Jan Hemmi

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Jan Hemmi

Associate Professor, PhD ANU

 https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4629-9362

  • The University of Western Australia (M092), 35 Stirling Highway,

    6009 Perth

    Australia

Calculated based on number of publications stored in Pure and citations from Scopus

Personal profile

Biography

I was born and brought up in Switzerland where I studied biology at the University of Zürich with a focus on Ethology (animal behaviour). At that time I was particularly interested in cognitive and social processes in primates and horses. In 1994 I came to Australia to do my PhD in the Developmental Neurobiology group at the ANU. My project explored the relationship between the structure and function of the tammar wallaby's visual system. The unusual photoreceptor topography I observed in these animals sparked my interest in visual ecology. After the completion of my PhD I joined the Visual Sciences group (ANU) where I began work on the ecology of visual information processing in fiddler crabs. I joined UWA in 2012 to work on the visual control of behaviour in fiddler crabs. The relationship between sensory processing and animal behaviour is the main focus of my research group. Much of our work is highly comparative and involves a range of different animals. We work on ants and crabs to crocodiles, lizards, fish, sharks and dunnarts.

Roles and responsibilities

Roles
- Member Executive Board Schoold of Biological Sciences
- Chair Research Committee School of Biological Sciences
- Member Learning and Teaching Committee School of Biological Sciences
- Honours coordinator School of Biological Sciences
- Academic editor PLOS ONE
- Member Editorial Advisory Board Journal of Experimental Biology

Research Techniques
- Analysis of animal behaviour: Field and laboratory work (macaques, wallabies, possums, dunnarts, flies, bees, lizards, ants, crabs)
- Spectrographic imaging and measurements
- Quantitative video film analysis, Multiple camera calibration / alignment
- Immunocytochemistry (retinal wholemounts, tammar wallaby)
- Microspectrophotometry (MSP) (tammar wallaby, spotted quoll)
- Electrophysiology: Electroretinogram recordings (ERG), Visual Evoked Potentials (VEP) and Patch clamp recordings (tammar wallaby), Intracellular recordings (crabs)
- Extensive experience in multivariate statistical analysis and experimental design including: Multiple regression, Generalised linear regression, Generalised Linear Mixed Models, Residual Maximum Likelihood Analysis, Permutation analysis

Funding overview

2020-2024 “Going Wild: Neural processing in freely moving animals” Hemmi, Partridge, Tomsic – ARC DP200102642  $475,000
2020-2021 “Evolution of Hyperiid Visual Systems” Osborn, Hemmi – Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History (NMNH, 33CORA20OSBORN)  USD$214,000
2018-2022 “Polarization vision: insights from biological systems for imaging solutions“ Hemmi, Partridge, How – ARC DP180100491 $394,402
2016-2018 “RoboCrab: An integrative approach to understanding natural escape decisions“ Hemmi, Partridge, Webb – ARC DP160102658 $437,500
2016 “Xenotec OcuScience ERG System (Electroretinogram) “
Chen, Hunt, Forrester, Degli-Esposti, Hemmi, Andoniou, dos Santos Carvalho - NHMRC
2014-2016 “Transcriptome sequencing and functional characterisation of craniate non-visual sensory systems and their adaptation to diverse light environments” Davies, Hunt, Carter, Hemmi & Partridge– ARC DP140102117 $380,000
2013 “A case of mistaken identity? Why do sharks attack humans?” Hart, Hemmi & Ryan– SWRRFI research grant $11,000
2011-2014 “Neuro-ecology: information processing under natural conditions” FT110100528 Hemmi – ARC Future Fellowship $711,993
2010-2013 “Insect Hovering Flight” Zeil, Hemmi – Defence Science and Technology Organisation (DSTO) $219,000
2010 Three month visiting fellowship grant for Dr J. Douglass – ARC Centre of Excellence in Vision Science $8,000
2009 Two month visiting fellowship grant for Mr. Olle Lind – Centre for Visual Sciences $4,500
2008 Two month visiting post-doc Fellowship grant for Dr. Richard Peters – Centre for Visual Sciences $8,000
2007 Three month visiting fellowship grant Dr. Tobias Merkle – Centre for Visual Sciences $8,000
2007 Three high intensity tuneable light sources and accessories – ARC Centre of Excellence in Vision Science $85,000
2005-2007 “To flee or not to flee: surviving on incomplete information” DP0558038 Hemmi, Zimmer, Zeil, ARC Discovery Project $265,000
2005 Synchronized, medium Hi-Speed Firewire 3-Camera system- Centre for Visual Sciences $16,000
2003 Ocean Optics spectrograph Hemmi, Zeil - IAS-PPF Fund for Biotechnology $8,000

Previous positions

2016 - 2019 Senior Lecturer, School of Biological Sciences University of Western Australia
2012 - 2016 ARC Future Fellow, School of Animal Biology, University of Western Australia
2008 – 2011
Fellow, ARC Centre of Excellence in Vision Science, The Australian National University, Group leader Visual Neuroethology, Research School of Biology.

2003 - 2007
Research Fellow, Research School of Biological Sciences, Visual Sciences, The Australian National University. From 2007, Group leader Visual Neuroethology, Research School of Biology.

2002 - 2003
Postdoctoral Fellowship, Centre for Visual Sciences, The Australian National University.

2000 - 2002
Fellowship for advanced researchers, Swiss National Science Foundation, Visual Sciences, Research School of Biological Sciences, The Australian National University.

1999 - 2000
Fellowship for prospective researchers, Swiss National Science Foundation, Visual Sciences, Research School of Biological Sciences, The Australian National University.

1998 - 1999
Postdoctoral Fellowship, Centre for Visual Sciences. Visual Neurosciences, John Curtin School of Medical Research, The Australian National University.

Teaching overview

Coordination & teaching
ANIM3320 “Comparative Neurobiology”, 3rd year course
ANIM3363 "Environmental Physiology: , 3rd year course
Honours & Masters Project Coordinator School of Biological Sciences
- BIOL4446/5556 “Research Presentation skills”
- BIOL5332-5/5552-5 “Research Dissertation Parts 1-4”

Teaching
BIOL1130 “Fronitiers in Biology”, 1st year courseANIM5505 “Marine ANIM2209 “Field course in Zoology”, 2nd year
ANIM3364 “Behavioural Ecology”, 3rd year course

Research

Vision
Deep sea vision and behaviour
Neural control of behaviour
Animal behaviour
Sensory ecology

Languages

English
German

Expertise related to UN Sustainable Development Goals

In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This person’s work contributes towards the following SDG(s):

  • SDG 2 - Zero Hunger
  • SDG 7 - Affordable and Clean Energy
  • SDG 13 - Climate Action
  • SDG 14 - Life Below Water

Research expertise keywords

  • Neuroscience
  • Vision
  • Behaviour
  • Colour vision
  • Sensory ecology
  • Marsupial vision and behaviour
  • Invertebrate vision and behaviour

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