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 entries
Archival resources
Adolph Basser Library, Australian Academy of Science
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
- 'Woolley, Patricia', Trove, National Library of Australia, 2009, https://nla.gov.au/nla.party-1476481. Details
Resource Sections
- Thornton, Ian, 'Interview with Dr Patricia Woolley', in Interviews with Australian scientists, Australian Academy of Science, 9 November 2000, https://www.science.org.au/learning/general-audience/history/interviews-australian-scientists/dr-patricia-woolley-zoologist. Details
Rosanne Walker and Helen Cohn
Created: 15 August 2002, Last modified: 25 November 2022