A fly from the Family Apioceridae – pollen feeding flies
Flies land on Mackerras Medal
CSIRO Entomology scientist, Dr David Yeates, has been awarded the Australian Entomological Society’s 2008 Mackerras Medal.
"Dr Yeates’ award recognises his enormous input into understanding the taxonomy, systematics and evolution of flies as well as his extensive support for Australian taxonomy in general," said Dr Mark Lonsdale, Chief CSIRO Entomology.
"Since becoming curator of Diptera (flies) at the Australian National Insect Collection (ANIC) in 2001, Dr Yeates has reinvigorated fly research."
"Now his research position in ANIC is funded in perpetuity by an endowment from the United States based Schlinger Foundation."
Dr Lonsdale said Dr Yeates enjoys a very high standing in the international dipterological community and is a collaborator, advisor or reviewer in almost all major international collaborations in his areas of expertise.
These include a 10-year project on the world’s stiletto flies (Therevidae) and a five-year project on the Diptera Tree of Life. This project is part of the much larger US National Science Foundation’s Assembling the Tree of Life.
"Dr Yeates’ award recognises his enormous input into understanding the taxonomy, systematics and evolution of flies as well as his extensive support for Australian taxonomy in general,"
said Dr Mark Lonsdale, Chief CSIRO Entomology.
Dr Yeates is currently President of the Council of the International Congresses of Dipterology, Vice President of the Australian Entomological Society and a Co-Principal Investigator on the Australian Government’s Commonwealth Environment Research Facilities (CERF) funded Taxonomy Research and Information Network (TRIN).
As well as an impressive publication history on almost all aspects of fly taxonomy, systematics and evolution, Dr Yeates was part of the team which won The Royal Zoological Society of NSW 2007 Whitley Book Awards Certificate of Commendation for the interactive CD, On-The-Fly.
Before joining CSIRO, he was a highly successful academic at the University of Queensland.
The Mackerras Medal is the Australian Entomological Society’s highest award and is given every two years to a member of the Society under 50 years of age who has demonstrated excellence in entomology.
It is named in honour of Dr Ian Mackerras, the Society's first President and an entomologist who embodied the excellence in entomological pursuits that the award recognises.
Download images at: Flies land on Mackerras Medal.
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