Rachel Schwarz

I completed my BSc studies at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel while working as an assistant in a veterinary clinic. My passion is studying and understanding the animal life around us, and the forces shaping them. This encouraged me to pursue an academic career.

I am now completing my MSc studies at the department of Zoology, Tel Aviv University, Israel, under the supervision of Professors Shai Meiri (Tel Aviv University) and Panayiotis Pafilis (University of Athens). During my MSc my colleagues and I conducted research on the reptile fauna of several Greek islands. My project focused on finding the evolutionary drivers of reproduction trait variability of insular Kotschyi's gecko populations. The research included collecting specimens and ecological data, such as population density and food abundance from over 30 Cyclades islands and mainland sites in Greece. I conducted reproduction experiments in the lab to explore clutch size, egg volume, incubation time and hatchling size and growth. My general goal is to evaluate how the attributes of the islands affect and shape these traits in this gecko species.

I plan to start my PhD studies this coming winter at Tel Aviv University. My research will focus on the ecological and evolutionary adaptations of lizard traits in the eastern Mediterranean region. The proposed research will be an integral part of my doctoral studies.

August 2016