National University
2010-13 Dean’s List Fellowship, Faculty of Science, Monash University
Grants and Research Funding
2022 Discovery Project (DP230102094), Australian Research Council ($401,088, 2023 – 2025, Chief Investigators: Craig Moritz, Michael Kearney, Ary Hoffmann, Emily Roycroft)
2022 Seed Funding, Research School of Biology ($25,000 AUD)
2021 Ignition Grant, Centre for Biodiversity Analysis ($10,000 AUD)
2019 Alfred Nicholas Fellowship, The University of Melbourne ($14,771 AUD)
2019 Holsworth Wildlife Research Endowment, The Ecological Society of Australia ($5830 AUD)
2019 Special Research Award, Graduate Women Victoria ($1000 AUD)
2018 Holsworth Wildlife Research Endowment, The Ecological Society of Australia ($5525 AUD)
2018 Margaret Catto Scholarship, The University of Melbourne ($700 AUD)
2018 Michael Mavrogordato Award, Native Australian Animals Trust ($3000 AUD)
2018 Dame Margaret Blackwood Soroptimist Scholarship, The University of Melbourne ($7500 AUD)
2018 Young Investigator Award, Society of Molecular Biology and Evolution ($2000 USD)
2017 Holsworth Wildlife Research Endowment, The Ecological Society of Australia ($5665 AUD)
2017 1854 Student Scholarship, Museums Victoria ($1500 AUD)
2017 Jasper Loftus-Hills Memorial Award, The University of Melbourne ($2288 AUD)
2017 Grant-in-Aid of Research, The American Society of Mammalogists ($1500 USD)
2017 Dame Margaret Blackwood Soroptimist Scholarship, The University of Melbourne ($7000 AUD)
2016-20 Research Training Program Scholarship (previously Australian Postgraduate Award) ($30,000 p.a.)
Professional Service
Chair, Early and Mid-Career Research Committee: Research School of Biology, ANU (2021 – )
Equity and Diversity Committee: Research School of Biology, ANU (2022 – )
Research School of Biology Strategy Group: EMCR Representative, ANU (2022 – )
IT User Group, Research School of Biology, ANU (2022 – )
Panel Speaker: Genetics Society of Australasia Undergraduate Careers Panel (2021 GSA Conference)
Reviewer: Systematic Biology, Molecular Ecology, Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, Ecology and Evolution, Conservation Genetics Resources, Journal of Fish Biology, Australian Mammalogy. See my Publons profile
Expert Advisory Panel (mammals): Genetic assessment of bushfire-impacted vertebrate species, Threatened Species Recovery Hub (2020 – )
New Holland mouse National Forum: Develop research and conservation management priorities for the New Holland mouse (Pseudomys novaehollandiae) at a national level (2021)
Science for the Public Good: Theo Murphy Initiative Think Tank Participant (2022)
Science Meets Parliament: Delegate for the Genetics Society of Australasia (2022)
Science Outreach
‘Curious Minds’ Coach: Australian Government-funded extension program to ignite girls’ passion for STEM
In2Science Peer Mentor: Facilitated in-classroom STEM experiences for Year 9 students
Guest Speaker, Public Webinar: New Data from Historic Collections, Atlas of Living Australia (link here)
In the media
Check out my recent articles in The Conversation;
June 2021: This adorable mouse was considered extinct for over 100 years — until we found it hiding in plain sight
Sep 2022: ‘Impressive rafting skills’: the 8-million-year old origin story of how rodents colonised Australia
Follow this link to hear me talking with ABC Radio‘s Paul Turton about how we discovered that Gould’s mouse is not extinct, or read about our discovery in ABC News: Gould’s mouse was declared extinct, but DNA tells another tale
ABC Radio Sydney: “In defence of rats”
ABC News: Australia’s native rat race began 5 million years ago, DNA study suggests
Life on the Brink Podcast: The Australian mouse that became “un-extinct” https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/the-australian-mouse-that-became-un-extinct/id1577868194?i=1000553556552
My research has also featured in a variety of media outlets, including The Guardian, Canberra Times, CNN, BBC, The Times UK, Science Magazine, New Scientist, Cosmos Magazine, Smithsonian Magazine, VICE, 7news, About Regional, The Daily Mail, Yahoo News, CNET, IFLScience, and many other local Australian and international outlets, see more here. I’ve been interviewed live on ABC Radio Sydney, ABC Radio Melbourne (Drive with Sarah Hall), ABC Radio Perth (Breakfast with Russell Woolf), ABC Radio Newcastle (Drive with Paul Turton), ABC Radio Canberra (Afternoons with Georgia Stynes), 2CC Canberra (Live with Leon Delaney), 2CC Canberra (Sunday Roast with Ian Meikle and Rod Henshaw), TripleU Shoalhaven (Community Access with Jane), and 6PR Perth (Breakfast with Gareth Parker).
