Dear All,
Quick reminder that today we have a seminar led by Ashleigh Messenger (University of Stirling) about her PhD study entitled "The importance of personality in ex-situ ring-tailed lemurs (Lemur catta)" - abstract below. The meeting will be held in-person in the Psychology common room with a possibility of joining online.
Abstract
Ex-situ conservation of ring-tailed lemurs (Lemur catta) is becoming increasingly important, due to threats in the wild (LaFleur & Gould, 2020). However, there are many difficulties associated with the husbandry of this species, due to their complex social structure (Sauther & Sussman, 1993) and aggressive tendencies (Gould, Sussman & Sauther, 2003).
Personality has been used as an indicator of welfare in many species. However, it is often difficult to determine which aspects of personality are the most relevant in a given species. The trait theory of personality can distinguish differences between species (allowing for cross-species comparison) and acknowledges individual differences within a given species (Tetley & O’Hara, 2012). This has been applied successfully to many species, including primates King & Figuerdo, 1997; Weiss et al., 2006; 2009; 2011) However, there has thus far been no attempt to describe personality structure in ring-tailed lemurs. This research aims to uncover the major traits of ring-tailed lemur personality by utilising these established methods.
Link to the meeting:
BERG research seminars | Meeting-Join | Microsoft Teams<https://eur03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fteams.mic…<https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/3816460052135?p=xsEIefROgXSXlZHxc0>>
BERG seminar schedule (Spring 2026):
Date
Speaker
Affiliation
Talk title
Chair
18-Feb-26
Ashleigh Messenger
University of Stirling
TBC. Ring-tailed lemur personality and welfare
Pawel
25-Feb-26
Floriane Fournier
Université Jean Monnet
TBC. Nonlinear phenomena in vocal emotional expression and perception in bonobos
Pawel
4-Mar-26
MID SEMESTER BREAK
11-Mar-26
IMPACT meeting
Impact research catch up
Pawel
18-Mar-26
Robert Aitchison
University of Stirling
TBC. Carrion crow vocal behaviour
Pawel
25-Mar-26
Janie Fink
University of St Andrews; University of California Davis
TBC. Comparative cognition, bee cognition
Pawel
1-Apr-26
Maleen Thiele
Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology
TBC
Alex
8-Apr-26
Stephan Kaufhold
Univesity of California, San Diego
TBC
Alex
29-Apr-26
Patrick Allsop
Bangor University
TBC. Zanzibar red colobus, human-wildlife conflict
Pawel
Best wishes,
Pawel
________________________________
Scotland’s University for Sporting Excellence
The University of Stirling is a charity registered in Scotland, number SC 011159
Dear All,
This Wednesday (4pm) we have a seminar led by Ashleigh Messenger (University of Stirling) about her PhD study entitled "The importance of personality in ex-situ ring-tailed lemurs (Lemur catta)" - abstract below. The meeting will be held in-person in the Psychology common room with a possibility of joining online.
Abstract
Ex-situ conservation of ring-tailed lemurs (Lemur catta) is becoming increasingly important, due to threats in the wild (LaFleur & Gould, 2020). However, there are many difficulties associated with the husbandry of this species, due to their complex social structure (Sauther & Sussman, 1993) and aggressive tendencies (Gould, Sussman & Sauther, 2003).
Personality has been used as an indicator of welfare in many species. However, it is often difficult to determine which aspects of personality are the most relevant in a given species. The trait theory of personality can distinguish differences between species (allowing for cross-species comparison) and acknowledges individual differences within a given species (Tetley & O’Hara, 2012). This has been applied successfully to many species, including primates King & Figuerdo, 1997; Weiss et al., 2006; 2009; 2011) However, there has thus far been no attempt to describe personality structure in ring-tailed lemurs. This research aims to uncover the major traits of ring-tailed lemur personality by utilising these established methods.
