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I have a lifelong passion for invertebrates and amphibians and have worked at Museums Victoria since 2005. As an animal keeper in Live Exhibits I have collected, maintained and displayed live invertebrates, reptiles, amphibians, birds and fish. While Assistant Collection Manager for the Tissue Collection and Ian Potter Australian Wildlife BioBank I managed the tissue and DNA collection, which included transferring the State Collection to a liquid nitrogen cryogenic facility. And as Legacy Registration Officer I physically and electronically registered thousands of invertebrate specimens. I completed my PhD through a joint partnership with The University of Melbourne and Museums Victoria, looking at the conservation genetics of the Growling Grass Frog, Litoria raniformis.

I currently assist with the management of the incredible Invertebrate Collections (terrestrial and marine) at Museums Victoria. This role includes managing the collections and associated information to enable their use in Museum research, exhibitions and public programs. It also includes providing access to visiting researchers, assisting with field collection trips and the preservation and accession of invertebrate specimens into the State Collections.

Qualifications

PhD, University of Melbourne, Australia

BSc (Hons), University of Melbourne, Australia

Key publications

Potvin D, Parris K, Smith-Date K, Keely C, Bray R, Hale J, Hunjan S, Austin J, Melville J. 2017. Genetic erosion and escalating extinction risk in frogs with increasing wildfire frequency. Journal of Applied Ecology 54(3): 945-954.

Keely, C.C., Hale, J.M., Heard, G.W., Parris, K.M., Sumner, J., Hamer, A.J. and Melville, J. 2015. Genetic structure and diversity of the endangered growling grass frog in a rapidly urbanising region. Royal Society Open Science 2(8): 1-13.

Mahony, M.J., Hamer, A.J., Pickett, E.J., McKenzie, D.J., Stockwell, M.P., Garnham, J.I., Keely, C.C., Deboo, M.L., O’Meara, J., Pollard, C.J., Clulow, S., Lemckert, F.L., Bower, D.S., Clulow J. 2013. Identifying conservation and research priorities in the face of uncertainty: A review of the threatened bell frog complex in eastern Australia. Herpetological Conservation and Biology 8(3): 519-538.

Keely, C.C., Maldonado, S.P. Litoria raniformis (Growling Grass Frog). Leucism. Herpetological Review 44(2) 2013.