- BERG - University of Stirling Mailing Lists

BERG Meeting - Wednesday 13th February 2019
by Deborah Bruce 11 Feb '19

11 Feb '19

Dear BERGers, This week at BERG our speaker is Anthony Lee who will be giving the following talk: "A data-driven approach to human mate preferences". Abstract: Previous research investigating human mate preferences has often used a theory-driven approach; however, this can be limiting as only traits predicted by existing theories can be investigated. I will present data from two papers where complementing traditional theory-driven research with data-driven techniques can help gain unique insight into human mate preference. The first analysis investigates women's facial attractiveness, while the second analysis focuses on written descriptions from online dating profiles. Our meeting is at the usual time and venue: 5.30 p.m. in the Common Room (3A94), with drinks and nibbles as always. If you have students who might wish to be on the BERG mailing list, please send them this e-mail. To sign up to the BERG mailing list please use the following link: http://lists.stir.ac.uk/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/berg (You can also use this link to unsubscribe) https://stir.box.com/s/rwzik2tsai3kausdtekqvgayv34otmgt An up to date copy of our schedule can be found at: https://stir.app.box.com/file/379199974874 See you all on Wednesday. Best Wishes, Deborah

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BERG Meeting - Wednesday 6th February 2019
by Deborah Bruce 04 Feb '19

04 Feb '19

Dear BERGers, This week at BERG our speaker is David Pritchard who will be giving the following talk: "Are hummingbirds "feathered bees"?: insect-inspired approaches to bird navigation" Hi everyone, I have just moved here from Sue Healy's group in St Andrews to work with Mario Vallejo-Marin in Biology, and wanted to introduce myself, what research I have done, and tell you about what I am going to be doing in Stirling (spoilers: it involves bees). David Pritchard. [cid:28182319-8982-451c-954c-b8899353fea8] Our meeting is at the usual time and venue: 5.30 p.m. in the Common Room (3A94), with drinks and nibbles as always. Although our schedule for this Spring Semester is almost complete but we still have one available date, Wednesday 27th March 2019. Would somebody like to sign up for this slot? Please do so using our Doodle Poll at: https://doodle.com/poll/shw5nppymad8e8b7 If you have students who might wish to be on the BERG mailing list, please send them this e-mail. To sign up to the BERG mailing list please use the following link: http://lists.stir.ac.uk/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/berg (You can also use this link to unsubscribe) https://stir.box.com/s/rwzik2tsai3kausdtekqvgayv34otmgt An up to date copy of our schedule can be found at: https://stir.app.box.com/file/379199974874 See you all on Wednesday. Best Wishes, Deborah

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FW: WAWC meeting: Who are the guardians of wild animal welfare? 27th March 2019
by Hannah Buchanan-Smith 28 Jan '19