Link to the meeting:
BERG research seminars | Meeting-Join | Microsoft Teams<https://eur03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fteams.mic…<https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/3816460052135?p=xsEIefROgXSXlZHxc0>>
BERG seminar schedule (Spring 2026):
Date
Speaker
Affiliation
Talk title
Chair
18-Feb-26
Ashleigh Messenger
University of Stirling
TBC. Ring-tailed lemur personality and welfare
Pawel
25-Feb-26
Floriane Fournier
Université Jean Monnet
TBC. Nonlinear phenomena in vocal emotional expression and perception in bonobos
Pawel
4-Mar-26
MID SEMESTER BREAK
11-Mar-26
IMPACT meeting
Impact research catch up
Pawel
18-Mar-26
Robert Aitchison
University of Stirling
TBC. Carrion crow vocal behaviour
Pawel
25-Mar-26
Janie Fink
University of St Andrews; University of California Davis
TBC. Comparative cognition, bee cognition
Pawel
1-Apr-26
Maleen Thiele
Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology
TBC
Alex
8-Apr-26
Stephan Kaufhold
Univesity of California, San Diego
TBC
Alex
29-Apr-26
Patrick Allsop
Bangor University
TBC. Zanzibar red colobus, human-wildlife conflict
Pawel
Best wishes,
Pawel
________________________________
Scotland’s University for Sporting Excellence
The University of Stirling is a charity registered in Scotland, number SC 011159
Dear All,
This Wednesday (4pm) we have a seminar led by Berta Roura-Torres (Georg-August University Göttingen) entitled "Early challenges shape fitness trajectories in mandrills" (abstract below). The meeting will be held online (link below).
Abstract:
Adverse events during early life that reduce access to resources or hinder their allocation can have lasting effects on health, survival, and reproduction in mammals, including humans, and the accumulation of such challenges often has stronger consequences than single events. Using a 12-year dataset from a wild population of mandrills (Mandrillus sphinx), a cercopithecine primate, we examined how early life adversity (ELA) influences survival during infancy (under 1 year) and juvenility (1–4 years), female age at first reproduction, and male age at dispersal. We identified seven types of adversity, covering maternal, social, environmental, and demographic factors, and analyzed both their cumulative and individual effects. Infant survival was affected solely by maternal loss, with cumulative ELA showing no impact. Female reproductive timing responded to specific early-life conditions: individuals with a closely spaced younger sibling, born to low-ranking mothers, born in years with reduced rainfall, or with higher cumulative ELA reproduced later, whereas females born to primiparous mothers reproduced earlier. In contrast, male age at dispersal showed no effect of ELA. Overall, these findings indicate that cumulative adversity does not consistently shape survival in mandrills, but it can influence female reproductive timing. They further suggest that the consequences of early-life challenges vary across life-history traits and sexes, with particular conditions sometimes playing a larger role than the accumulation of adversity in shaping fitness. Finally, this talk presents preliminary results on early physical development during infancy, obtained using an innovative non-invasive approach based on a trained AI model applied to photographic portrait, which may represent a potential pathway linking ELA to later-life survival and reproductive outcomes.
Link to the meeting:
BERG research seminars | Meeting-Join | Microsoft Teams<https://eur03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fteams.mic…<https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/3816460052135?p=xsEIefROgXSXlZHxc0>>
BERG seminar schedule (Spring 2025)
Date
Speaker
Affiliation
Talk title
Chair
4-Feb-26
Berta Roura-Torres
Georg-August University Göttingen
Early challenges shape fitness trajectories in mandrills
Pawel
11-Feb-26
Dylan Feldmeier
University of Oxford
The Global Threat of Wire Snare Poaching: Impacts and Research Priorities
Pawel
18-Feb-26
Ashleigh Messenger
University of Stirling
TBC. Ring-tailed lemur personality and welfare
Pawel
25-Feb-26
Floriane Fournier
Université Jean Monnet
TBC. Nonlinear phenomena in vocal emotional expression and perception in bonobos
Pawel
4-Mar-26
MID SEMESTER BREAK
11-Mar-26
IMPACT meeting
Impact research catch up
Pawel
18-Mar-26
Robert Aitchison
University of Stirling
TBC. Carrion crow vocal behaviour
Pawel
25-Mar-26
Janie Fink
University of St Andrews; University of California Davis
TBC. Comparative cognition, bee cognition
Pawel
1-Apr-26
Maleen Thiele
Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology
TBC
Alex
8-Apr-26
Stephan Kaufhold
Univesity of California, San Diego
TBC
Alex
29-Apr-26
Patrick Allsop
Bangor University
TBC. Zanzibar red colobus, human-wildlife conflict
Pawel
Best wishes,
Pawel
-------------------------------
Dr Pawel Fedurek (he/his)
Lecturer in Psychology
Behaviour and Evolution Research Group (BERG)
Division of Psychology, Faculty of Natural Sciences
University of Stirling
Stirling, FK9 4LA
Scotland, UK
@pawel-fedurek<https://bsky.app/profile/pawel-fedurek.bsky.social> @berg-stirling<https://bsky.app/profile/berg-stirling.bsky.social>
Staff page<https://www.stir.ac.uk/people/1080868> | BERG page<https://www.stir.ac.uk/about/faculties/natural-sciences/our-research/resear…>
I aim to reply within 3 working days (my working days are between Monday and Friday).
