Prof Dr. William B Sherwin, Emeritus Professor, Evolution & Ecology Research Centre, School of Biological Earth and Environmental Science, UNSW-Sydney, Australia.
🌿 Prof. Dr. William B Sherwin, an Emeritus Professor at the Evolution & Ecology Research Centre, School of Biological Earth and Environmental Science, UNSW-Sydney 🇦🇺, is renowned for his pioneering contributions to Biology and Life Sciences. With a distinguished career spanning decades, he has significantly advanced our understanding of evolutionary biology. His research has profoundly influenced ecological dynamics and conservation biology worldwide. As a recipient of numerous accolades, including the prestigious Best Researcher Award, Prof. Sherwin continues to inspire and mentor future generations of scientists. His dedication to excellence and innovation remains a cornerstone in the field, shaping the future of biological research 🏆.
Profile 🌟
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Education🎓🔬
Prof. Dr. William B Sherwin, a distinguished scholar, commenced his academic journey in 1975 with a B.Sc. (Hon) Class I from the University of Melbourne, Australia, laying the foundation for his future endeavors in biological sciences 🧬. In 1985, he furthered his academic pursuits with a Ph.D. from the same institution, specializing in cutting-edge research areas. His commitment to academic excellence led him to acquire a Cert. H. Ed. from UNSW Sydney in 1993, enhancing his expertise in educational methodologies. Throughout his career, Prof. Dr. William B Sherwin has exemplified dedication and innovation in biological research, contributing significantly to the field’s advancement.
Honors and Awards 🎖️
🏆 Prof. Dr. William B Sherwin has left an indelible mark in biological 🐋research with a prestigious career spanning decades. His contributions have been recognized with numerous accolades, including the Australian Museum Research Institute Lifetime Award in 2022. He excelled as a PhD supervisor, earning the UNSW EERC Higher-Degree Supervision awards in 2008 and 2015. His scholarly pursuits took him across the globe as a Visiting Professor at institutions like Univ. Montpellier II and National Tsing Hua University. Prof. Sherwin’s passion for biodiversity mathematics was evident at the EU/BBSRC workshop in Barcelona. His research continues to inspire, as seen from his notable presentations and fellowships at CSIRO Australia and NOAA San Diego.🌿🔬
Research 🔬
Prof. Dr. William B. Sherwin🏆 is a pioneer in molecular genetics applied to biodiversity management and evolutionary biology, integrating information theory into these fields. His multidisciplinary team has revolutionized biodiversity forecasting and measurement from molecules to ecosystems. Sherwin’s molecular research focuses on endangered, pest, and harvested wildlife, including breakthroughs like the DnaDot method for assessing census population sizes. His recent publications introduce innovative approaches for detecting genes under selection in wild populations and explore ‘Panevolution’, a new field examining biology’s role in the evolution of information, including artificial intelligence. Sherwin’s work continues to shape biological sciences with profound implications. 🧬🌱🔬
Successful external grant applications 🎯
Prof. Dr. William B Sherwin has secured over AUD 5 million in external research funding, predominantly through the Australian Research Council (ARC). He has consistently served as leader or co-leader on various projects, highlighting a diverse range of themes and funding sources. Notable among these are: from 2003 to 2005, ARC DP0346313 funded research led by Sherwin Connor Mann on the social dynamics of dolphins, receiving AUD$300K; from 2005 to 2007, ARC DP0559363 supported Sherwin Nichols’ work on genetic exchange indicators critical for biodiversity management, with AUD$260K; and from 2015 to 2018, Horticulture Industries Australia funded research led by Cassis, Burnett, and Sherwin on Macadamia lace bugs, receiving AUD$202K. 🌿🔬🐬
Teaching and Supervision 📝💼
🔬Prof. Dr. William B Sherwin, Emeritus Professor and former Deputy Head of BEES, maintains a light teaching load, primarily in Genetics and Conservation Biology courses (BIOC3291, BIOC3151, BIOS6671). Over his career, he supervised 38 research students to completion (20 PhD, 1 MSc, 17 honours), and currently co-supervises three PhD students. Alumni from the Sherwin lab have achieved notable positions: CSIRO senior research roles, Conservation Biologists at Zoological Parks, Head of Anthropological Institute at Univ. Zurich, and roles in Environmental Consultancies and postdoctoral positions. 🧬🌿
Social Engagement and Leadership 🌍👑
Prof. Dr. William B Sherwin is a renowned biologist with a global impact, collaborating with experts across four continents, including engineers, physicists, statisticians, and biologists 🌍🔬. His work spans multiple state and federal conservation plans, focusing on endangered and pest species 🌿🐾. Recognized in prestigious media like “Nature” and “Science,” he has also been featured in ABC’s National Science show and Discover magazine’s top 100 science stories 📰🔍. As Treasurer of the Genetics Society of Australasia and Editor-in-Chief of “Entropy and Biology,” he has shaped genetic conservation and ecological research, notably advising on invasive species control and koala conservation genetics 🐨🧬.
Publications Top Notes 📚
Distortion of allele frequency distributions provides a test for recent population bottlenecks
Cultural transmission of tool use in bottlenose dolphins
Usefulness of molecular markers for detecting population bottlenecks via monitoring genetic change
Genetic variation of microsatellite loci in a bottlenecked species: the northern hairy‐nosed wombat Lasiorhinus krefftii
A BIOPSY SYSTEM FOR SMALL CETACEANS: DARTING SUCCESS AND WOUND HEALING IN TURSIOPS SPP.
Social and genetic interactions drive fitness variation in a free-living dolphin population
Low genetic variability of the koala Phascolarctos cinereus in south‐eastern Australia following a severe population bottleneck
Contrasting relatedness patterns in bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops sp.) with different alliance strategies
‘O father: where art thou?’— Paternity assessment in an open fission–fusion society of wild bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops sp.) in Shark Bay, Western Australia
Home range overlap, matrilineal and biparental kinship drive female associations in bottlenose dolphins