28 Jan '19

This may be of interest to some..... Wild Animal Welfare Committee Who are the guardians of wild animal welfare? Wednesday 27 March 2019 10:30 - 17:00 City Chambers High Street Edinburgh EH1 1YJ Booking is now open for the WAWC conference 2019!<https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/wawc-conference-2019-tickets-54535573368> The Wild Animal Welfare Committee is delighted to invite you to this year's conference in Edinburgh on Wednesday 27 March, on the theme Who are the guardians of wild animal welfare? Introduced by the WAWC Chairman, Dr Pete Goddard, the full-day conference will open with a keynote presentation by: - Donald Broom, Emeritus Professor of Animal Welfare at Cambridge University on the subject of Wild animal welfare, sentience and law: international perspectives. This will be followed by presentations by speakers from the Committee and guests, including (provisional titles - to be confirmed): - Dr Sandra Baker, WildCRU, Zoology, Oxford University, on Influencing behaviour with regard to wild animal welfare - Dr Chris Draper, Born Free Foundation on Welfare guardianship during conservation activities - Alick Simmons, former Deputy Chief Veterinary Officer for England on Current and future guardians of wildlife welfare in the UK - Sarah Dolman, Whale and Dolphin Conservation, with Joe Perry, Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science on UK marine mammal guardianship in areas such as seal culling, ocean energy and tourism More speakers will be confirmed shortly. The afternoon session will focus on audience workshops and discussions around the theme of guardianship, with contributions from an expert panel. Tickets, price £65, are available HERE<https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/wawc-conference-2019-tickets-54535573368> We are also offering student places for £40 - please contact the WAWC directly at wildanimalwelfarecommittee(a)gmail.com<mailto:wildanimalwelfarecommittee@gmail.com> for more information. Both prices cover refreshments, vegetarian/vegan lunch and a complimentary drinks reception from 1700 - 1800. We hope you will be able to join us - and join in - for the day. What they said about the first WAWC conference ... "Yesterday was such a brilliant success! The turnout was terrific, the talks were great and the food lovely. The best thing of the day was the mix of people who attended and the acceptance by these diverse groups that progress could be made by co-operation. What more could one hope for at this early stage in the establishment of the central role for the WAWC?" W: www.wawcommittee.org<http://www.wawcommittee.org/> E: wildanimalwelfarecommittee(a)gmail.com<mailto:wildanimalwelfarecommittee@gmail.com> Twitter: @wawcommittee

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BERG Meeting - Wednesday 30th January 2019
by Deborah Bruce 28 Jan '19

28 Jan '19

Dear BERGers, This week at BERG our speaker is Bill Phillips who will be giving a presentation entitled: "Subcellular and microcircuit foundations of information processing in the neocortex: Recent comparisons between humans, monkeys, and rodents" To get you all interested and your thinking caps on, Bill has sent me the following abstract for his talk: Abstract: Mammalian neocortex has expanded greatly in size and number of specialized regions during the course of evolution. Why? What is its special magic? What are the common information processing capabilities that make it useful to such a wide diversity of species and ecological niches? How do its capabilities vary across species and cortical regions? Are there any distinctive capabilities of human neocortex? Recent discoveries indicate that the ability of neocortical pyramidal cells to select and amplify currently relevant signals varies greatly both within and across species. Selective amplification at the neuronal level is important because it is central to the conscious cognitive decisions that determine what is perceived, thought, and done, with major implications for development and psychopathology. We established the formal information theory of selective amplification long ago, and are currently studying its implications for machine learning. Potential synergies between this research and that of BERG await exploration. Our meeting is at the usual time and venue: 5.30 p.m. in the Common Room (3A94), with drinks and nibbles provided as always. Our schedule for this Spring Semester is almost complete but we still have one available date, Wednesday 20th March 2019. Would somebody like to do the honours and sign up for this date? Please do so using our Doodle Poll at: https://doodle.com/poll/shw5nppymad8e8b7 If you have students who might wish to be on the BERG mailing list, please send them this e-mail. To sign up to the BERG mailing list please use the following link: http://lists.stir.ac.uk/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/berg (You can also use this link to unsubscribe) https://stir.box.com/s/rwzik2tsai3kausdtekqvgayv34otmgt An up to date copy of our schedule can be found at: https://stir.app.box.com/file/379199974874 See you all on Wednesday. Best Wishes, Deborah

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BERG Meeting - Wednesday 23rd January
by Deborah Bruce 21 Jan '19

21 Jan '19

Dear BERGers, This week at BERG Lesley Craig will be hosting two guest speakers, Guy Gater and Elizabeth Louden, who are in the process of setting up a project for rescued primates in Ghana. A wee bit of background from Guy and Elizabeth to get you all interested: Presentation Title : Project Patas - The Fight for the Weeds Presentation Outline * Who are Guy and Elizabeth and what is our vision? * Project Patas - Goals & Progress Update * Is there a fit with Stirling University to join us on this challenging / exciting journey? Our meeting is at the usual time and venue: 5.30 p.m. in the Common Room (3A94), with drinks and nibbles provided as always. Although we have a few speakers already lined up, there are still some slots free to present at BERG this semester. Please help to fill up our Spring Schedule by signing up for an available date using our Doodle Poll at: https://doodle.com/poll/shw5nppymad8e8b7 If you have new students who might wish to be on the BERG mailing list, please send them this e-mail. To sign up to the BERG mailing list please use the following link: http://lists.stir.ac.uk/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/berg (You can also use this link to unsubscribe) https://stir.box.com/s/rwzik2tsai3kausdtekqvgayv34otmgt See you all on Wednesday. Best Wishes, Deborah

