University of California at Davis (citation, honors) B.S. Zoology

• Assistant Professor & Curator, Department of Biological Sciences, Museum of Natural Science, Louisiana State University. September 2003/7 – Present.

• Assistant Professor, Department of Biology, University of North Dakota. January 2000 – August 2003.

• Institute of Statistical Mathematics, Postdoctoral Fellow, Tokyo 1998-1999.

• National Science Foundation Postdoctoral Fellow, University of California, San Diego 1997-1998.

• Myer Postdoctoral Fellow, Australian Museum, Sydney 1997.

• National Science Foundation Postdoctoral Fellow, South Australian Museum, Adelaide 1995-1997.

Publications:

• Williams, D.J., M. O'Shea, R.L. Daguerre, C.E. Pook, , W. Wuster, C.J. Hayden, J.D. McVay, O. Paiva, T. Matainaho, K.D. Winkel and C.C. Austin (in press). Origin of the eastern brown snake, Pseudonaja textilis (Duméril, Bibron and Duméril) (Serpentes: Elapidae: Hydrophiinae) in New Guinea: evidence of multiple dispersals from Australia, and comments on the status of Pseudonaja textillis pughi Hoser 2003. Zootaxa

• Austin, C.C., Hayden, C.J., Bibilale, I., Dahl, C. and J. Anaminiato (in press). Checklist and Comments on the Terrestrial Amphibian and Reptile Fauna from Utai, Northwestern Papua New Guinea. Herpetological Review

• Das, I, de Silva, A. and C. C. Austin (in press). A new species of Eutropis (Squamata: Scincidae) from Sri Lanka. Zootaxa

• Richards, S.J., L.M. Mack, and C.C. Austin (2007). Two new species of Platymantis (Anura: Ceratobatrachidae) from the Admiralty Archipelago, Papua New Guinea. Zootaxa, 1639: 41-45

• Jiang, Z., T.A. Castoe, C.C. Austin, F.T. Burbrink, M.D. Herron, J.A. McGuire, C.L. Parkinson, and D.D. Pollock. (2007 in press). Comparative mitochondrial genomics of snakes and functionality of the duplicate control region. BMC Evolutionary Biology, 7:123.

• Smith, S.A., R.A. Sadlier, A.M. Bauer, C.C. Austin, and T. Jackman (2007). Molecular phylogeny of the scincid lizards of New Caledonia and adjacent areas: evidence for a single origin of the endemic skinks of Tasmantis. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 43:1151-1166.

• Das, I and C.C. Austin (2007). A new species of Lipinia (Squamata: Scincidae) from Borneo, revealed by molecular and morphological data. Journal of Herpetology, 41:61-71.

• Klompen, H. and C.C. Austin. (2007). A new species of Ophiomegistus Banks (Acari: Paramegistidae) from Papua New Guinea. Zootaxa, 1387:47-57.

• Munemasa, M., M. Nikaido, S. Donnellan, C.C. Austin, N. Okada, and M. Hasegawa. (2006). Phylogenetic analysis of Diprotodontian Marsupials based on complete mitochondrial genomes. Genes & Genetic Systems, 81:181-191.

• Piskurek, O., Austin, C.C. and N. Okada. (2006). Sauria SINEs: Genealogy of novel short interspersed retrotransposable elements that are widespread in reptile genomes. Journal of Molecular Evolution, 62:630-644.

• Austin, C.C (2006). Checklist and comments on the terrestrial reptile fauna of Kau Wildlife Area, Papua New Guinea. Herpetological Review, 37:167-170.

• Austin, C.C. and S.L. Perkins. (2006). Parasites in a biodiversity hotspot: A survey of hematozoa and a molecular phylogenetic analysis of Plasmodium in New Guinea skinks. Journal of Parasitology, 92:770-777.

• Márquez, L. C. and C. C. Austin. (2005). Geographic Distribution: Geophis blanchardi (Blanchard's Earth Snake). Herpetological Review, 36:82.

