Education
2004 – 2009
PhD in the Department of Evolutionary Entomology at the University of Neuchâtel 'Phylogeography and biodiversity in an alpine leaf beetle genus'
1999 – 2004
Biology, with specialism in synecology at the University of Bern. Master's thesis: 'Spatial distribution of Apion onopordi infestation on creeping thistle Cirsium arvense'
Career
Since 2013
Curator Life Sciences, Natural History Museum Basel
2011 – 2013
Curator of Entomology, Natural History Museum Neuchâtel
2010
Additional position at the Natural History Museum Neuchâtel as part of the 'Biodiversity Neuchâtel 2010' project
Scientific Interest
Classification/taxonomy and biogeography of leaf beetles (Coleoptera; Chrysomelidae). Ongoing projects in Switzerland, Central Europe and the Arabian Peninsula.
Publications
Borer M., Buerki S., Arrigo N, Naisbit R.E., Rahier M. and Alvarez N. 2012. 'Climate change and the future of alpine interactions: insights from the comparative phylogeography of a plant-insect antagonism'. Journal of Biogeography, vol. 39/8, 1487–1498.
Borer M., van Noort T., Buerki S., Arrigo N. and Alvarez N. 2011. 'Does a shift in host plants trigger speciation in the Alpine leaf beetle Oreina speciosissima (Coleoptera, Chrysomelidae)?'. BMC Evolutionary Biology. Oct 20 ; 11(1) : 310.
Borer M., van Noort T., Rahier M. and Naisbit R.E. 2010 'Positive frequency-dependent selection on warning colour in alpine beetles'. Evolution. 64-12: 3629-2633.
Borer M., Alvarez N., Margraf N., Rahier M. and Naisbit R.E. 2010. 'The phylogeography of an alpine leaf beetle: divergence within Oreina elongata spans the Quaternary'. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 57: 703-709.
C. Germann & M. Borer 2010. 'Polydrusus inustus Germar, 1824 – neu für die Schweiz (Coleoptera, Curculionidae)'. Schweizerische Entomologische Gesellschaft.
Haenni J. P. & Borer M. 2007. 'First Report of a Nemestrinidae (Diptera) parasitoid of the Mantodea'. Studia dipterologica 14/1, 61-65.
Moravie M. A., Borer M. & Bacher S. 2006. 'Neighbourhood of host plants influences oviposition decisions of a stem-boring weevil'. Basic and Applied Ecology, vol. 7/6, 545-554.
Projects and Museum Activities
Member of the project team (incl. French/German translation) for the following exhibitions at the Natural History Museum of Neuchâtel:
Temporary exhibition Les machines de Léonard de Vinci (2010)
Temporary exhibition Sacrée Science! Croire ou savoir… (2011)
Permanent exhibition 'Geology' – geology room (2012)
Temporary exhibition K2 1902 (2013)
Other activities in entomology
Secretary of the Swiss Entomological Society (SEG)
Member of the Swiss Systematics Society (SSS)
Member of the Viennese Coleopterists' Society (WCV)
Member of the Entomological Society of Bern (EVB)
Member of Société Neuchâteloise d’Entomologie (SNE)
Member of the Mantodea Interest Group (IGM)