Ms Rebecca Kittel

Biography/ Background

2010 – present Ph.D. Candidate, University of Adelaide, under supervision of A/P Steven Cooper, Dr. John Jennings and Prof. Andy Austin

2008 – 2010 Junior Research Fellow in the Division of Natural History of the State Museum for Nature and Humans, Oldenburg, Germany

2007 Research Assistant at ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland

2006 German 'Diplom' in Biology, Eberhard-Karls University, Tübingen, Germany. Thesis Project: Diversity of Odonata of Pró-Mata, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.

2003 – 2006 Study of Biology at Eberhard-Karls University, Tübingen, Germany

2002 – 2003 ERASMUS exchange year at the University of Uppsala, Uppsala, Sweden

1999 – 2002 Study of Biology at TU Braunschweig, Braunschweig, Germany

 

Teaching experience

2011 and 2012: Demonstrator at Evolution and Diversity of Insects III, Uni Adelaide

Research Interests

I am a PhD student in the Austin Lab Group at the University of Adelaide. My project focuses on the systematic and phylogeny of the chelonine Wasps, a subfamily of the Braconidae, with an emphasis on the Australian species. The Cheloninae comprises more than 1300 known species worldwide. They are egg-larval endoparasitoids of Lepidoptera, but development is usually delayed until the host hatches. Adults have a distinct carapace that covers the dorsal metasoma. Most Australian species were described about 100 years ago, while many species in other parts of the world are still being discovered. Some preliminary studies have examined the phylogeny of the genera of Cheloninae. However, only non-molecular analyses have been conducted. Therefore I will develop a robust phylogeny of genera of Cheloninae on a worldwide basis (using both molecular and morphological techniques), conduct a taxonomic revision of world genera of Cheloninae and a taxonomic revision of select Australian chelonine lineages (where I will describe new species and create an identification key).

 

I am also interested in the history of science and cultural entomology (see also the Insect Film Festival).

Research Funding

2011 – Society of Australian Systematic Biologists: student bursary

2011 – Australian Biological Resources Study: taxonomic Grant

2010 – Lirabenda Endowment Fund: research grant

2010 – present University of Adelaide: ASI Scholarship for conducting my PhD project

2010 – Sir Mark Mitchell: research Grant

2004 – Landesstiftung Baden-Württemberg: travel grant for field work in Brazil

Publications

Kittel, R.: Colour visions among humans and animals. In: 200 Years Goethe's Colour Theory. Proceedings of the Interdisciplinary Symposium in Hamburg, October 12-15, 2010.
hrsg Wolfschmidt, G., Hamburg: tredition science 2011: 490-501

Kittel, R.: Textilfärberei mit natürlichen Farbstoffen In: Farben in Kulturgeschichte und Naturwissenschaft, hrsg Wolfschmidt, G., Hamburg: tredition science 2011: 280-295

Kittel, R.: Farbwahrnehmung bei Mensch und Tier In: Farben in Kulturgeschichte und Naturwissenschaft, hrsg Wolfschmidt, G., Hamburg: tredition science 2011: 306-317

Kittel, R.: Infektionen auf dem Vormarsch: Der Klimawandel und die Verbreitung von Krankheitsüberträgern. In: Kalte Zeiten – Warme Zeiten: Klimawandel(n) in Norddeutschland, hrsg. Fansa, M., Katalog zu Ausstellung. Darmstadt, 2010: S. 46-49

Kittel, R.: Prähistorischer Faunenwandel durch Klimaänderungen. In: Kalte Zeiten – Warme Zeiten: Klimawandel(n) in Norddeutschland, hrsg. Fansa, M., Katalog zu Ausstellung. Darmstadt, 2010: S. 20-23

Kittel, R. & J. Hoffmann, 2009: 10 Jahre Junge Systematiker. GfBS Newsletter 21: 30-33.

Kittel, R. : Untersuchungen zur Diversität und Ökologie von Libellen des Naturschutzreservates Pró-Mata in Rio Grande do Sul, Brasilien. 28. Jahrestagung der Gesellschaft deutschsprachiger Odonatologen (GdO), Basel, 20-22 March 2009 (abstract)

Kittel, R.: Die Schmetterlingssammlung (Insecta: Lepidoptera) aus dem Weser-Ems-Gebiet im LMNM, Oldenburg. In: Museumsjournal Natur und Mensch – Naturkunde – Kulturkunde – Museumskunde, 2009/01, S. 13-30.