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Offer of informal talk
by Bill Phillips 17 Jan '19

17 Jan '19

Hi members of BERG, If it is of interest I could give an informal talk on subcellular foundations of cognition with particular emphasis upon evolutionary changes in those foundations from rodents to humans. Best wishes, Bill ?

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BERG Meeting and Discussion Session- Wednesday 16th January 2019
by Deborah Bruce 14 Jan '19

14 Jan '19

Dear BERGers, Just a reminder that our weekly meetings resume this Wednesday (16th January) at 5.30 p.m. in the Common Room (3A94). We have an external speaker, Dr Ally Palmer, from the University of Oxford, giving a presentation entitled "Ethical questions in orangutan rehabilitation". Prior to her talk we shall have a discussion about "voluntary participation of animals in research", and will be meeting at 4pm in the common room. If you are interested in joining us, please let Hannah know. Ally is doing this work as a postdoctoral researcher working with Dr Beth Greenhough and Dr Reuben Message on the Species and Spaces project at the School of Geography and Environment, Oxford. Ally is studying those animals used in research in Places Other than Licensed Establishments (POLES). This work considers how transposing animal research to POLES - such as farms, fisheries, conservation sites, zoos, and veterinary clinics - poses new questions and challenges for human-animal relationships. Although we have a few speakers already lined up, there are still plenty of opportunities to present at BERG. Please sign up for an available date using our Doodle Poll at: https://doodle.com/poll/shw5nppymad8e8b7 If you have new students who might wish to be on the BERG mailing list, please send them this e-mail. To sign up to the BERG mailing list please use the following link: http://lists.stir.ac.uk/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/berg (You can also use this link to unsubscribe) <https://stir.box.com/s/rwzik2tsai3kausdtekqvgayv34otmgt>https://stir.box.com/s/rwzik2tsai3kausdtekqvgayv34otmgt Best Wishes, Deborah

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BERG Spring Semester 2019
by Deborah Bruce 07 Jan '19

07 Jan '19

Dear BERGers, Happy New Year to you all and welcome to the Spring Semester of BERG meetings. For your shiny new 2019 diaries - our weekly meetings will run from 16th January to 10th April 2019, except for 20th February (mid-Semester). As always, our gatherings are on Wednesday evenings (5.30 p.m.) in the department Common Room (3A94), drinks and nibbles included. Meetings will commence on 16th January (a week Wednesday) with an external speaker, Dr Ally Palmer, from the University of Oxford, giving a presentation entitled "Ethical questions in orangutan rehabilitation". Prior to her talk we shall have a discussion about "voluntary participation of animals in research", and will be meeting at 4pm in the common room. If you are interested in joining us, please let Hannah know. Ally is doing this work as a postdoctoral researcher working with Dr Beth Greenhough and Dr Reuben Message on the Species and Spaces project at the School of Geography and Environment, Oxford. Ally is studying those animals used in research in Places Other than Licensed Establishments (POLES). This work considers how transposing animal research to POLES - such as farms, fisheries, conservation sites, zoos, and veterinary clinics - poses new questions and challenges for human-animal relationships. Although we have a few speakers already lined up, there are still plenty of opportunities to present at BERG. Giving a talk at BERG is a great way to practice a talk , fine-tune your presentation skills, or receive valuable feedback on your research, and all in a friendly environment. If you'd like to share your work with us this semester, lead a discussion, or can suggest an external speaker (local) willing to come along, please sign up for an available date using our Doodle Poll at: https://doodle.com/poll/shw5nppymad8e8b7 If you have new students who might wish to be on the BERG mailing list, please send them this e-mail. To sign up to the BERG mailing list please use the following link: http://lists.stir.ac.uk/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/berg (You can also use this link to unsubscribe) For a regularly updated BERG schedule, follow this link: https://stir.box.com/s/rwzik2tsai3kausdtekqvgayv34otmgt Here's to a prosperous and exciting BERG 2019! Best wishes, Deborah Bruce

