Dr Sumner has been involved in the fields of molecular ecology, phylogenetics and conservation biology for 15 years. She started her research career investigating the morphological and allozyme electrophoretic differences between two species of Antechinus (marsupial mice) in south-east Australia with Prof. Chris Dickman at the University of Sydney. Dr Sumner’s PhD research involved surveys for reptiles and frogs in fragmented and continuous rainforest sites on the Atherton Tableland in the Wet Tropics of Australia under the supervision of Prof. Craig Moritz at the University of Queensland. Research concentrated on molecular ecology and genetic diversity of Gnypetoscincus queenslandiae, a rainforest endemic skink. She determined that there were changes in skink morphology in response to habitat fragmentation and a mark-recapture program was used to assess density, dispersal and neighbourhood size in G. queenslandiae. Laboratory-based research included the development of 10 variable microsatellite DNA markers and screening of over 400 individuals. She was then able to generate molecular estimates of density, dispersal, and neighbourhood size to compare to the demographic estimates. These two sets of data were highly concordant and indicated an extremely small genetic neighbourhood size for this species. Additional molecular research revealed male-biased dispersal in prickly forest skinks and deferred juvenile dispersal. In research on the effect of habitat fragmentation on genetic diversity in G. queenslandiae she found that changes in genetic diversity were small, but were in the direction predicted by the theory of genetic erosion in recently fragmented populations.
Dr Sumner joined Museum Victoria in 2006 as an ARC postdoctoral researcher collaborating with Assoc. Prof. Scott Keogh from the Australian National University. She is currently researching the Eulamprus quoyii group of water skinks as a model system in south-eastern Australia to address questions concerning how the history of the Great Dividing Range has shaped the evolutionary history of animals in the area. Geological events such as the uprising of the Great Dividing Range, and climatic events such as ice ages have shaped the current distribution of species. Her study aims to clarify the number and distribution of species in this group and determine comparative dispersal ability in relation to habitat area.
Other ongoing projects include the population biology and molecular ecology of the endangered broad-headed snake, Hoplocephalus bungaroides, and research on threatened species legislation among state and Commonwealth jurisdictions. Dr Sumner also supervises students on reptile conservation and management projects.
Dr Sumner’s career has been recognised by the following grants and awards:
- 2006–2008: Australian Research Council Postdoctoral Fellowship (with grant), ANU, $316,000.
- 2002: Dean's Award for Outstanding PhD Thesis, University of Queensland.
- 1999: Rainforest CRC Research Support Scheme, University of Queensland $7400.
- 1999: University of Queensland Postgraduate Travel Grant $5000.
- 1996–1999: Dept. of Zoology, UQ postgraduate conference grants $300 each year.
- 1996: Student Travel Award: Australian Society of Herpetologists, UQ $200.
- 1995–1998: Australian Postgraduate Award to undertake PhD research.