• Fuerst, G.S. and C.C. Austin. (2004). Population genetic structure of the Prairie Skink (Eumeces septentrionalis): nested clade analysis of post Pleistocene populations. Journal of Herpetology, 38:257-268.

• Bauer, A.M., T. Jackman, S.A. Smith, R.A Saidler, and C.C. Austin. (2004). Note: Vocalization in Nannoscincus gracilis (New Caledonian Gracile Dwarf Skink). Herpetological Review, 35:268-269.

• Rest, J.S., J.C. Ast, C.C. Austin, P.J. Waddell, E.A. Tibbets, J.M. Hay, D.P. Mindell. (2003). Molecular systematics of Reptilia and the tuatara mitochondrial genome. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 29:289-297.

•  Smith, S.A., C.C. Austin, and R. Shine. (2001) A phylogenetic analysis of the evolution of viviparity within an Australian lizard species (Saiphos equalis, Scincidae). Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 74:131-139.

• Austin, C.C. (2000). Molecular phylogeny, population structure, and historical biogeography of Pacific island boas (Candoia). Copeia 2000:341-352.

•  Austin, C.C. (1999). Lizards took express train to Polynesia. Nature 397:113-114.

• Austin, C.C. and G. Zug. (1999). Molecular and morphological evolution in the south-central Pacific skink Emoia tongana (Reptilia: Squamata): uniformity and human-mediated dispersal. Australian Journal of Zoology 47:425-437.

• Austin, C.C. (1999). Island Colonization by Lipinia noctua (Reptilia: Scincidae) in Melanesia: Molecular Phylogeny and Population Structure Based on Mitochondrial Cytochrome b and 12S rRNA Genes. In: Island Herpetofauna: Origin, current status and Conservation. T. Ota, ed. Pp.169-189, Elsevier Press.

• Austin, C. C. (1999). Colonization, isolation and speciation of lizards on Pacific islands: a molecular genetic perspective. Aquabiology 21:313-318.

• Saint, K.M, C.C. Austin, S.C. Donnellan and M.N. Hutchinson. (1998). C-mos, a nuclear marker useful for squamate phylogenetic analysis. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 10:259-263.

• Austin, C.C. (1998). Phylogenetic relationships of Lipinia (Scincidae) from New Guinea based on DNA sequence variation from the mitochondrial 12S rRNA and nuclear c-mos genes. Hamadryad 23:93-102.

• Irschick, D.J., C.C. Austin, K. Petren, R.N. Fisher, J.B. Losos, and O. Ellers. (1996). A comparative analysis of clinging ability among pad-bearing lizards. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society 59:21-35.

• Austin, C.C. (1995). Molecular and morphological evolution in South Pacific scincid lizards: morphological conservatism and phylogenetic relationships of Papuan Lipinia (Scincidae). Herpetologica 51:291-300.

• Austin, C.C. (1995). A new method of bi-polymerase sequencing prevents "stop-bands." Molecular Biotechnology 4:100-101.

• Adler, G.H., C.C. Austin, and R. Dudley. (1995). Dispersal and speciation of skinks among archipelagos in the tropical Pacific Ocean. Evolutionary Ecology 9:529-541.

• Austin, C.C. and K.J. Jessing. (1994). Green-blood pigmentation in lizards. Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology 109A:619-626.

• Austin, C.C. and H.B. Shaffer. (1992). Short-, medium-, and long term repeatability of locomotor performance in the tiger salamander Ambystoma californiense. Functional Ecology 6:145-153.

• Shaffer, H.B., C.C. Austin, and R.B. Huey. (1991). The consequences of metamorphosis on salamander (Ambystoma) locomotor performance. Physiological Zoology 64:212-231.

• de Silva, A., A. M. Bauer, C.C Austin, S. Goonewardene, J. Drake, P. de Silva, M.G.T.H. Aberathna, T. Dassanayaka, G. S. Samarawickrama, R.D.C.S.K. Dasanayaka, A.M.R.K. Amarakoon & M. M. Goonasekera. (2005). The diversity of the Knuckles ecosystem, with special reference to it herpetofauna. Lyriocephalus, 6:13-33.

