We welcome Dr. Rosalind Murray as a speaker for our SES Seminar series. Dr. Murray will talk about "Mating system evolution and female ornamentation in the dance flies (Diptera: Empididae)". Dr. Rosalind Murray is an Assistant Professor with the Department of Biology at the University of Toronto Mississauga. 

Abstract

Sexual selection can drive changes in behaviour, morphology, and physiology across taxa. While many foundational studies in sexual selection emphasize conventional sex roles, with males exhibiting ornaments and females being the choosy sex, our research group focuses on understanding the implications of female-specific ornamentation in dance flies (subfamily: Empidinae). Through the integration of empirical evidence and evolutionary theory, we investigate the ecological and evolutionary significance of these ornaments, particularly in shaping mating systems within and across taxa.

Bio

Dr. Rosalind Murray is an evolutionary ecologist with a research program investigating how the environment influences sex differences.  Her lab uses several insect systems (including mosquitoes, dragonflies and dance flies) to investigate how stressors across life stages can shape life history evolution. She completed her PhD at the University of Sterling in Scotland. After her post-doctoral research at the University of Toronto Mississauga and the University of Toronto St. George, she is back at the University of Toronto Missaussaga in her role as an Assistant Professor since 2021. 

You can learn more about Dr. Murray's research on her website. [2]