Person

Woolley, Patricia Ann (1932 - )

AM

Born
1932
Denmark, Western Australia, Australia
Occupation
Mammalogist

Summary

Patricia Woolley is a zoologist renowned for her pioneering research on Australian marsupials, particularly dasyurids. Her main interest is their reproductive biology and the anatomy of the male genital organs. She focused on the endangered dibbler (Parantechinus apicalis), species in the genus Antechinus, and the Julia Creek dunnart (Sminthopsis douglasi), thought to be extinct until rediscovered by Woolley. Much of her work was done through extensive field studies, including during the 1980s and 1990s in Papua New Guinea, and captive breeding programs. Woolley's early career was in the zoology departments at the University of Western Australia, the Waite Institute of Agricultural Research, and the Australian National University. In 1967 she was the first zoologist appointed at La Trobe University. Her course in marsupial biology became renowned across Australia. She retired in 2000 as Associate Professor. Woolley was made an Honorary Life Member of the Australian Mammal Society in 2000. Woolley's false antechinus (Pseudantechinus woolleyae) was named in her honour.

Details

Chronology

1955
Education - Bachelor of Science (BSc), University of Western Australia
1955 - 1960
Career position - Research assistant to Harry Waring, Zoology Department, University of Western Australia
1961?
Career position - Temporary lecturer in zoology, Australian National University
1961 - 2000
Career position - Member, Australian Mammal Society
1966
Career position - Research assistant, Department of Animal Physiology, Waite Institute of Agricultural Research
1966
Education - Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Australian National University
1967 - 2000
Career position - Lecturer (later Associate Professor) in Zoology, La Trobe University
1999
Award - Outstanding Achievement Award, Society of Woman Geographers
2000 -
Award - Honorary Life Member and Fellow, Australian Mammal Society
2000 -
Career position - Emeritus Scholar, Department of Ecology, Environment and Evolution, La Trobe University
2000 -
Award - Honorary Life Member, Australian Mammal Society
2001 -
Award - Honorary Member, American Society of Mammalogists
2003
Award - Ellis Troughton Memorial Award, Australian Mammal Society
2019
Award - Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for significant service to environment through the conservation of Australian dasyurid marsupials

Related Corporate Bodies

Archival resources

Adolph Basser Library, Australian Academy of Science

  • Australian Mammal Society - Records, 1958 - 2010, MS 184; Adolph Basser Library, Australian Academy of Science. Details

Published resources

Encyclopedia of Australian Science and Innovation Exhibitions

  • McCarthy, Gavan; Morgan, Helen; Smith, Ailie; van den Bosch, Alan, Where are the Women in Australian Science?, Exhibition of the Encyclopedia of Australian Science and Innovation, First published 2003 with lists updated regulary edn, Australian Science and Technology Heritage Centre, Melbourne, Victoria, 2003, https://eoas.info/exhibitions/wisa/wisa.html. Details

Book Sections

  • Woolley, P. A., 'Phallic morphology of the Australian species of Antechinus (Dasyuridae, Marsupialia): a new taxonomic tool?' in Carnivorous marsupials, Archer, Michael, ed., vol. 2 (Mosman, N.S.W.: Royal Zoological Society of New South Wales, 1982), pp. 767-81. Details

Journal Articles

  • Krajewski. C.; Woolley, P..A.; and Westerman, M., 'The evolution of reproductive strategies in dasyurid marsupials: implications of molecular phylogeny', Biological journal of the Linnean Society, 71 (3) (2000), 417-35. Details
  • Woolley, P., 'Reproduction in Antechinus spp. and other dasyruid mammals', Symposia of the Zoological Society of London, 15 (1966), 281-94. Details
  • Woolley, P. A., 'New records of the Julia Creek Dunnart, Sminthopsis douglasi (Marsupialia, Dasyuridae)', Wildlife research, 19 (6) (1992), 779-83. Details
  • Woolley, P.A., 'Reproduction in Sminthopsis macroura (Marsupialia, Dasyuridae), 1: the female', Australian journal of zoology, 38 (2) (1990), 187-205. Details
  • Woolley, P.A.; and Ahem, L. D., 'Observations on the ecology and reproduction of Sminthopsis leucopus (Marsupialia: Dasyuridae)', Proceedings of the Royal Society of Victoria, 95 (4) (1983), 169-80. Details

Resources

Resource Sections

Rosanne Walker and Helen Cohn

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