• de Silva, A., C. C. Austin, A. M. Bauer, S. Goonewardene, J. Drake, P. de Silva, T. Shripathy, S. Ramesh, K. Suthagar & A. Kajatheepan. (2005). Observations on the skinks inhabiting the knuckles massif: with special reference to the genus Lankascincus. Lyriocephalus, 6:95-100.

• de Silva, A., A. M. Bauer, C.C. Austin, S. Goonewardene, J. Drake & P. de Silva. (2005). Chalcidoseps thwaitesii (Günther, 1872) (Reptilia: Scincidae) four-toed skink: preliminary observations. Lyriocephalus, 6:103-111.

• de Silva, A., A. Bauer, A., C.C. Austin, S. Goonewardene, J. Drake, A. Balasubramaniam, C. Rajendran, V. Pathmadevan, M. Fernando & K.Sureskumar. (2005). Notes on Nessia species inhabiting the knuckles massif with special reference to Nessia bipes Smith, 1935 (Reptilia: Scincidae): the dominant snake skink. Lyriocephalus, 6:115-123.

• de Silva, A., S. Goonewardene, A. Bauer, C. C. Austin, J. Drake & P. de Silva. (2005). Notes on the snakes inhabiting the Knuckles massif with special reference to Uropeltis melanogaster (Gray, 1858) and Uropeltis phillipsi (Nicholls, 1929). Lyriocephalus, 6:149-159.

• de Silva, A. R. P. V. J. Rajapaksa, R.R.M.K.K. Wijesundera, M. de Silva, A. Bauer, S.Goonewardene, J. Drake, C.C. Austin, N. A. N. D. Perera, D. de Silva, U. Hemachandra , C. Nelawatura & D. A. Sathrasinghe. (2005). Preliminary observations on some parasites of geckos, skinks and snakes inhabiting the Knuckles massif. Lyriocephalus, 6:173-177.

• Austin, C.C., I. Das and A. de Silva. (2004). Higher-level molecular phylogenetic relationships of the endemic genus Lankascincus from Sri Lanka based on nuclear DNA sequences. In: The Herpetology of Sri Lanka: Current Research (including the Proceeding of the Fourth World Congress of Herpetology, Sri Lankan papers and the Nilgala Expedition papers) Lyriocephalus Special Issue. V. 5, Nos, 1&2:11-22.

• de Silva, A., A.M. Bauer, C.C. Austin, S. Goonewardene, Z. Hawke, V. Vanneck. A. Drion, K.B.J.K. Perera, R.L. Jayaratne and M.M. Goonasekera. (2004). The diversity of Nilgala forest, Sri Lanka, with special reference to its herpetofauna. In: The Herpetology of Sri Lanka: Current Research (including the Proceeding of the Fourth World Congress of Herpetology, Sri Lankan papers and the Nilgala Expedition papers) Lyriocephalus Special Issue. V. 5, Nos, 1&2:164-182.

• de Silva, A., A.M. Bauer, C.C. Austin, B.J.K. Perera, R.L. Jayaratne, M.M. Goonasekera, S. Goonewardene, Z. Hawke, V. Vanneck and A. Drion. (2004). Some cultural traits of the inhabitants of the Nilgala fire savannah, Sri Lanka, towards animals: with special reference to the herpetofauna. In: The Herpetology of Sri Lanka: Current Research (including the Proceeding of the Fourth World Congress of Herpetology, Sri Lankan papers and the Nilgala Expedition papers) Lyriocephalus Special Issue. V. 5, Nos, 1&2:183-191.

