Doctor of Philosophy in Natural Sciences, Macquarie University (currently enrolled, expected completion 2028)

Project title: Speciation genomics of the Australian Grass-finches (Poephilinae).

Master of Research in Natural Sciences, Macquarie University (2024)

Thesis title: Gene expression divergence in Poephila finches highlights the role of sex chromosomes in speciation.

Bachelor of Science (Hons, First Class), Australian National University (2021)

Thesis title: Molecular evolution and speciation in the Australian Eugongylus skink clade.

Major: Evolution, Ecology and Organismal Biology

Minor: Biological Anthropology

Bachelor of Arts, Australian National University (2020)

Major: Linguistics

Minor: Archaeology

Year 12 Certificate, Gungahlin College (2016)

Graduated Dux of the School with an ATAR of 99.10.

Undergraduate tutor/demonstrator, Macquarie University

Units taught:

BIOL3120 Human Genetics and Evolutionary Medicine (Semester 1 2024, Semester 1 2025)

Adjunct MRes Advisor in Macquarie University School of Natural Sciences

Secondary supervisor on MRes project for bioinformatics and molecular lab work

Research technician (Moritz Group), ANU Research School of Biology (October 2020 - June 2023)

My first two years in this position were as lead assistant on a large project aiming to assess genetic diversity and phylogeography of a range of vertebrate species impacted by the 2019-20 Black Summer bushfires. Following this, my role shifted to research support of postdoctoral researchers in our lab. This involved large amounts of genetics lab work, including high throughput procedures, as well as computational data wrangling and analysis. I was fortunate to have the opportunity to lead several projects of my own during this time.

Genomics technician, Biomolecular Resource Facility (November 2021 - May 2022)

In this role I worked as a technician in the genotyping team of the Biomolecular Resource Facility. I was responsible for performing DNA digestion and PCR/KASP genotyping assays of tissue samples of laboratory mice from the Australian Phenomics Facility. This role was heavily lab-based, requiring attention to detail and the ability to manage many hundreds of samples simultaneously with a focus on following standard protocols.

Coder and Research assistant, Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History (November 2017 - January 2020)

Grambank is a linguistic database which aims to compile morphosyntactic data for all described languages around the world. My role in this project was to read grammatical descriptions and interpret them in order to fill out typological surveys, which were then fed into the database. My role also involved corresponding with language experts around the world, data analysis and visualisation in R, and working with our international team using GitHub.

Fulbright Sir John Carrick NSW Scholarship (2025) - >$35,000

Macquarie Research Excellence Scholarship (2024-2028) - $38,500 per year

Executive Dean's Commendation for Academic Excellence in Year 2 Master of Research (2024)

ANU Research School of Biology Anjeli Nathan Memorial Honours Scholarship (2021) - $7,000

Public Education Foundation Acadmic Excellence Award (2016) - $1000

Please email me if you are unable to access any of my papers.

Schembri, R, Catullo, RA, Shea, G, Oliver, PMO 2025. Cold, creeping things: Deep phylogeographic structure in a naturally fragmented cool-adapted skink (Scincidae; Anepischetosia) from south-eastern Australia. Conservation Genetics. DOI: 10.1007/s10592-025-01701-6 

Sopniewski, J, Schembri, R, Moritz, C, Baker, AM, Batista, S, Donellan, S, Eldridge, MDB, Gray, EL, Gynther, IC, Frankham, GJ, Hines, HB, Hoskin, CJ, Mahony, M, Mason, ED, Melville, J, Mitchell, N, Mutton, MEF, Newell, D, O'Hara, K, Oliver, PM, Potter, S, Rowley, JJL, Scheele, BC, Shea, G, Sumner, J, Catullo, RA 2025 [in review]. Conservation macrogenetics reveals the potential hidden consequences of the 2019-20 Black Summer fires on Australian biodiversity. EcoEvoRxiv. DOI: 10.32942/X2X068.

Schembri, R, Bromham, L, Moritz, C, Hua, X 2025. Comparing rates of molecular and morphological evolution reveals multiple speciation trajectories in a diverse radiation of skinks. Evolution. DOI: 10.1093/evolut/qpaf033. [Editor's Choice]

Zozaya, S, Macor, S, Schembri, R, Lau, CC, Hoskin, C, Higgie, M, O’Hara, K, Read, W, Moritz, C 2025. Contact zones reveal restricted introgression despite frequent hybridisation across a recent lizard radiation. Evolution. DOI: 10.1093/evolut/qpae174.

Kemppainen, P, Schembri, R, Momigliano, P 2024. Boundary effects cause false signals of range expansion in population genomic data. Molecular Biology and Evolution: 41(5). DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msae091.

Roycroft, E, Ford, F, Ramm, T, Schembri, R, Breed, W, Burns, P, Rowe, KC, Moritz, CC 2024. Speciation across biomes: Rapid diversification with reproductive isolation in the Australian delicate mice. Molecular Ecology: 33(7). DOI: 10.1111/mec.17301.

Passmore, S, Barth, W, Greenhill, S, Quinn, K, Sheard, C, Argyriou, P, Birchall, J, Bowern, C, Calladine, J, Deb, A, Diederen, A, Metsäranta, N, Araujo, LH, Schembri, R, Hickey-Hall, J, Honkola, T, Mitchell, A, Poole, L, Rácz, P, Roberts, S, Ross, R, Thomas-Colquhoun, E, Evans, N, Jordan, FM 2023. Kinbank: A global database of kinship terminology. PLOS ONE. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0283218.

Skirgård, H, […] Schembri, R, […] Gray, RD 2023. Grambank reveals the importance of genealogical constraints on linguistic diversity and highlights the impact of language loss. Science Advances: 9(16). DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adg6175.

Catullo, RA, Schembri, R, McDonald-Spicer, C, Killian, A, O’Hara, K, Moritz, CC. 2022. Conservation genomic assessments of bushfire-impacted vertebrates: Confidential report (Project 8.3.3). NESP Threatened Species Recovery Hub. Canberra.

Catullo, R, Schembri, R, Goncalves Tedeschi, L, Eldridge, M, Joseph, L, Moritz, C. 2021. Benchmarking taxonomic and genetic diversity after the fact: Lessons learned from the catastrophic 2019–2020 Australian bushfires. Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution: 9. DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2021.645820.

Catullo, R, Moritz, C [with Schembri, R & Tedeschi, L]. 2020. Interim Report – Project 8.3.3: Genetic assessment of bushfire-impacted vertebrate species. National Environmental Science Program Threatened Species Recovery Hub. Available from: https://www.nespthreatenedspecies.edu.au/publications-and-tools/genetic-assessment-of-bushfire-impacted-vertebrate-species.

Gene expression divergence in Poephila finches: Non-adaptive regulatory divergence, sex chromosomes, and hybrid incompatibility - Australasian Evolution Society Conference, December 2024

Gene expression and speciation in Poephila finches [lightning talk] - Genetics Society of Australasia Conference, July 2024

Comparing Rates of Molecular and Morphological Change in Diverging Pairs of Eugongylinae Skinks [poster] - 23rd International Congress of Genetics, July 2023

Genetic Assessments of Bushfire Impacted Vertebrate Species - Centre for Biodiversity Analysis 10th Anniversary Science Symposium, October 2022