This month we are profiling Mark Schutze, Principal Scientist (Entomology), Queensland Department of Primary Industry (QDPI). This forms part of our focus on reference collections, highlighting the work of dedicated researchers and staff.
How did you find yourself on this career path?
I can’t remember a time when I wasn’t interested in insects, and I’ve always wanted a career in entomology. After completing high school in Victoria, I chose the University of Queensland (UQ), which was the only institution with a dedicated Department of Entomology in Australia at the time. It offered an extensive range of undergraduate courses in ecological entomology, insect behaviour and physiology, medical and veterinary entomology, insect systematics and taxonomy, insect morphology, acarology, and more.
In my third year, mornings were filled with lectures, and afternoons were spent in practical sessions working with insects. It was an exciting time to study entomology, and I feel privileged to have been part of the department before it merged with zoology, which led to a significant decline in undergraduate entomology offerings.
After completing my undergraduate degree and gaining experience in a molecular diagnostics lab (along with other entomology-related jobs), I took a break for a classic six-month backpacking adventure across Europe. On my return I pursued a PhD at Queensland University of Technology (QUT) under the supervision of Prof Tony Clarke. That project, examining variation in a native leaf beetle to determine whether it was one species or several, aunched my research journey in integrative taxonomy.
I honed my skills during my post-doctoral years at QUT with Prof Clarke, studying the systematics and taxonomy of pest species in the Bactrocera dorsalis (Oriental fruit fly) complex. It was an incredible opportunity, part of a truly global research program that took me to Southeast Asia, South America, and Europe. I also undertook a placement in Austria with the International Atomic Energy Agency for a couple of years. This work, along with leading a subsequent research project to develop the Fruit Fly Handbook and Website, cemented my role in plant biosecurity entomology, supported by two biosecurity CRCs.
After completing these research projects—and a period of undergraduate teaching and postgraduate supervision at QUT—I joined the Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries (QDAF). There, I succeeded Desley Tree in supporting entomological diagnostics and curating the Queensland state agricultural collection, the QDPC.
How long have you worked in this area?
Seemingly forever and for as long as I can remember.
What taxa/taxon do you specialise in, if any?
For many years, my research focused on tephritid fruit flies, particularly the pest species of the Oriental fruit fly complex. Through a Queensland-Smithsonian Fellowship, I had the opportunity to spend three months at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C., where I was hosted by Allen Norrbom. He taught me everything I know about Anastrepha, expanding my knowledge to include South American fruit flies.
While I remain actively involved in fruit fly research, my role at QDPI has broadened to include responsibility for the ‘small little blobs’—the groups that few others take an interest in, let alone specialise in. These include scale insects (including mealybugs), aphids, whiteflies, and thrips. Since joining QDPI in 2016, I have been developing my expertise in these groups, to the point where I can identify the common taxa—and know exactly who to call for the tricky ones!
What does a typical workday look like for you?
My day is quite varied. I usually arrive at around 7:30 am, clear a few emails, and then dive into diagnostics, such as slide-mounting mealybugs or examining thrips. I also handle email correspondence, work on papers or reports, arrange (or attend… or occasionally dodge!) meetings, check in on—aka pester—the entomology team to ensure everything is running smoothly, and manage collections-related tasks like specimen accessioning.
I have a few ongoing projects, including updating our collection’s policy documents and putting the finishing touches on a scale insect review paper, which I’m working on with some wonderfully knowledgeable co-authors.
What do you enjoy most about working in this area?
I enjoy the variety. Every day presents a different challenge, and I appreciate that even the more difficult aspects of my job are ultimately rewarding (usually!). Our group has also become increasingly active in building our research activities, which, while sometimes a juggling act in balancing ‘core duties,’ has energised the team in working towards improving ‘what we do and how we do it’ in the field of entomological plant biosecurity.
I also find satisfaction in the collections work—everything from entering new accessions into the database to organising national meetings, such as those for the Australian Entomological Society’s Collections Committee, of which I am the convenor. I enjoy seeing the connections between hands-on practical collections management and higher-level decision-making, and I hope the small role I play contributes to improving how we preserve, manage, utilise, and grow our national collections assets.
What do you find the most challenging about working in this area?
The variety, especially the unexpected type. While this is core to what we do, and I enjoy it, it’s certainly a challenge when a completely new pest appears and we need to act fast. This challenge is made even greater by perennial resource limitations and the ongoing pressure to do more with less, especially in areas that are not often seen as high profile, such as biological collections. Thankfully, this situation appears to be changing as collections gain greater visibility and appreciation.
This is not a challenge faced by our group alone, but by collections across the country, where much more investment is needed to ensure they remain fit for purpose. This includes maintaining their role as the ultimate point of truth for what species occurred, where, and when, and ensuring they are fully utilised to support the broader plant health system.
What is your most memorable career achievement?
Good question. I’ve had a few, but I think the most impactful was the publication of the synonymisation of several pest species of the Oriental fruit fly complex. To date, this was my most important paper, and one that emerged from several years of post-doc research built upon decades of excellent work by many peers from around the world, many of whom have since become good friends. This work resolved years of taxonomic confusion that significantly, and negatively, impacted international market access and basic research. It’s going to be hard to top that and I have many people to thank for that opportunity, not least of which my long-time mentor and friend, Tony Clarke.
What advice would you give anyone who is unfamiliar with plant pest/pathogen reference collections and wants to use their services (i.e., specimen deposition, diagnoses, loaning)?
Contact the curator or collection manager as early as possible with any questions. Too often, collections (and associated services) are an afterthought once a research project has concluded. Engaging with us early in project development and implementation can save time and add significant value.
Factor collections-related activities into budgets—identifying, curating, and housing voucher specimens (which every project should retain) costs money. Collections staff are highly skilled scientists with expertise not only in collection management but also in insect collecting, preservation, taxonomy, and systematics.
It’s poor practice to arrive unannounced with a large volume of poorly preserved or unidentified material, only to find we can’t assist because the specimens are unsuitable for identification or retention, or there’s simply too much to process. Staff working in collections are not sitting idle—we appreciate it when researchers consider how we can assist and recognise the value of what we offer.
We also have extensive networks, so if we can’t help, we can usually connect you with someone who can. Again, early engagement is key.
Visit Mark’s ORCID