• de Silva, A., A.M. Bauer, C.C. Austin, S. Goonewardene, Z. Hawke, V. Vanneck, A. Drion, P. de Silva, B.J.K. Perera, R.L. Jayaratne and M.M. Goonasekera. (2004). Distribution and the natural history of Calodactylodes illingworthorum (Reptilia: Gekkonidae) in Sri Lanka: preliminary findings. In: The Herpetology of Sri Lanka: Current Research (including the Proceeding of the Fourth World Congress of Herpetology, Sri Lankan papers and the Nilgala Expedition papers) Lyriocephalus Special Issue. V. 5, Nos, 1&2:192-198.

• de Silva, A., R.P.V.J. Rajapakse, A.M. Bauer, W.M.J. de Silva, C.C. Austin, S. Goonewardene and M.M. Goonasekera. (2004). First report of parasites of Hemidactylus maculatus hunae and Calodactylodes illingworthorum (Reptilia: Gekkonidae) inhabiting the Nigala fire savannah, Sri Lanka. In: The Herpetology of Sri Lanka: Current Research (including the Proceeding of the Fourth World Congress of Herpetology, Sri Lankan papers and the Nilgala Expedition papers) Lyriocephalus Special Issue. V. 5, Nos, 1&2:199-205.

• de Silva, A., C.C. Austin, A.M. Bauer, S. Goonewardene, Z. Hawke, V. Vanneck, A. Drion and M.M. Goonasekera. (2004). Some behavioural aspects of Ophisops leschenaultii lankae (Reptilia: Lacertidae) at Nigala fire savannah, Sri Lanka. In: The Herpetology of Sri Lanka: Current Research (including the Proceeding of the Fourth World Congress of Herpetology, Sri Lankan papers and the Nilgala Expedition papers) Lyriocephalus Special Issue. V. 5, Nos, 1&2:206-212.

• Bauer, A.M., de Silva, A. and C.C. Austin. (2004). The use of abandoned wasp nests by Hemidactylus depressus in Sri Lanka. In: The Herpetology of Sri Lanka: Current Research (including the Proceeding of the Fourth World Congress of Herpetology, Sri Lankan papers and the Nilgala Expedition papers) Lyriocephalus Special Issue. V. 5, Nos, 1&2:221-222.

• National Science Foundation DEB 0445213: Evolutionary Biogeography in the Lowland Reptile and Amphibian Fauna from New Guinea. Austin (PI), Allison (Co-PI), and Donnellan (Co-PI), Division of Environmental Biology, Population and Evolutionary Processes Cluster (2005-2009). $495,370. Read the Abstract on NSF's web site

• National Science Foundation Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) supplement to DEB 0445213, Austin (PI), (2006). $6,000. Read the Abstract on NSF's web site

• National Science Foundation DEB 0408010: Dissertation Research: Population-level Genetic Differentiation During the Early Stages of a Radiation in Two Reptilian Families. Austin (PI) with Ph.D. student Alison Jennings (Co-PI), Division of Environmental Biology, Population and Evolutionary Processes Cluster (2004-2007). $12,290. Read the Abstract on NSF's web site

• National Science Foundation DBI 0400797: An Automated Capillary Sequencer for Systematics, Population Genetics, Genomics, and Molecular Ecology. Biological Infrastructure. Brumfield (PI), Austin (Co-PI), Hafner (Co-PI), and Sheldon (Co-PI) (2004). $126,481. Read the Abstract on NSF's web site

• National Science Foundation DBI 0115985: Acquisition of an Automated Sequencer, Biological Infrastructure. LaDuke (PI), Austin (Co-PI), Detke (Co-PI), and Young (Co-PI) (2001).$185,967. Read the Abstract on NSF's web site

• National Science Foundation supplemental grant to Postdoctoral grant INT 9505429 (1997). $10,000. Read the Abstract on NSF's web site

• National Science Foundation International Programs Postdoctoral Fellowship INT 9505429 (1995-1998). $59,000. Read the Abstract on NSF's web site

• National Science Foundation IBN 9311139: Dissertation Research: Molecular and Morphological Evolution in South Pacific Skinks. (1993). $17,700. Read the Abstract on NSF's web site