Kittel, R.: Schmetterling des Jahres 2009 – Das Tagpfauenauge (Aglais io), in: Schmetterlinge - Boten der Götter, hrsg. Fansa, M.,  Katalog zur Ausstellung. Darmstadt, 2009, S.12-15.

Kittel, R.: Schmetterlinge - Die Verwandlungskünstler, in: Schmetterlinge - Boten der Götter, hrsg. Fansa, M.,  Katalog zur Ausstellung. Darmstadt, 2009, S.16-56.

Kittel, R.: Geschichte der Schmetterlingskunde und ihre Darstellung, in: Schmetterlinge - Boten der Götter, hrsg. Fansa, M.,  Katalog zur Ausstellung. Darmstadt, 2009, S. 57-69.

Kittel, R.: Die Seidenspinner, in: Schmetterlinge - Boten der Götter, hrsg. Fansa, M.,  Katalog zur Ausstellung. Darmstadt, 2009, S.120-126.

Kittel, R.: Die Geschichte der Physik. In: Xplora Physik auf dem Marktplatz – im Labor – im Hörsaal. Die Praxis der Experimentalphysik in Europa zwischen 1700 und 1920, hrsg. Mamoun Fansa. Katalog zur Ausstellung. Oldenburg 2009: S. 15-20.

Dunker, M.; Kittel, R.; Hornbostel, K. and P. Zwerger: Vegetationskundliche Erhebungen zum Einfluss ausgewählter Herbizide auf Nichtzielpflanzen in Randstrukturen. Zeitschrift für Pflanzenkrankheiten und Pflanzenschutz: Sonderheft. 18, 2002, 1013-1021.

 

Conferences

Participated 10^th Invertebrate Biodiversity and Conservation Conference, Melbourne Australia, 4- 8 December 2011, Oral presentation: The phylogeny and species diversity of Australian chelonine wasps (Hymenoptera: Braconidae)

Participated Fouth International Barcode of Life Conference, Adelaide, Australia, 28 November - 3 December 2011, Oral presentation: DNA based species delineation: diversity and phylogeny of Australian chelonine wasps (Hymenoptera: Braconidae); parasitoids of lepidopteran eggs

Participated 3^rd Combined Australian and New Zealand Entomological Societies Conference, Christchurch, New Zealand, 28 August – 1 September 201, poster presenatation: Diversity and phylogeny of Australian chelonine wasps (Hymenoptera: Braconidae); parasitoids of lepidopteran eggs

Attended Conference 7^th International Society of Hymenopterists Köszeg, Hungary, 20-26 June 2010

Participated Conference Museumsverband Niedersachsen & Bremen, Osnabrück, Germany, 3-5 March 2010, Short presentation: The butterfly exhibition in Oldenburg

Participated Conference of the 22. Westdeutschen Entomologentag 20-21 November 2008, Aquazoo-Löbbecke Museum, Düsseldorf, Germany, Oral presentation: Eine Geschichte der Schmetterlingskunde

Attended Conference Climate Change – global challenge for the 21. Century 29-30 May 2008, Landesmuseum Natur und Mensch, Oldenburg, Germany: Member of Organization Team

Participated Conference of the 28. Gesellschaft deutschsprachiger Odonatologen 21-22 March 2009, Naturhistorischen Museum Basel, Basel, Switzerland, Oral presentation: Untersuchung zur Diversität und Ökologie von Libellen des Naturschutzreservates Pró-Mata in Rio Grande do Sul, Brasilien

Participated Conference of the 21. Westdeutschen Entomologentag, Aquazoo-Löbbecke Museum, Düsseldorf, Germany, 21-22 Novmber 2008, Oral presentation: Rio Grande do Sul, der Süden Brasiliens – unerforschte Lebensräume der Libellen

Attended Symposium Challenges in speciation research, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, England, 15-18 September 2008

Professional Associations

2012 – present Society of Systematic Biologists

2011 – present BushBlitz Scientist

2011 – present Committee member of Biological Society of South Australia

2011 – present Society of Australian Systematic Biologists

2010 – present International Society of Hymenoptera

2010 – present Australian Entomological Society

2008 – present NABU

Files

• Insect Film Festival - insect_film_festival_poster.pdf [590.1K] (application/pdf)

Entry last updated: Tuesday, 6 Mar 2012