January 2012 - BERG - University of Stirling Mailing Lists

SCAB 2012 - Scottish Conference on Animal Behaviour
by Hannah Buchanan-Smith 31 Jan '12

31 Jan '12

Dear all We are delighted to invite you to the 2012 Scottish Conference on Animal Behaviour (SCAB) which will be held at the University of Stirling on Saturday 10th March 2012. It is being organised by Rosalind Murray (see Rosalind Murray - http://www.sbes.stir.ac.uk/people/postgrads/murray/index.html ). Anyone interested is encouraged to submit talk or poster titles to Rosalind at r.l.murray(a)stir.ac.uk<mailto:r.l.murray@stir.ac.uk>. Priority for talks will be given to graduate students and depending on demand, talks will be either 15 or 20 minutes including questions. The cost to attend is £15 which includes coffee/tea and two-course lunch. Please distribute this invitation to everyone who might be interested in attending or presenting, and display the attached poster. We shall need to know who is attending nearer the time, to plan or catering. I hope we have a good turnout of Stirling and SPRG staff and students!! Thanks, Hannah PS we have just one BERG slot remaining on 14th March, so please grab it quickly if you are keen to present at BERG - doodle poll:. http://doodle.com/8tmhhnwum3isknnu Just launched: http://marmosetcare.com/ Hannah M. Buchanan-Smith Professor, Behaviour and Evolution Research Group Psychology, School of Natural Sciences University of Stirling Stirling, FK9 4LA Scotland Tel: 01786 467674 Fax: 01786 467641 E-mail: h.m.buchanan-smith(a)stir.ac.uk<mailto:h.m.buchanan-smith@stir.ac.uk> http://www.psychology.stir.ac.uk/staff/staff-profiles/academic-staff/hannah… -- The Sunday Times Scottish University of the Year 2009/2010 The University of Stirling is a charity registered in Scotland, number SC 011159.

1 0

BERG sign up for Spring!
by Hannah Buchanan-Smith 18 Jan '12

18 Jan '12

Dear BERGers With Christine on sabbatical, I am tasked with running BERG again, unless someone else would like to volunteer to lead it - please just let me know! Mind the rush.... The first meeting is on Wednesday 22 February at 5.30pm in 3A94 (Psychology common room), and is mainly a social catch up. I'll do a brief slide presentation on recent adventures in the Himalayas. I have set up a Doodle sign-up, so just fill it out to indicate the week that you would like to present (and add dates to your diary). Presenting at BERG is an excellent way to practice talks, hone your presentation skills, get feedback on grant application ideas, lead a discussion of a research paper etc. The sign up is here: http://www.doodle.com/8tmhhnwum3isknnu When you sign up for a slot, please send me a brief title/topic BEFORE 15th February so I can circulate the programme in advance. If you have new students who wish to be on the BERG mailing list, please send them this e-mail. To sign up to the BERG mailing list new folk must complete the form available here: http://lists.stir.ac.uk/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/berg UFAW generously sponsors our meetings. If you are not already a member please consider joining UFAW (http://www.ufaw.org.uk/ ). It is only £5 for students (£10 others) without access to their journal, Animal Welfare. By joining UFAW you can help make real, practical and lasting advances to animal welfare throughout the world - for companion animals, farm animals, animals used in research, captive wild animals and those living in the wild that are affected by human activities. Please do join to thank them for their continued support of us in BERG and to enhance animal welfare. Many thanks, Hannah Just launched: http://marmosetcare.com/ Hannah M. Buchanan-Smith Professor, Behaviour and Evolution Research Group Psychology, School of Natural Sciences University of Stirling Stirling, FK9 4LA Scotland Tel: 01786 467674 Fax: 01786 467641 E-mail: h.m.buchanan-smith(a)stir.ac.uk<mailto:h.m.buchanan-smith@stir.ac.uk> http://www.psychology.stir.ac.uk/staff/staff-profiles/academic-staff/hannah… ________________________________ The Sunday Times Scottish University of the Year 2009/2010 The University of Stirling is a charity registered in Scotland, number SC 011159. -- The Sunday Times Scottish University of the Year 2009/2010 The University of Stirling is a charity registered in Scotland, number SC 011159.

