Blog

E-mail: jehfenker@gmail.com 
Plataforma lattes: http://lattes.cnpq.br/4866554912169301
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7430-3886
GitHub: https://github.com/jehfenker

Formal Education/Degree

2016-2020  Doctor of Philosophy; Ecology and Evolution Division, Australian                                           National University, Australia. Advisor: Craig Moritz

2010 – 2012  Master of Science in Animal Biology; Universidade de Brasília, Brazil.                                    Advisor: Cristiano de Campos Nogueira

2006 – 2009 Bachelor’s Degree in Biology; Pontifícia Universidade Católica do                                        Paraná, Brazil. Advisor: Dr. Júlio César de Moura-Leite

Languages
Fluent in Portuguese. Intermediate level of Spanish. Advanced level of English.

Professional Experience/ Employment History

University of Michigan, UMich, United States

2020 – 2021  Postdoctoral Research Fellow; Division of Ecology and Evolutionar Biology. Advisor: Lacey Knowles

Australian National University, ANU, Australia

2016 – 2020    Research assistant. I assisted with the Moritz lab activities, including lab work, sequencing of genetic data, statistical analysis and scientific paper and report writing.
2016 – 2020    Teaching and demonstrating. I worked together with faculty members at the university assisting on classes.

Universidade de Brasília, UNB, Brazil

2014 – 2015   Research assistant. Part of the “Rede de Pesquisa Biota do Cerrado”, coordinated by Guarino Colli, from SISBIOTA-FAPDF.
2012 – 2013  Research assistant. I was the lab manager of the Genetic and Biodiversity lab, responsible for standard lab maintenance, DNA sequencing and genetic and phylogeographic analyses.

Instituto Chico Mendes de Conservação da Biodiversidade, ICMBio, Brazil

2013 – 2014 Scientific support. I collected and organized natural history and distribution data for all the reptile Brazilian species to the National Centre of Conservation and Research of Reptiles and Amphibians (RAN/Coabio), to support the list of threatened lizards and amphisbaenians from Brazil.

Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Paraná, PUC/PR, Brazil

2008 – 2009   Scientific Initiation (PIBIC), within the Museu the História Natural Capão da Imbuia. I measured reptiles species and collected geographic distribution data to develop a biogeography scientific project. 

Museu de História Natural Capão da Imbuia, MHNCI, Brazil

2008 – 2008 Intern at the Herpetological Collection. Responsible for the maintenance of the collection, including classification of specimens, and adding data to the museum database.

Secretaria Municipal do Meio Ambiente, SMMA, Brazil

2008 – 2008   Intern at the department of Environmental Education. I helped to promote science education (community service) programs across Curitiba, the city that the project was being developed.

Prefeitura Municipal de Curitiba, P/CURITIBA, Brazil

2007-2007 Intern at the city Zoo (Zoológico Municipal de Curitiba). Responsible to the science communication and education center, including camping on weekends with school kids to teach about nature and conservation, with night visits to the zoo.

Grants and Awards

2020 ANCLAS Research Grant, Australian National Centre for Latin American Studies, The Australian National University ($4000 AUD)
2019 Australian Biological Resources Study,Department of the Environment and Energy, International Student Travel Grant ($1500 AUD)
2019 The Australian National University: Vice Chancellor’s Higher Degree Research Travel Grant ($1500 AUD)
2018 Graduate Travel Award, Society for the Study of Evolution ($500 USD)
2016 Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES), International Student PhD Research Fellowship ($184,500 AUD)
2014 Fundação de Amparo a Pesquisa do Distrito Federal (FAPDF), International Student Travel Grant ($8000 BRL)
2013 Fundação de Amparo a Pesquisa do Distrito Federal (FAPDF), International Student Travel Grant ($8000 BRL)
2012 Fundação de Amparo a Pesquisa do Distrito Federal (FAPDF), International Student Travel Grant ($8000 BRL)
2010 Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES), Master’s Student Fellowship ($28,800 BRL)
2009 Programa Institucional de Bolsas de Iniciação Científica (PIBIC), Graduate Research Fellowship ($3000 BRL)

Teaching

2018-2020 Australian National University, Demonstrator, BIOL1008: Human Biology
2018-2020 Australian National University, Demonstrator, BIOL2151: Genetics
2018-2020 Australian National University, Demonstrator, BIOL1009: Diversity of Life
2018-2020 Australian National University, Demonstrator, BIOL8702: Advanced Research Techniques- Master course
2018 Australian National University, Demonstrator, BIOL8291: Research Presentation Skills- Master course
2017-2018 Australian National University, Demonstrator, ENVS1003: Introduction to Environmental and Social Research
2013 Universidade de Brazilia, Lecturer: Biologia dos Répteis “Biology of Reptiles”
2011 Universidade de Brazilia, Demonstrator: Biologia dos Répteis “Biology of Reptiles”

