March 2013 - BERG - University of Stirling Mailing Lists

BERG seminars
by Hannah Buchanan-Smith 29 Mar '13

29 Mar '13

Dear Bergers There is no BERG seminar next week as it is mid semester break, but then we have two external speakers from the University of Vienna. I hope you will be able to join us then. Have a great Easter break, Hannah 10th April - Andrea Ravignani (University of Vienna) Language, patterns and primate cognition: Dependency sensitivity in Saimiri sciureus 17th April - Ruth Sonnweber (University of Vienna) The luxury of focused grooming: female Barbary macaques exhibit rank-dependent grooming strategies to alleviate physiological stress load. Hannah M. Buchanan-Smith Professor, Psychology School of Natural Sciences University of Stirling Stirling FK9 4LA e-mail: h.m.buchanan-smith(a)stir.ac.uk<mailto:h.m.buchanan-smith@stir.ac.uk> phone: 01786 467674 fax: 01786 467641 Home page: http://www.psychology.stir.ac.uk/staff/staff-profiles/academic-staff/hannah… Recently launched: http://marmosetcare.com/ -- The University of Stirling is ranked in the top 50 in the world in The Times Higher Education 100 Under 50 table, which ranks the world's best 100 universities under 50 years old. The University of Stirling is a charity registered in Scotland, number SC 011159.

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Next week's BERG meeting (Wednesday 27 March)
by Christine Caldwell 22 Mar '13

22 Mar '13

Dear all, Sadly I'm going to miss our next BERG meeting (Wednesday 27 March), but I'm leaving you in the capable hands of Phyllis Lee who I think is going to search us out another interesting TED talk to fill the slot. Christine. Dr Christine Caldwell Senior Lecturer in Psychology School of Natural Sciences University of Stirling FK9 4LA -- The University of Stirling is ranked in the top 50 in the world in The Times Higher Education 100 Under 50 table, which ranks the world's best 100 universities under 50 years old. The University of Stirling is a charity registered in Scotland, number SC 011159.

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This week's BERG meeting: Wednesday 20 March
by Christine Caldwell 19 Mar '13

19 Mar '13

Dear all, Just a reminder about tomorrow's BERG meeting. Mary Cowan will be talking about: "The complexities of humour and attractiveness: the effects of relationship context, modality, and humour style". We start at 5.30pm as per usual in the Psychology common room (3A94 Cottrell) with some drinks and nibbles. Christine. Dr Christine Caldwell Senior Lecturer in Psychology School of Natural Sciences University of Stirling FK9 4LA -- The University of Stirling is ranked in the top 50 in the world in The Times Higher Education 100 Under 50 table, which ranks the world's best 100 universities under 50 years old. The University of Stirling is a charity registered in Scotland, number SC 011159.

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An Afternoon of Statistical Modelling for Qualitative Researchers
by Hannah Buchanan-Smith 14 Mar '13

14 Mar '13

There is an afternoon of Statistical Modelling for Qualitative Researchers Likely to be very useful! The afternoon will be orientated towards researchers who do not normally use statistical methods but would like to be introduced to statistical modelling. It will be ideal for busy researchers who do not have time to go on longer workshops or courses. It will also be a useful refresher course for researchers whose last encounter with statistics was during their undergraduate degree. If you frequently skip over graphs and tables of modelling results when reading journal articles then you will benefit from attending this workshop. Wednesday 1st May, 1-.30-4.30pm at the University of Edinburgh, through Aqmen (Applied Quantitative Methods Network) Please see further details, and how to register, in the attached link. http://aqmen.ac.uk/events/QuantsForQualMay2013 Hannah -- The University of Stirling is ranked in the top 50 in the world in The Times Higher Education 100 Under 50 table, which ranks the world's best 100 universities under 50 years old. The University of Stirling is a charity registered in Scotland, number SC 011159.

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Change of time for 1st May seminar to 4.30pm
by Hannah Buchanan-Smith 13 Mar '13

13 Mar '13

Dear all I'm to blame, but we have decided to change the start time of our BERG meeting on Wednesday 1st May to 4.30pm - when Laura Hall will be speaking on a welfare assessment framework for dogs. We shall remind you again nearer the time. Best, Hannah Recently 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 University of Stirling is ranked in the top 50 in the world in The Times Higher Education 100 Under 50 table, which ranks the world's best 100 universities under 50 years old. The University of Stirling is a charity registered in Scotland, number SC 011159.