________________________________
Scotland’s University for Sporting Excellence
The University of Stirling is a charity registered in Scotland, number SC 011159
FYI:
Research Assistant Opportunity
Acoustic Ecology of Carrion Crows (Corvus corone)
I am seeking motivated and enthusiastic Research Assistants to support a PhD project investigating the acoustic ecology of carrion crows in the UK.
Project Overview
The carrion crow is a widespread and familiar species across urban and rural environments in the UK. While crows are well known for their cognitive abilities, their vocalisations remain relatively understudied. This project aims to examine how urbanisation, environmental variables, and spatial distance influence carrion crow vocal behaviour, contributing to a broader understanding of animal communication in human-altered environments.
Role Description
Working closely with the PhD researcher, the Research Assistant will contribute to several aspects of the project, including:
* Assisting with fieldwork (e.g. audio recording of crow vocalisations)
* Downloading, organising, and managing audio recordings
* Supporting literature research related to bioacoustics, urban ecology, and animal behaviour
* Assisting with data processing and analysis (training provided)
The role is flexible, and tasks can be tailored to your interests within the topic (e.g. field ecology, bioacoustics, data analysis, or literature-based research).
Training and Support
Previous experience welcome but not essential.
Full training will be provided in all aspects of the role, including field methods, acoustic data handling, and analysis techniques. This position is ideal for students or early-career researchers interested in ecology, animal behaviour, conservation, or bioacoustics.
Ideal Candidates
Applications welcome from individuals who:
* Have an interest in wildlife, ecology, or animal behaviour
* Are reliable and willing to learn new skills
* Are comfortable working both independently and as part of a research team
* Are keen to gain hands-on research experience
Benefits
* Practical experience in ecological and acoustic research
* One-to-one mentoring within a PhD research project
* Opportunity to develop skills relevant to postgraduate study or research careers
* Flexible involvement tailored to your availability and interests
Time Expectation
Approximately 280 hours spread over four months, equating to around two 7-hour days per week. This is flexible and can be more or less to suit individual requirements.
If you are interested in gaining research experience while contributing to an exciting project on urban wildlife and animal communication, please email Robert at rra1(a)stir.ac.uk
Robert Aitchison
PhD student
Psychology, University of Stirling
-------------------------------
Dr Pawel Fedurek (he/his)
Lecturer in Psychology
Behaviour and Evolution Research Group (BERG)
Division of Psychology, Faculty of Natural Sciences
University of Stirling
Stirling, FK9 4LA
Scotland, UK
@pawel-fedurek<https://bsky.app/profile/pawel-fedurek.bsky.social> @berg-stirling<https://bsky.app/profile/berg-stirling.bsky.social>
Staff page<https://www.stir.ac.uk/people/1080868> | BERG page<https://www.stir.ac.uk/about/faculties/natural-sciences/our-research/resear…>
I aim to reply within 3 working days (my working days are between Monday and Friday).
________________________________
Scotland's University for Sporting Excellence
The University of Stirling is a charity registered in Scotland, number SC 011159
FYI
________________________________
From: Alice Turner <alice.turner(a)stir.ac.uk>
Sent: 26 January 2026 13:37
To: Pawel Fedurek <pawel.fedurek(a)stir.ac.uk>
Cc: Clare Andrews <clare.andrews(a)stir.ac.uk>
Subject: Conference to share with BERG mailing list
Hi Pawel (cc Clare),
Hope you're well!
I wondered if it's possible to share an upcoming conference via the BERG mailing list. It's a really enjoyable event and we're keen to reach as many students as possible.
Scotland's Nature Student Conference<https://scotnsconference.wixsite.com/2026> is being organised by a small group of PhD students in conjunction with NatureScot. The event will take place at the University of Stirling on 3rd and 4th March 2026 and this year's theme is: 'People and Planet: Innovation and resilience in a changing world'. The conference is open to students of any level and is a great opportunity to present a talk or a poster, or simply attend. Anyone interested should register their attendance using this form<https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScObli0wbSPGdhwaeECjpmK3RPQhcdR6nq…> by 11th Feb.
