About the Authors

(Return to Home Page)

The authors comprise a team with a range of skills and experience that make them uniquely qualified to put together the first teaching text on conservation genetics:

Dick Frankham was Professor of Biology at Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia for 31 years. He began his career in quantitative genetics, achieving international recognition for his work on Drosophila before turning to conservation genetics in the early 1990s. He has made a significant contribution to the establishment and advancement of the field and has become one of the major figures in the discipline.He holds honorary appointments at Macquarie University, James Cook University and the Australian Museum.

Jon Ballou is Population Manager and Head of the Department of Conservation Biology at the Smithsonian Institution’s National Zoological Park in Washington, D.C., USA and an adjunct member of the faculty at the University of Maryland. His career has focused on developing the science underlying the practical management of small populations of endangered or threatened species, both captive and wild. The results of his studies have been instrumental in highlighting the key role played by genetics in wildlife conservation and management.

David Briscoe is Associate Professor of Biology at Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia where he has been a close collaborator with Dick Frankham on Drosophila research, as well as working with others on rock wallabies, velvet worms and slime molds. An outstanding communicator, his inspirational teaching enthuses students at all levels and reaches beyond the academic sphere through television appearances and popular level books such as Biodiversity: Australia’s Living Wealthy to which he contributed.