Scott Keogh - Professor in Evolutionary Biology, CEO and CFO of the Keogh Lab

I am an evolutionary biologist who likes to build big molecular phylogenies and then use them to test ideas about how evolution works. We also apply our molecular skills to conservation and evolutionary ecology research. My group mostly work on reptiles and frogs. I teach first and third year vertebrate zoology and evolution and I really enjoy it. I’ve taught the vertebrate zoology section of the first year Diversity of Life course every year since 1998 and I’m not planning on stopping until I retire! I served as Convenor of the Graduate Program in Evolution, Ecology and Genetics (2000-2011), Associate Director (HDR) for the Research School of Biology (2009-2011), Head of the Division of Ecology and Evolution (2012-2019, 2023) and Interim Director of the Research School of Biology for 14 months (2020-2021). I am now back as Convenor of the Graduate Program in Ecology & Evolution (2024-onward) and a normal research and teaching life. If you need to get a life but are not able to do so right this minute then you can check out my staff profile and my Google Scholar profile. This is what I looked like in 1998 when I started, I still look exactly the same. Follow us on Blue Sky (@keoghlabanu.bsky.social) and Twitter (@Keogh_Lab)

Dr. Mitzy Pepper - Postdoctoral Research Associate (2011 - 2023), ARC DECRA Fellow (2023- )

Mitzy has been part of the lab since she was an undergrad.  Mitzy did Honours with me in 2005, then worked for me for a while, then completed her PhD in 2011 and then worked with us again as a postdoc for a number of years.  She was supported by an ABRS grant for several years and she is now on her own ARC DECRA fellowship. Mitzy has done a wide variety of projects, mostly on the comparative phylogeography of arid-zone geckos and she is a real expert on The Australian arid zone. She is currently working on several big multi-locus reptile phylogeny and pop gen projects on Australian lizards. Visit her web site and you can also watch her in a YouTube video talking about her research.  And check out Mitzy’s Google Scholar page.

Dr. Sarin “Putter” Tiatragul - PhD student (2019 - 2023), Postdoctoral Research Associate (2023-2025)

Putter is from Thailand and he did his undergraduate degree at Gonzaga University in Spokane Washington and his Masters degree at Auburn University in Auburn Alabama. There he worked with Dan Warner on the impacts on offspring of nest site choice in anoles.  Putter is already as Aussie as Don Bradman. Putter did a fantastic PhD on phylogenomics and macroevolutionary patterns in Australian blind snakes (2019-2023). Putter is now a postdoc in our lab and mostly working with us on the AusARG Phylogenomics project. Visit Putter's web site. And check out Putter’s Google Scholar page.

Dr. Ian Brennan - PhD student (2015-2019), Postdoctoral Research Associate (2019-2022, 2025)

Ian is back! Ian did his undergrad at Union College and a Masters at Villanova University with Prof. Aaron Bauer and Prof. Todd Jackman in the USA. He then his PhD in our lab on macroevolution of goannas. After postdocing with us for several years, Ian won a Marie Curie Fellowship and spent two years at the Natural History Museum in London. Ian is now back for a year on another postdoc. Visit Ian’s web site and check out Ian’s Google Scholar page.

Siwanon “Bank” Paphatmethin - PhD student (2021 - onward)

Bank is from Thailand where he finished his undergraduate degree at Suranaree University of Technology in Nakhon Ratchasima province. Bank recently finished his Masters with us and Dr Andreas Zwick (CSIRO Australian National Insect Collection) on the phylogenomics, morphology and taxonomy of a genus of Australian moths (Symphyta). He is now going to continue on with this is work based mostly at CSIRO. He’s been here for a while so he is now as Aussie as a Vegemite sandwich.

Roy Ebel - PhD student (2021- onward)

Roy Ebel is from Germany where he did his undergraduate and Masters at Humboldt University in Berlin. He worked on the evolution of bone structures in squamates. Roy is now working on the evolution of osteoderms in squamate reptiles with a particular focus on broad scale patterns across all of them and finer scale details in two Australian groups. Roy has been to Australia many names prior to starting his PhD here so he is as Aussie as a thorny devil. And check out Roy’s Google Scholar page.

Ethan Beaver - PhD student (2023- onward)

Ethan grew up in Arnhem Land (northern Australia) and so he is already as Aussie as a cane toad wallet. He did his undergrad at the University of Adelaide and his honours at ANU/CSIRO working on the taxonomy rare butterflies. Ethan is now doing a PhD, based mostly at CSIRO with Dr Andreas Zwick (CSIRO Australian National Insect Collection), working on the phylogenetics and taxonomy of Australian bagworm moths, family Psychidae. And check out Ethan’s Google Scholar page.

Anuj Shinde - PhD student (2025- onward)

Anuj is from India and is the Founder of HerpClub there. He did his undergrad at Ferguson College and an MSc at the Tel Aviv University with Prof. Shai Meiri and Prof. Uri Roll. He will be starting a PhD in late March and working on the macroevolution/ecology of Australian frogs. More details soon.

Wes Read - PhD student (2025 - onward)

Wes did his undergrad and Honours here at ANU and he is well known in the local herp community. He did his Honours thesis on gecko population genomics with Dr Stephen Zozaya and Prof. Craig Moritz and he is current working in for the local government. He will be starting a PhD in late March working on something skinky. More details soon.