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Professor EmeritaMadeleine Beekman

Professor Emerita

Faculty of Science

Orcid identifier0000-0002-9040-3756 (opens in a new tab)⁠
  • Professor Emerita
    Faculty of Science

RESEARCH INTERESTs

I am generally interested in evolutionary questions, and social insects are an excellent model system. I also work on a weird organism: the acellular slime mould (Google it!). It is a wonderful organism to address interesting questions.

Currently my research interests can be grouped into five main themes:

  • Conflict and cooperation
  • Evolution of the dance language in the genus Apis
  • Decision-making in decentralised systems
  • Inter- and intragenomic conflict
  • The evolution of cognition

For more information see my research and publication pages.

If you are interested in doing a project, considering joining the lab, or you are just curious, drop by!

FUNDED RESEARCH

  • GRANT
    Multilevel selection and the integrity of mitochondrial DNA
    Australian Research Council (ARC)1 Jan 2019
    People funded by this grant:
    • Beekman M
  • GRANT
    Brainless intelligence - identifying the basis of intelligence using non-neural organisms.
    Templeton World Charity Foundation1 Jan 2018
    People funded by this grant:
    • Beekman M,
    • Gagliano M
  • GRANT
    What is killing the honeybees The role of RNA viruses
    Australian Research Council (ARC)1 Jan 2017
    People funded by this grant:
    • Beekman M,
    • Hall R
  • GRANT
    Why do honey bees survive Varroa infections in Tonga
    Australia & Pacific Science Foundation1 Jul 2015
    People funded by this grant:
  • GRANT
    International Union for the Study of Social Insects
    AgriFutures Australia1 Jul 2014
    People funded by this grant:
    • Beekman M
  • GRANT
    Asexual reproduction and social parasitism in honey bee invaders
    DVC Research1 Jan 2014
    People funded by this grant:
  • GRANT
    Intergenomic conflict and the evolution of uniparental inheritance of mitochondria
    Australian Research Council (ARC)1 Jan 2014
    People funded by this grant:
  • GRANT
    The evolution of RNA viruses in honeybees
    University of Sydney1 Jan 2014
    People funded by this grant:
    • Beekman M
  • GRANT
    Social insects as model systems in complexity science
    Australian Research Council (ARC)1 Jan 2013
    People funded by this grant:
    • Beekman M
  • GRANT
    Sydney basin Multi-purpose Spectral Analysis Facility for evolutionary and ecological studies.
    Australian Research Council (ARC)1 Jan 2011 - 31 Dec 2011
    People funded by this grant:
  • GRANT
    House hunting honey bees: speed-accuracy trade-offs in collective decision-making
    Australian Research Council (ARC)1 Jan 2009 - 31 Jan 2013
    People funded by this grant:
  • GRANT
    Understanding social cancers: Intra-specific parasitism by honeybee workers
    Australian Research Council (ARC)1 Jan 2008
    People funded by this grant:
  • GRANT
    Video analysis suite for the integrative analysis of resource acquisition behaviour in animals
    Australian Research Council (ARC)1 Jan 2008
    People funded by this grant:
    • Cassis G,
    • Brooks RD,
    • Booth DJ,
    • Seebacher F,
    • Bonduriansky R
  • GRANT
    Optimisation in natural systems: ants, bees and slime moulds
    Human Frontier Science Program (HFSP)1 Jan 2007
    People funded by this grant:
    • Beekman M
  • GRANT
    On the move: the study of self-organised movement of animal groups with and without leadership
    Australian Research Council (ARC)1 Jan 2006 - 8 Feb 2009
    People funded by this grant:
  • GRANT
    University of Sydney - International Senior Research Fellow
    University of Sydney1 Jan 2006
    People funded by this grant:
    • Beekman M
  • GRANT
    Swarm movement: how does a small group of honeybee scouts guides a swarm of uniformed bees
    Australian Academy of Science1 Jan 2004
    People funded by this grant:
    • Beekman M
  • GRANT
    Decision-making in social insects and nature-inspired algorithms
    Australian Research Council (ARC)1 Jan 2003
    People funded by this grant:
  • GRANT
    JG Russell Award to assist with costs of research
    Australian Academy of Science1 Jan 2003
    People funded by this grant:
    • Beekman M
  • GRANT
    Travel Grant-Cambridge 2001
    Ian Potter Foundation1 Jan 2002
    People funded by this grant:
    • Beekman M