1 0

FW: Field Position, Monogamous Primates of Ecuador
by Phyllis Lee 10 Jan '12

10 Jan '12

________________________________________ From: Eduardo Fernandez-Duque [eduardof(a)sas.upenn.edu] Sent: 09 January 2012 19:42 Subject: Field Position, Monogamous Primates of Ecuador Dear colleagues, I would like to ask if you could please be so kind of circulating the announcement and link below. We are looking for a field assistant to join our monogamous primate project in Ecuador. Thanks, Eduardo http://pin.primate.wisc.edu/jobs/listings/2417 Category: field Title: Field Assistant: comparative socioecology of monogamous titi and saki monkeys of Ecuador Hiring Organization: Dr. Eduardo Fernandez-Duque- University of Pennsylvania, Dr. Anthony Di Fiore- University of Texas at Austin, and Amy Porter- Ph.D. candidate, University of California Davis Date Posted: 2012-01-09 Expiration date: 2012-04-08 Position Description: We are searching for a highly motivated and self-reliant field assistant to work on a comparative study of red titi monkeys (Callicebus discolor) and equatorial saki monkeys (Pithecia aequatorialis) in the Ecuadorian Amazon. Titis and sakis have both been classified as socially monogamous and yet they show distinct differences in their social behavior, level of paternal care, and degrees of territoriality. Our study is investigating pair-mate relationships and the relative investment of the sexes in territorial behavior. Assistants will be responsible for collecting social behavior, foraging, ranging, demographic, and life history data from three titi groups and two saki groups. Other responsibilities will include assistance with playback experiments to simulate intergroup encounters, recording vocalizations, and data entry. Assistants will be trained in all relevant data collection and archiving methods, including behavioral sampling on handheld comput! ers, radio-telemetry, database manipulation, etc. Assistants will not be allowed to collect data for publication independent of our research project e.g. for their own theses. Ideally, this experience will be seen as an internship for your own future research. We do, however, strongly encourage assistants to work with us coauthoring papers based on or stemming from the data they assist in collecting. If you are interested in pursuing a graduate degree that involves fieldwork in the tropics, this will be a fantastic experience. Qualifications: Applicants should have a BS/BA in Primatology, Animal Behavior, Biological Anthropology, Biology, Ecology, or a related field. Although previous experience with primates is not necessary, previous experience with animals, camping, or working outdoors is strongly preferred. The ideal applicant should have prior experience with living or working in a foreign country, preferably a developing country in the tropics. Knowledge of Spanish is helpful, but not necessary. Experience with collecting systematic data in a scientific context is preferred, and a strong interest in primate behavior and ecology a must. In general, applicants must be in good physical and mental condition; feel comfortable being far away from family and friends; be emotionally mature, energetic, and VERY patient; have an excellent eye for detail; not be afraid of bugs, snakes, or being alone in the forest; have very good social skills, especially in small groups; and be able to maintain a posi! tive and humorous attitude towards challenging and tiring work. This work will be rigorous and demanding. Assistants will be expected to work about 11 hours in the field each day, about 20 days out of each month. The terrain in the research site is quite hilly in places, seasonally floods in others, and the climate is often hot, humid, and rainy this is a rainforest just south of the Equator in which 3 to 4 meters of rain falls a year thus persistence, maturity, dedication, and good humor are very important. Preference will be given to applicants with previous outdoor experience in demanding environments. Salary/funding: Applicants must pay their own round-trip airfare to Quito, Ecuador (cost varies) and for travel within Ecuador to and from the research station (circa US$200). Assistants are also responsible for the costs of obtaining a visa to work in Ecuador (circa US$350), for health insurance and immunizations that permit that work (proof of yellow fever immunization is a must; vaccination against typhoid, rabies, hepatitis, etc., are all also strongly recommended), their own personal field clothes and gear (backpack, insect repellent, digital watch with a chronometer and timer, headlamp, water bottles, etc). Successful applicants will be expected to cover their first month of station fees ($32/day=$960) in advance as soon as they arrive. After that first month, the remaining station fees will be covered by the investigators. Station fees include on-site lodging, laundry, and three meals daily. Term of Appointment: Minimum 3 month commitment, longer commitments preferred. Application Deadline: Applications will be considered until the position is filled. Comments: please send an email to Amy Porter (spizaetusornatus(a)gmail.com) with copies to Anthony Di Fiore (anthony.difiore(a)mail.utexas.edu) and Eduardo Fernandez-Duque (eduardof(a)sas.upenn.edu) Please submit to all THREE people the following documentation in ONE single PDF file saved with your name in the file name (e.g. JohnSmith.pdf). 1. CV including relevant coursework, previous field/outdoor experience, and where/how you can be contacted 2. Letter of interest (please include dates you are available) 3. References from three persons (preferably professors or research supervisors with whom youve worked closely) in which they provide information about your experiences, skills, and training. Contact Information: Please direct all initial inquiries regarding the application process or project to Amy Porter 431 University Museum, 3260 South Street Philadelphia, PA 19104 US Telephone Number: Fax Number: 001-215-898-7462 Website: http://www.sas.upenn.edu/~eduardof/ E-mail Address: eduardof(a)sas.upenn.edu If you wish to make changes to this posting, visit pin.primate.wisc.edu/jobs/edit/2417. -- The Sunday Times Scottish University of the Year 2009/2010 The University of Stirling is a charity registered in Scotland, number SC 011159.

1 0

NC3Rs, ASAB and SEB joint meeting
by Alexander Weiss 05 Jan '12

05 Jan '12

Hi everybody, I hope you've all had a great Christmas and that the new year is finding you well. I was asked to circulate the following poster for a meeting this July to folks who would be interested. Please pass it around to other interested colleagues, etc. Best, Alex -- The University of Edinburgh is a charitable body, registered in Scotland, with registration number SC005336.

1 1