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This week's BERG meeting: Wednesday 13 March
by Christine Caldwell 12 Mar '13

12 Mar '13

Dear all, Just a reminder about this week's BERG meeting. Vicky Mileva will be giving a talk about perceptions of dominance, prestige and attractiveness in relation to make-up use. We start at 5.30pm as per usual in the Psychology common room (3A94 Cottrell). Hope to see you there. Christine. Dr Christine Caldwell Senior Lecturer in Psychology School of Natural Sciences University of Stirling FK9 4LA -- The University of Stirling is ranked in the top 50 in the world in The Times Higher Education 100 Under 50 table, which ranks the world's best 100 universities under 50 years old. The University of Stirling is a charity registered in Scotland, number SC 011159.

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Earthlings film showing
by Hannah Buchanan-Smith 11 Mar '13

11 Mar '13

May be of interest to some.... Monday the 18th of March, 18.00 David Hume Tower, Conference Room We're showing the award-winning, controversial documentary 'Earthlings' about the way animals are used across various industries. It will be followed by a discussion panel with guest speakers from outside the university. http://www.facebook.com/events/337007706407750/?fref=ts "For every one person that sees Earthlings, they will tell three... This is THE definitive documentary of our time" Please come and bring your perspective to the discussion on how we can change the way we treat our planet and everything that inhabits it. With meat production alone expected to double by 2050 this film is truly timely and concerns us all. -- The University of Stirling is ranked in the top 50 in the world in The Times Higher Education 100 Under 50 table, which ranks the world's best 100 universities under 50 years old. The University of Stirling is a charity registered in Scotland, number SC 011159.

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BERG meeting on 27th March: Any volunteers?
by Christine Caldwell 07 Mar '13

07 Mar '13

Dear all, We still have a space free in this semester's BERG schedule (Wed 27 March). If anyone would like to volunteer to take this slot please just let me know. Thanks! Christine. Dr Christine Caldwell Senior Lecturer in Psychology School of Natural Sciences University of Stirling FK9 4LA -- The University of Stirling is ranked in the top 50 in the world in The Times Higher Education 100 Under 50 table, which ranks the world's best 100 universities under 50 years old. The University of Stirling is a charity registered in Scotland, number SC 011159.

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Aquatic Ape
by James Anderson 06 Mar '13

06 Mar '13

This writer has his own particular view to put across, but interesting to compare with Morgan. J http://www.aquaticape.org -- The University of Stirling is ranked in the top 50 in the world in The Times Higher Education 100 Under 50 table, which ranks the world's best 100 universities under 50 years old. The University of Stirling is a charity registered in Scotland, number SC 011159.

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FW: Research Assistantship - Elephant Cognition and Behavior
by James Anderson 06 Mar '13