• Herpetology (BIOL 4146)

• Evolution (BIOL 3040)

• Molecular Evolution Seminar (BIOL/ENTM 7946)

• Curatorial Methods (BIOL 7800)

• Directed Studies (BIOL 3999)

• National Science Foundation, 2007

• National Science Foundation, 2007

• National Science Foundation, 2005

• National Science Foundation, 2002

• National Science Foundation, 2001

• National Science Foundation, 2006

• National Science Foundation, 2005

• National Science Foundation, 2004

• National Science Foundation, 2003

• National Science Foundation, 2003

• National Science Foundation, 2003

• National Science Foundation, 2001

• External review for University of New Orleans International Alumni Association’s Early Career Achievement Award in Research or Creative Arts 2007

• National Geographic 2006

• Australian Research Council (Australian Federal equivalent of NSF) 2005

• Australian Research Council (Australian Federal equivalent of NSF) 2004

• National Geographic 2003

• American Philosophical Society Research Grants 2003

• Australian Research Council (Australian Federal equivalent of NSF) 2003

• Australian Research Council (Australian Federal equivalent of NSF) 2002

• Villanova University, acted as external reviewer for internal grant 2002

• Australian Research Council (Australian Federal equivalent of NSF) 2001

• Australian Research Council (Australian Federal equivalent of NSF) 1999

• Australian Research Council (Australian Federal equivalent of NSF) 1998

• Australian Research Council (Australian Federal equivalent of NSF) 1997

Animal Conservation (2), Australian Journal of Zoology (2), Biological Journal of the Linnean Society (1), Contemporary Herpetology (1), Copeia (1), Evolution (1), Functional Ecology (1), Gene (1), Hamadryad (4), Herpetologica (2), Herpetological Journal (1), Herpetological Review (3), Journal of Comparative Physiology (1), Journal of Herpetology (3), Journal of Molecular Evolution (1), Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution (2), Nature (1), Pacific Science (1), Proceedings of the National Academy (PNAS) (1), Royal Raffles Bulletin (2), Salamandra (1), Royal Society of South Australia (1), Zoological Science (1), Books Reviewed: Biological Science Introductory Biology textbook by Scott Freeman

Editor, Occasional Papers of the Museum of Natural Science 2007-present

• LSU Childcare center- presentation/discussion with preschool children about amphibians and the frog life-cycle. Presentation to five different classes of 15 children. 2007

• LSU Black Student Union & Community-University Partnership Old South Baton Rouge Day of Service volunteer painting houses for low-income residents, March 2007

• Heart Walk volunteer set up and organization, March 2007

• Judge for High School Regional Science and Engineering Fair, March 2006

• Heart Walk volunteer set up and organization, March 2006

• Judge for High School Regional Science and Engineering Fair, March 2005

• Judge for High School Regional Science and Engineering Fair, March 2004

• Common reptiles of New Guinea Tri-lingual Poster. December 2006 prototype printed for distribution to schools and conservation organizations in Papua New Guinea. Final tri-lingual version for lizards and snakes to be completed August 2007.

• Joint annual meeting of the Society for the Study of Evolution (SSE), the Society of Systematic Biologists (SSB), and the American Society of Naturalists (ASN), Christchurch, New Zealand, June 16-20, 2007.

• Talk at Hennig Society meetings XXVI, New Orleans, Louisiana, June 28 - July 2, 2007.

• Talk at joint meeting of the American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists, Herpetologists League, and Society of the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles, St. Louis, Missouri, 11-16 July 2007.

• Louisiana Herpetological Research Group meetings at LUMCON, November 2006.

• Evolution meetings, Fort Collins Colorado, June 2004.

• Louisiana Herpetological Research Group meetings at LUMCON, November 2003.

• American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists. La Paz, Mexico 2000.

• Symposium: Towards a New Horizon of Molecular Evolution— Molecular Phylogenetics as a Statistical Science. Tokyo, Japan 1998.

