Education

The University of Melbourne (2016 - 2020)
Melbourne, Victoria AUS
​Ph.D. Biology
​Advisors: Dr. Devi Stuart-Fox, Dr. Claire A. McLean​, Dr. Adnan Moussalli (Museums Victoria)
Thesis: Speciation and secondary contact in a colorful agamid

​The University of Hawaii, Manoa (2012 - 2015)
Honolulu, Hawaii USA
​M.Sc. Biology                                                                                          
Specialization in Ecology, Evolution, and Conservation
Advisor: Dr. Robert C. Thomson
Thesis: Origins of softshell turtles in Hawaii with implications for conservation

Saint Louis University (2008 - 2012) 
Saint Louis, Missouri USA                                                                   
B.Sc. Biology                                                                                         
Certificate in Biodiversity and Conservation
Advisor: Dr. Daniel E. Warren
​Senior thesis: Buoyancy control in cold-submerged painted turtles (Chrysemys picta)

Peer-reviewed publications

​Dong CM, McLean CA, Moussalli A, Stuart-Fox D. 2019. Conserved visual sensitivities across divergent lizard lineages that differ in an ultraviolet sexual signal. Ecology and Evolution. 9(20): 11824--11832. (Open access)
https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.5686
​
Dong CM, Engstrom TE, Thomson RC. 2016. Origins of softshell turtles in Hawaii with implications for conservation. Conservation Genetics. 17(1): 207—220. 
Download
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10592-015-0772-7

​Cantrell EA, Dong CM, Hill CA, Warren DE. 2014. Buoyancy control in cold-submerged painted turtles: implications for overwintering physiology and behavior. Herpetologica. 70(4): 388—394.
Download
https://doi.org/10.1655/HERPETOLOGICA-D-14-00016

Grants and Awards

1. 2020: The University of Melbourne, Faculty of Science Postgraduate Writing-Up Award: $5,000 AUD
2. 2018: The Holsworth Wildlife Research Endowment: $1,700 AUD
3. 2018: The University of Melbourne, Animal Welfare Excellence Award: $1,000 AUD
4. 2018: The University of Melbourne, Science Abroad Travelling Scholarship: $1,500 AUD
5. 2018: The University of Melbourne, BioSciences Travel Grant: $1,500 AUD
6. 2017: The Holsworth Wildlife Research Endowment: $6,000 AUD
7. 2017: The University of Melbourne, F.H. Drummond Travel Award:  $886 AUD
8. 2017: American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists, Travel Award:  $800 USD
9. 2017: Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles, Travel Award:  $500 USD
10. 2016 - 2019: Melbourne International Research Scholarship
11. 2015: The University of Hawaii, Graduate Student Organization Travel Award: $258 USD
12. 2014: Hampton and Meredith Carson Fellowship:  $3,800 USD
13. 2013 - 2015: The University of Hawaii at Manoa, Graduate Teaching Assistantship
14. 2012: The University of Hawaii at Manoa, Graduate Research Assistantship

Conference Presentations

1. Dong CM, McLean CA, Elliott A, Moussalli A, Stuart-Fox D. November 2019. When polymorphism and monomorphism meet: secondary contact between divergent lizard lineages. Australasian Evolution Society. Sydney, New South Wales, AUS. *Honorable mention for a 15 min talk
   
2. ​Dong CM, McLean CA, Moussalli A, Stuart-Fox D. December 2018. Correspondence of genomic and phenotypic lines across a contact zone of the tawny dragon, Ctenophorus decresii. Joint Meeting of the Australian Society of Herpetologists and the Society for Research on Amphibians and Reptiles in New Zealand. Kindilan, Queensland, AUS.
3. ​Dong CM, McLean CA, Moussalli A, Stuart-Fox D. July 2018. Genomic and phenotypic patterns across a contact zone of colorful agamids. Joint Meeting of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists. Rochester, New York USA.
4. Dong CM, McLean CA, Moussalli A, Stuart-Fox D. July 2017. Characterizing a sexual color trait across a contact zone of Australian agamids. Joint Meeting of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists. Austin, Texas USA. *SSAR Henri Seibert Honorable Mention in Systematics/Evolution
5. Dong CM, McLean CA, Moussalli A, Stuart-Fox D. June 2017. Colour vision and opsin expression variation in an agamid, Ctenophorus decresii. Australian Society of Herpetologists. Fairbridge, Western Australia AUS.
6. ​Dong CM, Engstrom TE, Thomson RC. July 2015. Origins of softshell turtles in Hawaii with implications for conservation. Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles.  Lawrence, Kansas USA.​
7. ​Dong CM, Engstrom TE, Thomson RC. April 2015. Origins of softshell turtles in Hawaii with implications for conservation. Albert Tester Memorial Symposium. Honolulu, Hawaii USA.
8. Dong CM, Warren DE. April 2012. The effects of depth and temperature acclimatization on buoyancy control in the painted turtle. Saint Louis University Undergraduate Research Symposium.  Poster.  Saint Louis, Missouri USA.

Teaching

The University of Melbourne
Demonstrator* (2016 - Present)

• ZOOL 30007: Experimental Animal Behaviour (2 semesters)
• ZOOL 20006: Comparative Animal Physiology (3 semesters)
• ZOOL 20004: Australian Wildlife Biology (1 semester)
  
• EVSC 20004: Intro to Marine Environments (2 semesters)
• ECOL 20003: Ecology (3 semesters)
• BIOL 10005, 10004, 10004, 10002: First Year Biology (4 semesters)
• VCE Biology Workshops for year 12 students (high school seniors)

Gene Technology Access Centre (GTAC)
Melbourne, Victoria, AUS
​Scientist Mentor (July 2016 - Present)

• Introducing primary and secondary school students to the applications of cell and molecular biology with hands-on laboratory experiences

The University of Hawaii, Manoa
Graduate Teaching Assistant* (2013 - 2015)

• ZOOL 480: Evolution (1 semester)
• ZOOL 430: Animal Physiology (1 semester)
• BIOL 275: Cell and Molecular Biology (3 semesters)
• BIOL 265: Ecology and Evolution (1 semester)

 *Terms are generally interchangeable; the applicable regional term is used in each instance

Professional Societies

American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists (ASIH)
Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles (SSAR)
​​Australian Society of Herpetologists (ASH)
​Ecological Society of Australia (ESA)
​Genetics Society of Australasia (GSA)

Journal Reviewer

Copeia

Media

SCOPE is a children’s science show produced in association with the CSIRO. S4 Ep52: Reptiles and Amphibians features our tawny dragon research.

Assorted Skills

Lab: DNA extraction, RNA extraction, cDNA synthesis, PCR, droplet digital PCR, primer design, gel electrophoresis, SDS-PAGE, ELISA, restriction digests.

Bioinformatics: assembly and annotation of RADseq datasets, population genetics, phylogenetic theory and methods, transcriptome annotation.

Fieldwork: general reptile handling, lizard noosing, morphological measurements, blood collection, tail tipping, pitfall trapping, drift nets, aquatic turtle trapping, first aid and CPR.

Misc: QGIS, Photoshop, spectral reflectance measurements, visual modeling.
​
Programming: R, Unix/Linux environment.

Relevant Work Experience

The Great Basin Institute
Desert Tortoise Survey Monitor (Aug - Nov 2015)

• Performed line-distance sampling and mark-recapture protocol to survey for desert tortoises (Gopherus agassizii)
• Attached identification tags and radio-telemetry transmitters
• Performed biometric measurements and preliminary health assessments