PAST RESEARCH
NICHOLAS WU
Ecological Physiologist at Western Sydney University, Australia
0000-0002-7130-1279
ABOUT ME
I’m from Aotearoa, and throughout my journey has led me to the land down under, where I currently reside. My first research experience was at the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA), where I looked at the effects of run-off sedimentation on the growth of marine bivalves. I then moved to fish ecology with the Large River Research group at the University of Waikato, investigating the role of floodplain habitats on the recruitment of larval fish. Near the end of my undergraduate degree, I took on a project investigating scent discrimination behaviour in the tuatara.
I then went to The University of Queensland, Australia for my Honours degree, examining the burrowing energetics of skinks as well as the comparative morphology of related species. Continuing my interest in reptiles allowed me to assist with projects on how lizards run bipedally, and role of the cloaca in salt balance in crocodiles. Afterward, I pursued a PhD program in the ECO-Lab looking at how emerging infectious diseases such as chytridiomycosis disrupts frog skin function. From 2019–2021, I was appointed as a Postdoctoral Research Associate at The University of Sydney, where I looked at how plastic pollutants influenced animals' response to climate change. I am currently a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at Western Sydney University looking at the vulnerability of Australian bats to white-nose syndrome with the BatsLab.
Society affiliations
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Australasian Bat Society (2022 – current)
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Society for Experimental Biology (2014 – current)
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Australian Society of Herpetologists (2014 – current)
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Australian and New Zealand Society for Comparative Physiology and Biochemistry (2016 – current)
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Society for Research on Amphibians and Reptiles in New Zealand (2018 – current)
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Lecturing/Demonstrating
Western Sydney University
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AGRI1009 – Wildlife Studies (2023)
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BIOS1001 – Biodiversity (2024)
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BIOS2041 – Vertebrate Biology (2023-2024)
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​ The University of Sydney
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BIOL1007 – From Molecules to Ecosystems (2021)
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BIOL2021 – Zoology (2020-2021)
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BIOL2032 – Australian Wildlife Biology (2021-2022)
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BIOL3045 – Animal Ecological Physiology (2021)
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​ The University of Queensland
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BIOL1030 – Global Challenges in Biology (2018-2019)
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BIOL1040/BIOM1050 – Cells to Organisms/ Biology for Health Sciences (2016-2019)
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BIOL3205 – Animal Ecophysiology/Physiological & Integrative Zoology (2015-2018)
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BIOM1052 – Integrated Anatomy and Physiology (2017-2018)
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BIOM2011 – Integrative Cell & Tissue Biology (2017-2019)
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BIOM2012 – Systems Physiology (2017-2018)
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BIOM3011 – Human Physiology and Pharmacology B2 (2018)
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Professional Service
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Commission member: International Union of Physiological Sciences Commission on Comparative Physiology: Evolution, Adaptation, & Environment (2023–current)
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Council member: Society for Research on Amphibians and Reptiles in New Zealand (2022–current)
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Journal Editorial Board member: Journal of Thermal Biology (2022 – current)
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Member: British Ecological Society Review College
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UQ Herpetological Society (Board member; 2016 – 2019)
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Organiser and co-organiser for various academic conferences.
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Outside interests
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Drawing
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Martial arts
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Badminton
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Traveling/hiking
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Herping
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