Perry Beasley-Hall, PhD
Hi!
I'm Perry (she/they), an entomologist and evolutionary biologist. I use genetics to untangle the intricate Tree of Life for the world's most biodiverse group of animals: insects.My research centres on species that have evolved in isolation for extended periods of time, such as cave fauna. My aim is to extract valuable evolutionary insights to contribute to long-term conservation outcomes, including naming new species.Outside of my day-to-day work I'm dedicated to public outreach, with a mission to inspire people to become insect advocates.I'm also passionate about elevating the visibility of LGBTQ+ and neurodivergent people working in STEM fields.
Research
Outreach
Education
My research focuses on the biodiversity hidden in Australia's subterranean environments: caves, burrows, even aquifers.Understanding how these animals have evolved gives us the best chance of conserving them—and their unique habitats—long into the future.Read more
I'm passionate about invertebrate advocacy and education.I've contributed to scientific outreach through radio and podcast interviews, short films, art festivals, and more.Read more
Ph.D. (2021), The University of SydneyHB.Sc. (2016), The University of AdelaideB.Sc. (2015), The University of Adelaide
Perry Beasley-Hall, PhD
Upcoming
Balart-García, P, Bradford, T, Beasley-Hall, P G, Polak, S, Ribera, I, Cooper, S J B, Fernandez, R (preprint). Highly dynamic evolution of the chemosensory gene repertoire driven by gene gain and expansion across subterranean beetles. bioRxiv, doi: 10.1101/2022.12.08.519422v1.
Beasley-Hall, P G, Kinjo, Y, Rose, H A, Walker, J, Foster, C S P, Kovacs, T G L, Bourguignon, T, Ho, S Y W, Lo, N (preprint). Shrinking in the dark: Parallel endosymbiont genome erosions are associated with repeated host transitions to an underground life. bioRxiv, doi: 10.1101/2023.09.11.557272.
Hedges, B A, Guzik, M T, Beasley-Hall, P G, Nankivell, A, Austin, A D, Weinstein, P (under review). The only free drink in the desert: Vertebrate visitation to freshwater rock-holes shows dependence on ephemeral water bodies. Ecology and Evolution.
2023
Balart-García, P, Aristide, L, Bradford, T, Beasley-Hall, P G, Polak, S, Ribera, I, Cooper, S J B, Fernandez, R (2023). Genomic exaptation and convergent evolution paved the way to independent subterranean colonization across beetle lineages. Nature Communications 14: 3842.
Beasley-Hall, P G, Murphy, N P, King, R A, White, N E, Hedges, B A, Cooper, S J B, Austin, A D, Guzik, M T (2023). Time capsules of biodiversity: future research directions for groundwater-dependent ecosystems of the Great Artesian Basin. Frontiers in Environmental Science 10: 1021987.
2022
Beasley-Hall, P G, Bertozzi, T, Bradford, T M, Foster, C S P, Jones, K, Tierney, S M, Humphreys, W F, Austin, A D, Cooper, S J B (2022). Differential transcriptomic responses to heat stress in surface and subterranean diving beetles. Scientific Reports 12: 16194.
Jones, B R, Brock, P D, Mantovani, B, Beasley-Hall, P G, Yeates, D K, Lo, N (2022). Integrative taxonomy of the stick insect genus Austrocarausius Brock, 2000 (Phasmatodea: Lonchodidae) reveals cryptic species in remnant Queensland rainforests. Invertebrate Systematics 36, 849–873.
Langille B L, Tierney S M, Bertozzi T, Beasley-Hall, P G, Bradford T M, Fagan-Jeffries E P, Hyde J, Leijs R, Richardson M, Saint KM, Stringer DN, Villastrigo A, Humphreys WF, Austin A D, Cooper S J B (2022). Parallel decay of vision genes in subterranean water beetles. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 173, 107522.
2021
Umbers, K, Beasley-Hall, P G (2021). Polyzosteria viridissima. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2021: e.T190512630A196182036.
Hogg, C, Morrison, C, Dudley, J, Alquezar-Planas, D, Beasley-Hall, P G, Magrath, M, Ho, S Y W, Lo, N, Johnson, R, Grueber, C (2021). Using phylogenetics to explore inter-species genetic rescue options for a critically endangered parrot. Conservation Science and Practice, e483.
