Curriculum Vitae

Years as a practising entomologist 36

Number of publications 128

Research interests

• Taxonomy, distribution, natural history of true bugs, planthoppers, leafhoppers, treehoppers, cicadas (Hemiptera, excluding Sternorrhyncha)

• Biodiversity Informatics, especially 

  • cybertaxonomy (or e-taxonomy), 

  • computer-assisted biological illustration,

  • semi/fully automated digital micro- and macro-imaging/photography using increased depth-of-field and stacking applications, 

  • online databases,

  • interactive diagnostics

• Faunistics of ground-beetles (Carabidae)

• South Pacific Heteroptera

Professional positions and responsibilities (1986-)

1 July 2019 onwards

Research Associate Emeritus, Taxonomist (Heteroptera), Landcare Research, New Zealand Arthropod Collection, Auckland 

1992- 30 June 2019

Research scientist / curator, Taxonomist & Curator of Hemiptera, Landcare Research, New Zealand Arthropod Collection, Auckland (1992-2019)

Editorial board member / associate editor,  Fauna of New Zealand series, Landcare Research (1994-2019)

Partner, Centre for Biodiversity and Biosecurity (Joint Graduate School), Landcare Research-University of Auckland (2005-2019)

1995-2017

Project leader-manager / co-manager, New Zealand Arthropod Collection: Databases (1995-2005, 2011-2017) / Digital Imaging Facilities (2000-2017)

2015-2016

Project Leader / co-primary investigator, Landcare Research & Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) New Zealand, fast-track MPI operational funding project: Brown Marmorated Stink Bug online surveillance tool.

2011-2014

Project leader / principal investigator,  TFBIS (Terrestrial & Freshwater Biodiversity Information System) projects: Online identification keys to New Zealand Heroptera

2007–2010

Research group leader, Invertebrate Systematics Research Group, including New Zealand Arthropod Collection (Landcare Research)

• Research programme: Depicting the New Zealand Land Biota* (Systematics Research, Fauna of New Zealand Series, New Zealand Arthropod Collection & National Nematode Collection of New Zealand), associated commercial research and consultancy. 

Personnel/line manager, Invertebrate Systematics Group, including New Zealand Arthropod Collection (Landcare Research)

• Line management of 12 permanent staff (technicians to senior scientists), other research associates, and students.

Director, New Zealand Arthropod Collection (including National Nematode Collection of New Zealand), Landcare Research.

Principal co-investigator with Crop & Food Research, Lincoln, New Zealand: TFBIS (Terrestrial & Freshwater Biodiversity Information System), Department of Conservation: Aphids databasing project.

2006–2007

Project leader / principal co-investigator with Institut Agronomique Néo-Calédonien, La Foa (New Caledonia), Agence Française de Développement, Fonds du Pacifique: Inventory of insect pests (order Hemiptera) on New Caledonian crops.

2004–2009

Project leader / principal investigator, TFBIS (Terrestrial & Freshwater Biodiversity Information System) projects: Virtual Identification of Cicadas; Virtual Identification of Ground-Beetle genera.

2003–2005

Principal co-investigator, Landcare Research & New South Wales Dept. of Primary Industries & Univ. Sydney-Charles Sturtt University: Taxonomy & phylogeny of Australian planthoppers of the family Cixiidae.

2000–2004

Project leader, Development of BioAssist facility (BIOdiversity ASSessment using Information Systems & Taxonomy).

1994–1997

Programme leader, FRST* programme ‘Biosystematics of New Zealand Land Invertebrates’: Invertebrate Systematics, Fauna of NZ Series.

1993–1994

Acting programme leader / objective Leader, FRST* programme ‘Biosystematics of New Zealand Land Invertebrates’: Invertebrate Systematics, Fauna of NZ Series. Hemiptera systematics, Collection Databases.

1990–1992

Postdoctoral research fellow, Canadian National Collection of Insects & Arachnids, Agriculture Canada, Ottawa (appointment funded by Fonds pour la Formation des Chercheurs et l'Aide à la Recherche (FCAR), Québec): Biosystematics of beneficial Hemiptera (Nabidae).

1990

Lecturer & computer consultant: Database management (Collège de Valleyfield) / Magisystem International, Valleyfield, Québec.

1986–1990

Part-time faculty lecturer (biology)/Teaching assistant/Doctoral researcher, McGill University, Montréal, Québec (research funded by the National Sciences & Engineering Research Council of Canada).

 Special grants/awards/membership of societies, institutions, committees

• Memberships: Centre for Systematics Entomology, Gainesville, Florida, USA (2014-present), New Zealand Entomological Society (1997-present), Australian Entomological Society, Association of Systematic Biologists (1997–2017), Royal Society of New Zealand (1992–2006), Entomological Society of America (1981–2004)Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) New Zealand, fast-track operational funding, Brown Marmorated Stink Bug online surveillance tool (2015-2016) 

• TFBIS (Terrestrial & Freshwater Biodiversity Information System) grants, 4 projects for Landcare Research, 1 in collaboration with Plant & Food Research, New Zealand (2004-2013)

• Agence Française de Développement, Fonds du Pacifique, science grant ( 2006-2007) 

• Australian Biological Resources Survey (ABRS) research grant (jointly with New South Wales Dept. of Primary Industries & Univ. of Sydney-Charles Sturt University) (2003–2005) 

• Landcare Research Manaaki-Tangata Fellowship (2001–2002) 

• Commonwealth Research Council travel award (1997) 

• Editorial board: Fauna of New Zealand series (1994–present) 

• New Zealand Lottery Board: 2 science grants (1993, 1994) 

• Fonds pour la Formation des Chercheurs et l'Aide à la Recherche (FCAR), Québec, Postdoctoral fellowship (1990) 

• National Sciences & Engineering Research Council, Canada: Research award, 1986 & 4 postgraduate scholarships (1986–1990)

• Student co-supervisions: 2 PhDs, systematics (Lincoln Univ., New Zealand; Univ. Sydney-Charles Sturt University, Australia);  1 MSc, invertebrate ecology (Auckland Univ.); 1 Diploma, bio-indicators (UNITEC, Auckland) (1990s-early 2000s)

• External peer-reviewer for a range of science journals including Zootaxa (1990-present)

• Honorary fellow, Fonds pour la Formation des Chercheurs et l'Aide à la Recherche (FCAR), Québec, 2 Bourses d'Etudes Supérieures [postgraduate fellowships] (1986-1989)

• McGill University: 5 faculty awards; Honorary Fellow, 2 McGill Univ. Graduate Fellowships (1986-1987)