Museums Victoria: “Resurrected: native Australian mouse back from extinction“
CNN International: “Before humans, Australia was colonized by rats”
Science Media Centre, New Zealand: “Understanding dispersal of short-tail stingrays”.
Watch: www.youtube.com/watch?v=PRIdH1tqN7E
Teaching
2022: Guest Lecturer, The University of Melbourne
‘ZOOL20004 – Australian Wildlife Biology’
2017 – 2019: Demonstrator, The University of Melbourne.
‘BIOL10004 – Biology of Cells & Organisms’ (2 semesters)
‘BIOL10005 – Genetics & The Evolution of Life’ (1 semester)
‘BIOL20001 – Evolution: Making Sense of Life’ (2 semesters)
2014 – 2015: Demonstrator, The University of Auckland.
‘BIOSCI 322 – Evolution of Genes, Species and Populations’ (2 semesters)
‘BIOSCI 733 – Molecular Ecology and Evolution’ (1 semester) – Masters Level
2013: Sessional Teacher, The Yulendj Indigenous Engagement Unit, Monash University.
Provided weekly, university-funded academic tutoring and mentoring for Indigenous students enrolled in Archaeology and Ancient History subjects at Monash University.
Society memberships
Society for Molecular Biology and Evolution (2016 – present)
Society for the Study of Evolution (2017 – present)
Society of Systematic Biologists (2017 – present)
Genetics Society of Australasia (2019 – present)
Society of Australian Systematic Biologists (2017 – present)
American Society of Mammalogists (2017 – 2020)
Royal Society of Victoria (2019 – 2020)
Other courses and training
2021 slimr: Using R to integrate data and tailor-make population genomic simulations (University of Canberra)
2021 Advanced SLURM training (Pawsey Supercomputing Centre)
2021 Introduction to Gadi (National Computational Infrastructure, Australia)
2021 Mental Health First Aid (Australian National University)
2020 HLTAID001/002 – Provide cardiopulmonary resuscitation and basic emergency life support
2019 ‘Genomes and Biodiversity’ Research & Career Development Workshop (Australian Academy of Science)
2019 Denovo Assembly of Mammalian Genomes (American Society of Mammalogists)
2019 New Developments in Phylogenetics and Evolution (Society of Systematic Biologists)
2019 Population Genomics in dartR (University of Canberra)
2018 CompBioFest II (Research School of Biology, Australian National University)
2017 Museum Genomics in Practice (Australian National University & Centre for Biodiversity Analysis)
2017 Bodega Applied Phylogenetics Workshop (University of California, Davis)
2017 Taming the BEAST in the South Pacific (University of Auckland & Biomatters Inc.)
2017 Introduction to Population Genomics (Australian National University & Centre for Biodiversity Analysis)
2016 Best Practice Workshop: Animal Data Life-Cycle (EMBL Australian Bioinformatics Resource)
2016 Best Practice Workshop: Non-Model Organism Annotation and Curation Cycle (EMBL Australia Bioinformatics Resource)
2016 Introduction to Unix (Victorian Life Sciences Computation Initiative)
2015 Science Media SAVVY Workshop (Science Media Centre, New Zealand)
2012 Mental Health First Aid (Monash University)
2012 Short Course in Public Speaking (Holmesglen Institute)
Emily Roycroft 