Beasley-Hall, P G, Rose, H A, Walker, J, Kinjo, Y, Bourguignon, T, Lo, N (2021). Digging deep: a revised phylogeny of Australian burrowing cockroaches (Blaberidae: Panesthiinae, Geoscapheinae) confirms extensive nonmonophyly and provides insights into biogeography and evolution of burrowing. Systematic Entomology 46, 767–783.
Beasley-Hall, P G, Rose, H A, Bourguignon, T, Lo, N (2021). Molecular systematics and biogeography of an Australian soil burrowing cockroach with polymorphic males, Geoscapheus dilatatus (Blattodea: Blaberidae: Geoscapheinae). Austral Entomology 60, 317–329.
2020 and earlier
Beasley-Hall, P G, Chui, J, Arab, D A, Lo, N (2019). Evidence for a complex evolutionary history of mound building in the Australian nasute termites (Nasutitermitinae). Biological Journal of the Linnean Society 126, 304–314.
Beasley-Hall, P G, Lee, T R C, Rose, H A, Lo, N (2018). Multiple abiotic factors correlate with parallel evolution in Australian soil burrowing cockroaches. Journal of Biogeography 45, 1515–1528.
Beasley-Hall, P G, Tierney, S M, Weinstein, P, Austin, A D (2018). A revised phylogeny of macropathine cave crickets (Orthoptera: Rhaphidophoridae) uncovers a paraphyletic Australian fauna. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 126, 153–161.
Journals I've reviewed for
Arthropod Systematics and Phylogeny
Austral Entomology
Ecology and Evolution
Insect Science
Invertebrate Systematics
Molecular Ecology
One Earth
Scientific Reports
Systematic Entomology
Perry Beasley-Hall, PhD
Media engagement
Profiled in Wear It Purple Day poster series, Questacon, August 2023
More black native crickets in Ballarat may be because of rainy La Niña summer. The Courier, February 2023
Lost ark of animals awaits discovery in Australia's arid zone. Cosmos Weekly, February 2023
The Latest Set of Emojis Matter. Here's Why. Wall Street Journal, August 2022
Queers in Science is helping tackle discrimination in STEM, QNews, July 2022
Celebrating Pride in STEM, Dope Labs Podcast, June 2022
Unravelling the enigma of cave crickets, Environment Institute Blog, May 2022
Australian native animals as pets. Yes/No?, What the Duck?!, ABC Radio National, April 2022
Why women scientists are rallying around six-year-old bug and frog lover Lyra, ABC Science, April 2022
Cockroaches Are Cool!, NPR Short Wave, National Public Radio, Oct 2021
Crickets and Sprickets, Off Track with Ann Jones, ABC Radio National, Sep 2021
The BFG of the Insect World, Off Track with Ann Jones, ABC Radio National, May 2021
Caves, Roaches, and Microbes, OH MY!, The Science Stream, May 2021
Australian giant cockroaches actually hiss, Australian Geographic, 2018
Women in entomology, Breakfast with Wendy Harmer and Robbie Buck, ABC Radio Sydney, 2018
Down and dirty: the Aussie women working in entomology, Australian Geographic, 2018
Speaking and writing
Invited speaker, Australian Speleological Federation, Name it, save it: Cave crickets and the race to describe Australia’s underground biodiversity, April 2023
Co-author, Introducing the invertebrates factsheet, Biodiversity Council of Australia, December 2022
Invited speaker, Cave Exploration Group of South Australia, What's in a name? The science of cave insect taxonomy, August 2022
Invited speaker, Australian Speleological Federation, Evolved in the dark: insects of the subterranean world, May 2022
Invited speaker, Queers in STEMM Showcase run by Queers in Science, Nov 2021
Contributor, It's in our Nature: A Queer Tour of the Museum, South Australian Museum, Nov 2021
Volunteer presenter, Night Lab: Metamorphosis, South Australian Museum, Sep 2021
Lead writer, Adapted to the Dark: Rhaphidophoridae (short film) for the International Year of Caves and Karst, 2021
Organising member and invited speaker, An Evening with 500 Queer Scientists at the Royal Botanic Garden Sydney, 2019–2020
Service to organisations
Current
Scientific Advisory Committee, Invertebrates Australia, 2023–present
National Steering Committee, Taxonomy Australia, 2023–present
Judge, Science at the Fringe Award, Adelaide Fringe Festival, 2021–present
Past
Program Leader, Inform program, Invertebrates Australia, 2022–2023
State co-chair, Queers in Science South Australia chapter, 2020–2022
Scientific committee chair & organising committee, Australian Entomological Society 52nd AGM and Scientific Conference, 2021
Social media officer, Early and Mid-Career Researcher Association (School of Biological Sciences), The University of Adelaide, 2020–2021
Board member and Social Media Director, Australian Entomological Society, 2019–2022
Perry Beasley-Hall, PhD
Grants
Beasley-Hall, P. G., Austin, A. D., Cooper, S. J. B., Reed, E., Trewick, S. (2022–2025). Systematics and taxonomy of Australian cave crickets (Rhaphidophoridae: Macropathinae): an enigmatic and at-risk fauna. Australian Biological Resources Study National Taxonomy Research Grant Program. $300,000. Principal Investigator.
