Dr

Ashton Laura Dickerson

Guest Scientist
Room
419

Müggelseedamm 310, 12587 Berlin

Profile
Expertise

Ashton's research interests include behavioural ecology, particularly in context of the effects of light at night (both natural and artificial). Her early research largely focused on animal communication, sexual and social selection using birds and lizards as study species. Since working for Leibniz Institute for Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries (IGB), she has shifted to researching how light at night affects movements patterns in zooplankton in freshwater systems.

CV

Research positions

Since 2022         Postdoctoral Researcher, Light Pollution and Ecophysiology, IGB      
 

Education

2022          PhD (Behavioural Ecology) - The University of Melbourne, Australia. 

  • Thesis title: The function of nocturnal song and the effects of light at night on song behaviour in the willie wagtail. Read thesis abstract. 

2016          Masters of Science (with distinction) - The University of Melbourne, Australia

  • Thesis title: Mother’s Nature: maternal styles in a wild population of birds.

2013          Bachelor of Science (Zoology) - The University of Melbourne, Australia
 

Grants

2017-2019         Holsworth Wildlife Endowment trust

2017-2019         BirdLife Australia

2018                  Jasper Loftus-Hill Memorial Fund

2017                  Australasian Society for the Study of Animal Behaviour (ASSAB)

Awards

2022         Promising Early-Career Postdoctoral Researchers Fellowship, IGB

2021         Faculty of Science Postgraduate Writing-Up Award, The University of Melbourne

2020         3-Minute Thesis UniMelb (runner up)

2019         Bioscience Postgraduate Symposium (best talk and honourable mention for Science into Action Research Impact prize), The University of Melbourne

2017         Australian Ornithology Conference (best student speed talk), Australasian Society for the Study of Behaviour conference (first runner up student speed talk)