Best wishes,
Alice
________________________________
Scotland's University for Sporting Excellence
The University of Stirling is a charity registered in Scotland, number SC 011159
Dear SHAIRers and BERGers,
Here are details of the talk next week (Teams link is below):
[cid:b0f8bd96-3afc-4d2d-aa08-f776284a42e4]
The Complex Interplay between the Human-Animal Bond, Perinatal Mental Health, and Companion Animal Welfare
Dr Roxanne Hawkins, University of Edinburgh
Wednesday 28 January 2026, 4-5pm
Psychology Common Room ‘watch party’ (C.3A94) or via Teams<https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/3816460052135?p=xsEIefROgXSXlZHxc0>
Abstract The perinatal period, which includes pregnancy and up to a child’s first year of life, is a known significant transitional time for a family, and new mothers have a heightened risk for developing mental health difficulties. Pets can offer protective benefits by enhancing coping and resilience, yet wellbeing benefits perinatally remain unresearched. There’s also a lack of investigation into pet welfare during the perinatal period, despite the likelihood of pets being affected by perinatal changes. This study used qualitative reports from new and expecting mothers with dogs and/or cats to explore the interplay between the human–pet bond, maternal mental health, and pet welfare. Findings highlight shifts in human–pet bonds, the nature of human-pet interactions, changes in pet behaviour, pet aversion, unsafe baby–pet interactions, and the impact of shifting priorities on pet wellbeing and relinquishment. In this talk, I will share these findings with a focus on parents’ support needs around companion animals, and discuss how tailored resources and interventions can both safeguard pet welfare and promote maternal mental health during this important transitional life stage.
________________________________
Scotland’s University for Sporting Excellence
The University of Stirling is a charity registered in Scotland, number SC 011159
Dear BERGers,
Happy New Year! This is just to let you know that we are resuming our research seminars next week (Wednesday 28 January, 4pm), with our first speaker being Dr Roxanne Hawkins from the University of Edinburgh (more details on the seminar shortly).
Spring semester seminars:
Date
Speaker
Affiliation
Talk title
Chair
Format
28-Jan-26
Roxanne Hawkins
University of Edinburgh
TBC. Pets and perinatal wellbeing
Clare
TBC
4-Feb-26
Berta Roura-Torres
Georg-August University Göttingen
Early life adversity predicts physical development in young mandrills
Pawel
Online
11-Feb-26
Dylan Feldmeier
University of Oxford
TBC. Human-wildlife conflict
Pawel
Online
18-Feb-26
TBC
25-Feb-26
Floriane Fournier
Université Jean Monnet
TBC. Nonlinear phenomena in vocal emotional expression and perception in bonobos
Pawel
Online
4-Mar-26
MID SEMESTER BREAK
No seminar
11-Mar-26
IMPACT meeting
Impact research catch up
Pawel
F2F
18-Mar-26
Robert Aitchison
University of Stirling
TBC. Carrion crow vocal behaviour
Pawel
F2F/hybrid
25-Mar-26
Janie Fink
University of St Andrews; University of California Davis
TBC. Comparative cognition, bee cognition
Pawel
F2F/hybrid
1-Apr-26
Maleen Thiele
Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology
TBC
Alex
Online
8-Apr-26
Stephan Kaufhold
Univesity of California, San Diego
TBC
Alex
Online
Link to the meeting:
BERG research seminars | Meeting-Join | Microsoft Teams<https://eur03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fteams.mic…<https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/3816460052135?p=xsEIefROgXSXlZHxc0>>
Best wishes,
Pawel
-------------------------------
Dr Pawel Fedurek (he/his)
Lecturer in Psychology
Behaviour and Evolution Research Group (BERG)
Division of Psychology, Faculty of Natural Sciences
University of Stirling
Stirling, FK9 4LA
Scotland, UK
@pawel-fedurek<https://bsky.app/profile/pawel-fedurek.bsky.social> @berg-stirling<https://bsky.app/profile/berg-stirling.bsky.social>
Staff page<https://www.stir.ac.uk/people/1080868> | BERG page<https://www.stir.ac.uk/about/faculties/natural-sciences/our-research/resear…>
I aim to reply within 3 working days (my working days are between Monday and Friday).
________________________________
Scotland's University for Sporting Excellence
The University of Stirling is a charity registered in Scotland, number SC 011159
FYI:
Fully funded PhD project available at Nottingham Trent University. Linked to a BBSRC funded grant, this project will investigate how primates perceive and respond to infants, combining cutting-edge cognitive testing with behavioural data. The findings will be used to develop non-invasive tools that can predict how individuals will interact with infants, ultimately informing breeding management and enhancing welfare standards in captive colonies. The project will also help us understand the fundamental mechanisms underpinning individual differences in parenting. (Note: open to UK students only). For informal enquiries contact Dr Yuri Kawaguchi (see below link to advert). Deadline 2nd February 2026 for an April start.
https://www.ntu.ac.uk/study-and-courses/postgraduate/phd/phd-opportunities/…
________________________________
Scotland's University for Sporting Excellence
The University of Stirling is a charity registered in Scotland, number SC 011159
