Prof. Neil. J.L. Heideman

Transcription

1 Prof. Neil. J.L. Heideman Position Office Mailing address Vice-dean (Professor of Zoology) : No. 10, Biology Building : P.O. Box 339 (Internal Box 44), Bloemfontein 9300, South Africa : heidemannj.sci@mail.uovs.ac.za Telephone : +27-(0) Fax. : +27-(0) ACADEMIC TRAINING AND PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE University of the Western Cape: B.Sc (Botany and Zoology, 1978) B.Sc. Hons (Zoology, 1979)

2 M.Sc (Zoology, 1983) University of Stellenbosch: Ph.D (Zoology, 1992) University of the Free State: MBA (ongoing) BIOGRAPHIC OVERVIEW I started my academic career in 1982 as the founding lecturer and Head of the Zoology Department of the University of Namibia where I lectured until the middle of 1995, ending my term as an Associate Professor. I also served as Dean of the Faculty of Science in 1992 and I joined the National Museum in Bloemfontein, South Africa, in the middle of 1995 as Head of its Herpetology Department and in 1998 was appointed Professor and Head of the Zoology Department at the Qwaqwa campus of the University of the North. Following the merging of the Botany and Zoology Departments, I served as Head of the School of Life Sciences from the middle of 1998 to I was the Deputydean of Science in 2001 and After the incorporation of the Qwaqwa campus into the University of the Free State, I was appointed Programme Head of Natural and Agricultural Sciences. I became the Vice-dean of the Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences in I continue to lecture at the Honours level and supervising postgraduate students. RESEARCH I am a herpetologist by training with specialization in functional morphology and ecology of lizards. Over the past years I have been focusing mainly on legless fossorial skinks of

3 which our country has a very high diversity. My research group is currently active in reviewing the taxonomy and constructing the phylogeny and phylogeography of these lizards using both morphological and molecular markers. We are now also starting to look into the conservation genetics of our Red Data Book herpetofauna using microsatellites, among other molecular markers. Ecological work dealing with reproductive biology, diet and size dimorphism is also carried out. I have an official rating as a scientist from the National Research Foundation which is also the primary source of my research funds. LECTURING EXPERIENCE Zoology I : Cell Biology & Biochemistry, Tissues, Organs, Gaseous Exchange, Control of Respiratory Gases, Nutrition, Internal Transport, Osmoregulation & Excretion, Thermoregulation, Neurophysiology, Endocrinology, Immunity, Genetics, Evolution, Introduction to Animal Diversity, Principles of Ecology, Population & Community Ecology, Conservation Biology Zoology II : Invertebrate Biology, Invertebrate phylogeny, Intertidal Ecology, Limnology, Desert Ecology, Parasitology, Invertebrate embryology, Reptile taxonomy and morphology Zoology III : Principles of Evolution, Vertebrate Biogeography, Comparative and Functional Vertebrate Morphology, Vertebrate reproductive biology, Vertebrate embryology, Reptile taxonomy, phylogeny and morphology Honours : Taxonomy, Systematics, Population genetics, Reptile reproductive Biology.

4 POSTGRADUATE SUPERVISION Completed : 8 Honours; 4 Masters; 2 Postdoctoral Research Fellows In progress : 2 Honours; 1 Masters; 1 Ph.D LABORATORY AND OTHER RESEARCH TECHNIQUES Conventional histology; DNA extraction, PCR and purification, dissection STATISTICS BACKGROUND Good working knowledge of univariate and multivariate statistics; experience in using the software package CSS STATISTICA 5.1 INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE PARTICIPATION Several presentations: USA, South America, Europe, Asia, South Africa Numerous local presentations SELECTED PUBLICATIONS OVER THE PAST FIVE YEARS Heideman, N.J.L. (2001). Sexual size dimorphism in Agama etoshae (McLachlan 1981). African Journal of Ecology. (Africa) 39: Daniels, S.R, N.J.L. Heideman, M.G.J. Hendricks and B.A. Wilson. (2002). A molecular phylogeny for the South African limbless lizards fauna of the subfamily Acontinae (Sauria: Scincidae) with special emphasis on relationships within the genus Acontias. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution (USA) 24(2):

5 Heideman, N.J.L. (2002). A comparison of the breeding and non-breeding season diet of Agama aculeata and Agama planiceps (Reptilia: Agamidae) in Windhoek, Namibia. Journal of Herpetology (USA) 36(3): Heideman, N.J.L. (2002). The occurrence of the arthropod endoparasite Raillietiella namibiensis (Pentastomida: Cephalobaenida), in the lungs of agamid lizards of Windhoek, Namibia. Herpetological Journal (Britain) 12: Nkosi, W.T., N.J.L. Heideman and J.H. van Wyk Reproduction and sexual size dimorphism in the lacertid lizard Pedioplanis burchelli (Sauria: Lacertidae) in South Africa. Journal of Herpetology (USA), 38(4): Daniels, S.R, N.J.L. Heideman, M.G.J. Hendricks, M.E. Mokone and K. Crandall Unraveling evolutionary lineages in the limbless fossorial skink genus Acontias (Sauria: Scincidae): are subspecies equivalent systematic units? Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution (USA) 34: MANUASCRIPTS SUBMITTED AND UNDER REVIEW Daniels, S.R, N.J.L. Heideman, M.G.J. Hendricks and K. A. Crandall. Taxonomic subdivisions within the fossorial skink subfamily Acontinae (Sauria: Scincidae:) reconsidered: a multi-locus perspective. Zoologica Scripta (USA) Heideman, N., S. Daniels, M. Mokone, M. Thibedi, P. Mashinini, M. Hendricks, B. Wilson and R. Douglas. Sexual size dimorphism in the African limbless fossorial skink subfamily Acontinae. Journal of Zoology (London).

6 Kaars, L.F., M.F. Bates and N.J.L. Heideman. A comparative analysis of the diets of two sympatric skinks, Trachylepis punctatissima ( A. Smith) and Trachylepis varia (Peters) in the Free State Province, South Africa. African Journal of Herpetology (South Africa).