Christopher C. Austin: Biographical Sketch
a. Professional Preparation
University of California at Davis (citation, honors)
B.S. Zoology
University of Texas at Austin
Ph.D. Zoology
NSF Postdoctoral Fellow, S. Australian Museum, Adelaide
Myer Postdoctoral Fellow, Australian Museum, Sydney
NSF Postdoctoral Fellow, University of California, San Diego
ISM Postdoctoral Fellow, Institute of Statistical Mathematics, Tokyo
1984-1989
1989-1995
1995-1997
1997
1997-1998
1998-1999
b. Appointments
Jan. 2009
Aug. 2003
Jan. 2000
Associate Professor/Curator, Department of Biological Sciences, and
Museum of Natural History, Louisiana State University.
Assistant Professor/Curator, Department of Biological Sciences, and
Museum of Natural History, Louisiana State University.
Assistant Professor, Department of Biology, University of North Dakota
ci. Publications Related to Project (of 41 publications in print or in press. † Student
Austin, C.C., Spataro, M., Peterson†, S., Jordan†, J., and J.D. McVay†. (in press).
Conservation genetics of Boelen’s python (Morelia boeleni) from New Guinea:
reduced genetic diversity and divergence of captive and wild animals.
Conservation Genetics
Jackson†, N.D. and C.C. Austin (2010). The combined effects of rivers and refugia
generate extreme cryptic fragmentation within the common ground skink
(Scincella lateralis). Evolution, 64(2):409-428.
Hamilton†, A.M., Hartman, J.H., and C.C. Austin (2009). Island area and species
diversity in the southwest Pacific Ocean: Is the lizard fauna of Vanuatu
depauperate? Ecography, 32:247-258.
Smith, S.A., R.A. Sadlier, A.M. Bauer, C.C. Austin, and T. Jackman (2007). Molecular
phylogeny of the scincid lizards of New Caledonia and adjacent areas: evidence
for a single origin of the endemic skinks of Tasmantis. Molecular Phylogenetics and
Evolution, 43:1151-1166.
Austin, C.C. (1999). Lizards took express train to Polynesia. Nature 397:113-114.
cii. Additional Publications
Piskurek, O., Austin, C.C. and N. Okada. (2006). Sauria SINEs: Genealogy of novel short
interspersed retrotransposable elements that are widespread in reptile genomes.
Journal of Molecular Evolution, 62:630-644.
Fuerst†, G.S. and C.C. Austin. (2004). Population genetic structure of the Prairie Skink
(Eumeces septentrionalis): nested clade analysis of post Pleistocene populations.
Journal of Herpetology, 38:257-268.
Austin, C.C. (2000). Molecular phylogeny, population structure, and historical
biogeography of Pacific island boas (Candoia). Copeia 2000:341-352.
Austin, C.C. and G. Zug. (1999). Molecular and morphological evolution in the southcentral Pacific skink Emoia tongana (Reptilia: Squamata): uniformity and humanmediated dispersal. Australian Journal of Zoology 47:425-437.
Smith, S.A., C.C. Austin, and R. Shine. (2001) A phylogenetic analysis of the evolution
of viviparity within an Australian lizard species (Saiphos equalis, Scincidae). Bio.
J. Linn. Society, 74:131-139
d. Synergistic Activities
Cross-discipline international interactions, graduate student training, and educational
outreach through research program in Australia, New Guinea, Sri Lanka and Japan.
NSF Panels: 2007(X2), 2005, 2002, 2001; NSF ad hoc reviewer: 2009, 2008, 2007, 2006,
2005, 2004, 2003, 2001; Australian Research Council ad hoc reviewer: 2009, 2008,
2005, 2004, 2003, 2002, 2001, 1999, 1998, 1997.
Active involvement in local scientific development as Research Associate-Collaborator,
National Museum of Papua New Guinea, 1999-present.
Museum Accessions: Contributing to herpetological specimen collections of Texas
Memorial Museum, Papua New Guinea National Museum, South Australian
Museum, Australian Museum, Smithsonian, and the Museum of Natural Science at
Louisiana State University.
Manuscript and proposal reviewer for 28 journals and 5 granting agencies.
Editor, Occasional Papers of the Museum of Natural Science
Conversant in the Melanesian language.
e. Collaborators & Other Affiliations
• Collaborators
Allen Allison, Bishop Museum (USA); Ilaiah Bigilale, Papua New Guinea National
Museum (Papua New Guinea); Rafe Brown, University of Kansas (USA), David
Cannatella, University of Texas at Austin (USA); Ron Crombie, California Academy of
Sciences (USA); Chris Dahl, University of Papua New Guinea (Papua New Guinea);
Indraneil Das, Universiti of Malaysia Sarawak (Malaysia); Steve Donnellan, South
Australian Museum (Australia); Djoko Iskandar, Bandung Institute of Technology
(Indonesia) Fred Kraus, Bishop Museum (USA); Norihiro Okaka, Tokyo Institute of
Technology (Japan); Susan Perkins, American Museum of Natural History (USA);
Olilver Piskurek, Tokyo Institute of Technology (Japan); Tod Reeder, San Diego State
University (USA); Steve Richards, Conservation International (Australia); Ross Sadlier,
Australian Museum (Australia); Glenn Shea, University of Sydney (Australia); John
Wiens, Stony Brook State University (USA); George Zug, Smithsonian (USA)
• Graduate and Postdoctoral Advisors
PhD Advisor, Dr. Mark Kirkpatrick, Section of Integrative Biology, U. of Texas, Austin.
Postdoctoral Advisor, Dr. Steve Donnellan, Evol. Bio. Unit, South Australian Museum.
Postdoctoral Advisor, Don Colgan, Evolutionary Biology Unit, Australian Museum.
Postdoctoral Advisor, Ted Case, Department of Biology, U. of California at San Diego.
Postdoctoral Advisor, Masami Hasegawa, Institute of Statistical Mathematics, Tokyo.
• Graduate Student Supervision
Jonathan West, Ph.D. Ph.D. student, Graduate Committee Member, 2009-present.
John McVay, Ph.D. Ph.D. student, Graduate Committee Member, 2008-present.
Eric Rittmeyer, Ph.D. student, Graduate Advisor, 2008-present.
Jesús Fernández, Ph.D. Ph.D. student, Graduate Committee Member, 2006-present.
Brooke Hopkins, Ph.D. student, Graduate Committee Member, 2006-present.
David Wells, Ph.D. student, Graduate Committee Member, 2005-present.
Christopher Hayden, Ph.D. student, Graduate Advisor, 2006-2009.
Nathan Jackson, Ph.D. student, Graduate Advisor, 2004-present.
Jamie Oaks, MSc. student, Graduate Advisor, 2004-2007 (graduated).
Jessica Deichmann, Ph.D. student, Graduate Committee Member, 2004-2009
(graduated).
Zhijie Jiang, Ph.D. student, Graduate Committee Member, 2004-2006 (graduated).
Matt Carling, Ph.D. student, Graduate Committee Member, 2004-2009 (graduated).
Greg Fuerst, MSc student, Graduate Advisor, 2001- 2003 (graduated).
Alison Jennings, Ph.D. student, Graduate Advisor, 2000-2008 (graduated).
Casey Armour, Ph.D. student, Graduate Committee Member, 2000-2002 (graduated).