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Ending the year on a high
by Hannah Buchanan-Smith 20 Dec '18

20 Dec '18

Dear BERGers It's been another great year for BERG, with three new appointments. We look forward to welcoming Pawel Fedurek<https://www.eva.mpg.de/primat/staff/pawel-fedurek/index.html> and Anthony Lee<https://www.gla.ac.uk/researchinstitutes/neurosciencepsychology/staff/antho…> in January, and Sharon Kessler<https://www.dur.ac.uk/anthropology/staff/research/?id=15971> in June, 2019. We've had a cracking autumn BERG seminar series ably organised by Gemma Mackintosh, with Deborah Bruce taking the reins for the spring semester. These meetings are such important opportunities for feedback and for networking, and so we offer big thanks to all our speakers, and to the organisers. Finally, the University's Top Ten of most shared 2018 articles - as measured by the Altmetric score of attention - has just been released, and two BERGers feature. Dr Liz Williamson (and BES's Boo Maisels) got number one spot Strindberg S, Maisels F, Williamson EA, Blake S, Stokes E, Aba'a R, Abitsi G, Agbor A, Ambahe R, Bakabana PC, Bechem M,Berlemont A, de Semboli B, Boundja PR & Jeffery KJ (2018) Guns, germs, and trees determine density and distribution of gorillas and chimpanzees in Western Equatorial Africa, Science Advances, 4 (4), Art. No.:eaar2964. https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.aar2964. Full-text available from: http://hdl.handle.net/1893/27128 And Prof Craig Roberts was in third place. Jones BC, Hahn AC, Fisher C, Wang H, Kandrik M, Han C, Fasolt V, Morrison D, Lee AJ, Holzleitner IJ, O'Shea KJ, Roberts SC, Little AC & DeBruine LM (2018) No Compelling Evidence That Preferences for Facial Masculinity Track Changes in Women's Hormonal Status, Psychological Science, 29 (6), pp. 996-1005. https://doi.org/10.1177/0956797618760197. Full-text available from: http://hdl.handle.net/1893/27213 Congratulations to them! Blog posting at: https://isnews.stir.ac.uk/2018/12/19/stirlings-top-ten-most-shared-2018-art… Tweets at: https://twitter.com/isstirling/status/1075426049859694592 https://twitter.com/isstirling/status/1075389493430153216 Happy holidays! Hannah Hannah M. Buchanan-Smith Professor, Behaviour and Evolution Research Group (BERG) Room 3A79, Cottrell Psychology, Faculty 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> Home page: https://rms.stir.ac.uk/converis-stirling/person/11925 http://marmosetcare.com/ http://www.247animalwelfare.eu/index.html Recently launched: http://refiningdogcare.com/ http://www.refiningdogcare.com/images/RDC%20Flyer.pdf

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BERG Christmas Party
by Gemma Mackintosh 11 Dec '18

11 Dec '18

Hello, All! Tomorrow is the last date for BERG, and what could be a better way to celebrate an excellent semester of talks than to with a Christmas Party? Join us in the common room at 5:30pm, Wednesday 12th December for some light festivities. We shall ask that everybody brings a little something to the party to share – nibbles, a bottle, or home baking if inclined. If you have any festive games you would like to bring along, please do! To add new members to our mailing list using the following link: http://lists.stir.ac.uk/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/berg (You can also use this link to unsubscribe.) For a regularly updated BERG schedule, follow this link: https://stir.box.com/s/e3nuylt8aacxjyzdw40zqv4zpv6afil0 See you soon! Gemma

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