Research has taken Dr Shane McEvey, Editor of the Australian Museum's scientific publications, to remote and fascinating places including Torres Strait, southern Africa and Madagascar. His early interests in collecting butterflies and publishing his findings have also led him to communicate his passion for science to others.
Dr McEvey was encouraged in natural science from an early age by his father, Alan, then Curator of Ornithology at the National Museum of Victoria (now Melbourne Museum), and the regular trips he made to the Museum. During his undergraduate studies in genetics and zoology at La Trobe University, he developed an interest in the taxonomy and biogeography of fruit-flies (Drosophila species) and travelled to south-west Tasmania, Torres Strait and Cape York Peninsula to collect specimens.
A growing interest in evolution of species guided Dr McEvey's decision for further study. He said, 'I found the research that was being done at the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg challenging. It was questioning the current dogma and I have always admired people who think laterally and question dogma.' Dr McEvey also participated in a volunteer program teaching in black townships and he continued collecting in areas of southern Africa including Swaziland and Zimbabwe.
Dr McEvey's work on the evolution of Drosophila took him to Paris where he worked as a taxonomist with the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique and, in 1987, to field work in Madagascar.
In 1990, Dr McEvey returned to Australia. 'I never really intended to stay away forever. I left on an adventure and it lasted eight years,' he said. Over the next few years, he worked concurrently as a lecturer in taxonomy and evolutionary genetics at The University of Sydney and Visiting Fellow and then Research Associate at the Australian Museum.
After working as an entomologist at the Australian Museum, Dr McEvey took on the role of Editor of the Australian Museum's scientific publications, including Records of the Australian Museum, a scientific journal established in 1890. He has also recently written a series of six children's books - Insects and Spiders - published this year (see page 10 for our special offer).
While Dr McEvey continues to pursue research, he has found communicating science extremely rewarding. 'I am passionate about the importance of the research collections at the Australian Museum, communicating that importance to the public and the scientific community and increasing people's understanding of why these collections are important to the wellbeing of us all.'
Gabby Taaffe
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