• Japanese Society of Herpetologists. Tokyo, Japan 1998.

• Third Asian Herpetological Meeting. Almaty, Kazakstan 1998.

• Society of Australian Systematic Biologists. Adelaide, Australia 1997.

• Australian Society of Herpetologists. Perth, Australia 1997.

• Society for the Study of Evolution and Society of Systematic Biology. Montreal, Canada 1995.

• American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists. Austin, Texas 1994.

• Society for the Study of Evolution and Society of Systematic Biology. Athens, Georgia 1994.

• Society for the Study of Evolution and Society of Systematic Biology. Snowbird, Utah 1993.

• American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists. San Francisco, California 1989.

• American Society of Zoologists. San Francisco, California 1988.

• Symposium: The Arena of Adaptive Radiation and Extinction of Island Fauna. Kagoshima University, Japan 1998.

• Symposium: Diversity of Reptiles, Amphibians and Other Terrestrial Animal on Tropical Islands: Origin, Current Status and Conservation. Tropical Biosphere Research Center, University of the Ryukyus. June 1998.

• American Museum of Natural History, March 2007.

• Louisiana State University, Saturday Science Lecture Series, March 2006.

• University of Louisiana at Lafayette, March 2006.

• University of California Berkeley, October 2005.

• Max Planck Institute, Stuttgart Germany, November 2004.

• DuPont, September 2003.

• Louisiana State University, April 2003.

• Harvard University, Museum of Comparative Zoology, March 2003.

• Ohio State University, March 2003.

• Sigma Xi, University of North Dakota, February 2003.

• University of Minnesota, MN Herpetological Society, 2002.

• University of Richmond, Virginia, March 2001.

• Universiti of Malaysia Sarawak, Kuching, Malaysia December 2000.

• Marine Biological Research Institute, Tokyo, Japan 1999.

• Departmental seminar, Vanderbilt University 1999.

• Departmental seminar, University of North Dakota 1999.

• Departmental seminar, Museum of Natural Science, Louisiana State University 1998.

• Tokyo University, Nippon Medical School. Tokyo, Japan 1998.

• San Diego State University, 1998.

• South Australian Herpetological Society. Adelaide, Australia 1997.

• South Australian Herpetological Society. Adelaide, Australia 1996.

• University of Papua New Guinea, October 2001.

• Smithsonian, United States National Museum, March 2001.

• Departmental seminar, Tokyo Institute of Technology, 1998.

• Departmental seminar, University of California at San Diego, 1998.

• Departmental seminar, University of Texas at Austin, 1995.

• Departmental seminar, University of Texas at Austin, 1990.

• Lizard Island Colonisation (1999): BBC Radio interview; BBC online article; Independent London article; Sunday Herald-Sun article; Kyodo News interview and article; Reuters article, ABC television, Sciences et Avenir, Le Monde, Australian Geographic

• Green Blood in Lizards (2000):
  Television Program: Discovery Channel/Animal Planet, “Green Blood” Mark O’Shea’s Big Adventure. This program is an ‘adventure-education’ documentary that features my research on green blood in lizards from New Guinea. Aired November 2000.

• Studio One Television interview, Nov 2000; Grand Forks Herald article, Feb 2001.

• Austin, C.C. (2001). Lizards of Ambua. Paradise Magazine, July/August, 146: 23-26.

• Austin, C.C. and J. Robins (2005). Playing a vital role in history. Post-Courier. Papua New Guinea newspaper article describing the role of natural history museums in society.

• My 2007 Journal of Herpetology paper describing a new species of scincid lizard generated some press (1) Op-Ed piece in The Advocate that concluded with “LSU also needs strong financial support from the state and private supporters in order to advance ground breaking research”. In addition, I did a TV interview for the Cox 4 channel show Around Town that aired 6 January 2007. More than 20 web sites covered this research as well as a piece on the New York Times U-wire.