Shaw, M., Beasley-Hall, P. G. (2023). Solving the evolutionary puzzle of climate outliers: description of new cave and mallee mites (Dermanyssiae: Ologamasidae) as part of the Yalata Bush Blitz. Australian Government Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water. $15,000. Joint Investigator.
Systematics and taxonomy of Australian cave crickets (Rhaphidophoridae: Macropathinae): an enigmatic and at-risk fauna. Australian Speleological Federation Karst Conservation Fund. $15,000. Principal Investigator.
Papadelos, P., Beasley-Hall, P. G., Hewitt, A., Umbers, K., Guzik, M. T., Beasley, C. (2022). Science communication behind the scenes?: Interrogating the role of women in professional life sciences societies. The University of Adelaide ABLE Interdisciplinary Research Grant. $10,000. Co-chief Investigator.
Beasley-Hall, P. G., Austin, A. D., Cooper, S. J. B., Reed, E., Trewick, S. (2022–2025).
Awards
2019: Award for best student presentation in systematics, Australian Entomological Society
2019: 1st place for best talk, School of Life and Environmental Sciences Postgraduate Showcase, The University of Sydney
2019: Postgraduate Research Student Support Scheme ($3,000), The University of Sydney
2018: Graduate Student Research Award ($2,700), Society of Systematic Biologists
2018: Phil Carne Prize finalist, Australian Entomological Society,
2018: Postgraduate Research Student Support Scheme ($1,300), The University of Sydney
2017: Early PhD Student Travel Grant, Australian Entomological Society
2017: 2nd place for best talk, School of Life and Environmental Sciences Postgraduate Showcase, The University of Sydney
2017: Australian Government Research Training Program Stipend Scholarship ($75,000)
2015: Faculty of Sciences Outstanding Academic Achievement Award, The University of Adelaide
2014: Adelaide Summer Research Scholarship at the Australian Centre for Ancient DNA, The University of Adelaide
2014: Faculty of Sciences Outstanding Academic Achievement Award, The University of Adelaide
Perry Beasley-Hall, PhD
Current
ABRS Postdoctoral Fellow, The University of Adelaide, December 2022–present
Past positions
Honorary Associate, The University of Sydney, May 2021 to January 2023
Project Officer in Evolutionary Genomics, South Australian Museum, January to December 2022
Postdoctoral Researcher, The University of Adelaide, August 2020 to January 2022
Education
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), The University of Sydney, 2017-2021
Honours Degree of Bachelor of Science (First Class), The University of Adelaide, 2016
2013-2015: Bachelor of Science (Advanced), The University of Adelaide, 2013-2015
Teaching
Lecturer and organising committee member, 8th National Postgraduate Training Workshop in Systematics, The University of Adelaide, 2022
Teaching assistant, The University of Sydney, 2017-2020
Instructor, Taming the BEAST Down Under, 2019
Instructor, Sydney Phylogenetics Workshop, 2017-2019
Teaching assistant, The University of Adelaide, 2016
Professional development
Developing Positive Partnerships Program, The University of Adelaide, 2021
Environment Institute Emerging Leaders Development Program, The University of Adelaide, 2021