06 Mar '13

For info…. Jim From: Joshua Plotnik <joshua.plotnik(a)gmail.com<mailto:joshua.plotnik@gmail.com>> Date: Wednesday, 6 March 2013 18:34 To: Joshua Plotnik <joshua.plotnik(a)gmail.com<mailto:joshua.plotnik@gmail.com>> Subject: Research Assistantship - Elephant Cognition and Behavior Dear all - would you mind passing on the below research assistantship announcement to anyone you think might be interested? My apologies to anyone receiving this in duplicate, and thank you for your help! Best, Josh Plotnik -- ****************************** Josh Plotnik, Ph.D. Founder and CEO, Think Elephants International, Inc., U.S.A. Researcher, Dept. of Psychology, University of Cambridge, England Head of Elephant Research, Golden Triangle Asian Elephant Foundation, Thailand http://www.thinkelephants.org Research Assistantship – Elephant Cognition and Behavior Overview: Think Elephants International, Inc. operates under the belief that research, education and conservation are not, and should not be mutually exclusive areas. We are looking for research assistants interested in these links and in working with elephant researchers from several universities in northern Thailand. Our research program, operated from an elephant facility in northern Thailand (N=26 elephants), focuses on understanding the evolution of intelligence. Our research questions specifically focus on convergent cognitive evolution and the expression of complex cognitive traits in the world’s largest land mammal. As a research assistant, you will be integrally involved in day-to-day research operations, largely focused on studies of sensory perception, cooperation and problem-solving. You will have up-close-and-personal contact with elephants in a safe environment on a daily basis. We are looking only for full-time research assistants willing to commit to at least 1 year of living at our field site in Thailand. Job description: We are looking for motivated assistants with a minimum of a Bachelor’s degree in psychology, animal behavior, evolutionary biology, or a related field. Those with Master’s degrees are especially encouraged to apply. Research assistants will be responsible for running cognition experiments on a daily basis on a group of 26 captive elephants based in Chiang Rai, Thailand, and working out of our research office in the Golden Triangle. The research team also manages several hotel programs that engage hotel guests in our elephant studies, and assistants are responsible for running these experiences several times a week. You would also be responsible for managing our Earthwatch program (www.earthwatch.org/exped/plotnik.html<http://www.earthwatch.org/exped/plotnik.html>), which runs 8 times per year. We are especially interested in assistants interested in science education, as Think Elephants International is largely focused on integrating animal behavior research with conservation education. Assistants interested in science education will assist in all administrative aspects of our current programs, and contribute to the expansion of our education initiatives in the US and abroad. Responsibilities include, but are not limited to: • Live and work full-time in the Golden Triangle, Thailand as a member of the Think Elephants research team • Collect and input data, and be involved in data analysis and manuscript preparation • Be integrally involved in the design and implementation of cognition research studies. • Work at least 8 hours a day in hot and humid temperatures outside and often without air conditioning. • Coordinate with the hotel staff on the scheduling and managing of research guest programs. • Supervise Earthwatch volunteers and guests in collaboration with the elephant facility staff and management. • Organize, design and implement education curricula in both U.S. and Thai schools, under the supervision of Think Elephants’ Head of Education. • Understand the mission of the organization to effectively communicate it to educators, scientists and other members of the public. • Create informational documents for school administrators, teachers, students and parents • Organize data, research and education finances, protocols and curricula using online tools. Qualifications: • Excellent written and oral communication • A background in experimental or observational research is required • Previous experience working with large animals is desirable but not required • Previous experience living and/or working abroad is desirable but not required • An ability to work independently and in difficult environments • Ability to adapt to novel environments and work within different cultural constraints • Willingness to learn the Thai language • Knowledge of Spanish, Italian, French or other foreign languages a plus • Strong problem-solving and critical thinking skills • Ability to stay organized, on task, and meet deadlines • Attention to detail • Self-motivated, but willing to ask questions when necessary • Strong computer knowledge • Friendly, dependable, flexible and able to work with a multi-national team of researchers and educators on a daily basis The Package: This is an unpaid, volunteer assistantship, but certain benefits are provided. Travel to and from the field site from your place of residence and insurance are your own responsibility. We will pay 50% of your accommodation costs, and provide 3 meals a day in the staff canteen. Your accommodation will most likely consist of a single room with aircon, hot water shower, and wifi. We also provide modest stipends for running hotel guest programs and Earthwatch expeditions. Assistants will have the opportunity, depending on their level of participation, to co-author publications that result from short and long-term research projects. Further details of the package will be discussed if candidates reach the interview stage. To apply for this position, please send a CV or resume, a cover letter describing your interest, experience and listing the names and contact details for three references to Dr. Joshua Plotnik, josh(a)thinkelephants.org<mailto:josh@thinkelephants.org>. Please also indicate in your cover letter whether or not you have any experience in primary or secondary education and your overall interest in working closely with pre-college young adults or children. More information about our programs and our past research can be found at www.thinkelephants.org<http://www.thinkelephants.org>. Questions regarding the position may also be directed to Dr. Plotnik. -- -- The University of Stirling is ranked in the top 50 in the world in The Times Higher Education 100 Under 50 table, which ranks the world's best 100 universities under 50 years old. The University of Stirling is a charity registered in Scotland, number SC 011159.

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