The evolutionary biologist has a love for nature and science communication – in the classroom, on her podcast and through comedy.
Evolutionary biologist Dr Anastasia Shavrova, in the School of Biological, Earth & Environmental Sciences (BEES), used to be a city person. A move from Europe to Canada as a child was the start of a gradual journey from hands-off appreciation of the wilderness to a love of nature that became the foundation for her career.
Her teaching and research focus on animal reproductive behaviours and extreme behaviours of sexual selection.
“I do a lot of work with our eight-legged friends – spiders, scorpions, pseudoscorpions. My favourite is the Peacock Spider. They have some of the best eyesight among invertebrates, because the females use their sight to look at the male’s bright abdomen as he dances for her.
“The dance is very particular. If she doesn’t like it, the best thing that can happen is she walks away. The worst thing that can happen is she eats him.”
Curiosity to conquer fears
Before she came to Sydney for her PhD, Anastasia was scared of spiders.
“I worked in a fly lab in Canada, and we had a lot of spiders. If I came running through the halls, people knew I’d seen a spider.”
Despite Anastasia’s initial dislike of arachnids, her curiosity about extreme mating evolution brought her to work with Professor Mike Kasumovic for her PhD.
“I had a panic attack before getting here. In the drive from the airport, I told him, ‘I’m arachnophobic.’ He said, ‘No worries! I started off with arachnophobia. Exposure therapy did wonders for me.’
“The motivation behind the science – understanding the animals – helped me overcome my fear. Don’t get me wrong – I don’t want a huntsman in my bed, but I don’t mind a huntsman in my house.”
The spiders in Anastasia’s own home now have to contend with her beloved pet bearded dragon Godzilla, also known as Zilly.
“He’s quirky, he’s got attitude and he’s a stubborn guy. He hates leafy greens even though he’s supposed to be a herbivore.”
Seeing the natural world
These days, Anastasia loves to travel and explore biodiversity hot spots while Zilly stays with friends. As a child, she was very different.
“We lived in London and Germany and Lithuania – always in big cities. My parents would take me out into the forest and the whole time I’d complain about the bugs, especially the spiders.
“Then we moved to Canada. It felt like the city was surrounded by nature. That’s where I got my love for hiking and an appreciation for the colours of autumn, and the flowers blooming in spring after an awful, dark and cold winter.”
At university, Anastasia’s burgeoning love of nature led her to study biology.
“The field courses, going out with professors who were passionate about that work, opened my eyes to really observe. Their passion was so contagious.”
Those influences have infused Anastasia’s own enthusiasm for science communication. In her work as an education-focussed academic, the conversations she has on her podcast Convos with Chordates, co-hosted with fellow UNSW alumna Dr Samantha Burke, and in her science-based comedy, she tries to ignite listeners’ curiosity as a gateway to learning.
“I love to see that spark in students when they find something they’re passionate about. Fostering that passion in a young student is the best feeling in the world.”
“What’s the worst that can happen?”
It’s a similar feeling, Anastasia says, to the moment she got her first laugh at the Sydney Comedy Festival. She started performing comedy at the prompting of UNSW alumnus Dr Luke Steller, an astrobiologist who recruited professional comedians to coach a group of scientists.
Anastasia’s philosophy is to say yes to opportunities.
“Your whole life is a wonderful experiment. Sometimes experiments don’t work out, but you can think, ‘I found all these other things that I can explore instead.’
“I filled out the comedy festival form, thinking I have imposter syndrome, but what’s the harm in filling out a form? What’s the worst that can happen?’”
She went on to perform at Splendour in the Grass, World Science Festival Brisbane and at smaller shows before taking a break from comedy. The experience had unexpected benefits for her academic work.
“Comedy really got me out of my comfort zone, and that made lecturing easier.”
On Convos with Chordates, Anastasia and Sammy try to humanise science and scientists.
“We don’t necessarily talk about science – we talk about the people doing science. What’s it like to be a scientist? It’s an opportunity to connect with another person.”
Listen to Convos with Chordates on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.
What’s something that might surprise your colleagues?
I was part of the Eastern European equivalent of the Mickey Mouse Club. At one point I got to sing for the Lithuanian president.
What is the best advice you've ever received?
Follow your passion. If you don’t know what your passion is yet, try as many things as you can to explore and experiment and find it.
What is one thing that makes you happy?
Being out in nature, whether it’s light, dark, rain or sunshine.
What day in your life would you like to relive?
Either my first day performing at the Sydney Comedy Festival or the first time I did my lecture on the evolution of reproduction. I want to relive those moments for the same reason – the reaction of the people listening.
What’s the best thing you’ve seen in the last year?
Abbot Elementary. It’s such a feel-good show, and there’s a certain relatability because I’m in education.
Main image: Anastasia performing at the Sydney Comedy Festival.
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