Service and Outreach

2020-current Member of the “Herpetologia segundo as Herpetólogas”, Brazilian organisation of women in science
2019-current Member of the “Rede Kunhã Asé”, Brazilian organisation of women in science (@kunhaase on Instagram)
2021  Invited qualification examiner of the Masters student Andre Yves Barboza Martins, Post-Graduation in Ecology program from the Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia, Brazil
2020-2021  Advisor of the undergrad student Michela Salafia, during her Summer Internship at the Australian National University, Australia
2020-2021  Advisor of the undergrad student Rhiannon Shembri, during her Summer Internship the Australian National University, Australia
2020  Invited speaker on the “I Simpósio Paranaense de Zoologia”, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Brazil
2017 – 2020  Ecology and Evolution Division HDR Representative, Research Training Committee, Research School of Biology, ANU
2019  Coordinator of the workshop “Presentation Skills”, open to the Division of Ecology and Evolution at the Australian National University, Australia
2018  Organization of the workshop ”SNPs in population- and phylo-genomics”, at the University of Canberra
2018  Speaker during visit of the National Youth Science Forum at the Australian National University
2017  Mentor at the 50fifty program mentoring program, which promotes gender equality in science, technology, engineering, and maths at the Australian National University

Most Recent Presentation of Work

2021 Fenker, J.; Esquerre,D; Aragão, A; Colli, G; Rabosky, D. Uma vida maravilhosa nas savanas tropicais: radiações independentes de squamatas mostram repetida convergência ecológica. I Simpósio Paranaense de Zoologia. Invited speaker.
2020 Fenker, J.; Esquerre,D; Aragão, A; Colli, G; Rabosky, D. Investigating patterns of ecomorphological diversification and convergence in savannas from Australia and Brazil. 9th World Congress of Herpetology, New Zealand. Oral presentation
2019 Fenker, J.; Melville, J; Moritz, C. How landscape features influence the genetic diversity of lizards with different habitat specialization in Australia. Evolution Meeting, United States. Oral presentation
2018 Fenker, J. et al. Evolutionary history of Neotropical savannas geographically concentrated species. Australian Herpetological Meeting. Oral presentation
2018 Fenker, J.; Moritz, C. Does dispersal rates predict the scale of phylogeographic structure? Evolution-Joint Congress. Oral presentation
2018 Fenker, J.; Moritz, C. How dispersal rates influence beta diversity of species. Genetics Society of AustralAsia. Oral presentation
2015 Tedeschi, LG.; Fenker, J.; Nogueira, CC.; Giugliano, LG. Molecular phylogeny and biogeography of Psomophis, and the history of Diagonal Neotropical Open Areas. Evolution Meeting. Oral presentation
2014 Fenker, J.; Tedeschi JG.; Nogueira, CC.; Pyron, RA. Phylogenetic Diversity and Conservation of South American Pitvipers. 51st Annual Meeting of the Association for Tropical Biology and Conservation (ATBC). Poster presentation
2013 Fenker, J.; Tedeschi JG.; Moura-Leite, JC. Estatus de conservación de los lagartos paranaenses (Reptilia, Squamata). XIV Congreso Argentino de Herpetologia.
2012 Fenker, J.; Tedeschi JG.; Nogueira, CC. Phylogenetic diversity, habitat loss and conservation priorities in Neotropical pitvipers. 7th World Congress of Herpetology

Skills and Certifications

Statistical
Highly experienced with statistical modelling (including linear regression, logistic regression, multivariate techniques, mixed effects models) and interpretation of complex data. Experienced with genomic analysis. Types of data include image, spatial, multivariate, discrete and continuous data.

Computing
Advanced experience with R, mapping and georeferencing in ArcGIS and Google Earth Pro. I am also confident with sequence alignment and editing of genetic data, from mitochondrial to next generation sequence. Working in museums and assisting in tissue collections management, I worked on the construction and maintenance of databases in the FileMaker Pro and Sequel Pro programs. I am also adept at Microsoft Office.

Fieldwork
I assisted in many systematic reptiles’ surveys in remote places, collecting morphological measurements and preparing species, developing physiological experiments and getting data of the environmental conditions. In 2016 I helped the North Territory Government in a survey on Litchfield National Park, collecting information of all the fauna and fauna, using traps and active observation. Participated on one fieldwork season at the Kakadu and Nitmaluk National Park. In 2019, I was one of the coordinators of the Bush Blitz surveys, looking for reptiles around the Australia Capital Territory.

Certificates
Standard Automobile Drivers License, Senior First Aid, Chemical Safety.