BERG

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This week's BERG (Wed 2 Nov): Sarah Davis from University of St Andrews

by Christine Caldwell

Dear all, I hope everyone had a good mid-semester week! BERG is back again this week, and we have a speaker coming over from St Andrews. Sarah Davis will be giving us a talk on the topic of "Behavioural flexibility and the foundations of cumulative culture". Sarah is currently in the final stages of her PhD under the supervision of Andrew Whiten, and she has been studying chimpanzees as a means to understand the evolution of human cumulative culture. We'll take Sarah out for some dinner after the meeting (probably in town in Stirling, close to the station, as she will be travelling by train). Please let me know if you would be interested in joining us! The most likely options are Rana's, Pizza Express, or Smiling Jacks. The BERG meeting will begin at 5.30pm as per usual in the Psychology Common Room (3A94). Hope to see you there! Christine.

9 years, 1 month

FW: Matsuzawa's MOOC: Origins of the Human Mind, From Oct 27 to Dec 1st 2016, FREE, registration please

by Hannah Buchanan-Smith

This may be of interest to some…. Subject: Matsuzawa's MOOC. *MOOC: Massive Open Online Courses A free online course by Matsuzawa will be offered for five weeks, from October 27th to December 1st, via edX, which is one of MOOC providers. You can access its registration page from the link: https://www.edx.org/course/origins-human-mind-kyotoux-007x Anyone from all over the world can register for the course as a student, and learners can exchange their opinions and post questions on its Discussion Forum in English. ------------------------------------------------------------------- Dear my ex-students and close friends: I picked up 101 names. Please forward this announcement to your colleagues and students via e-mail, FACEBOOK, etc. I tried to do my best describing my parallel effort of studying chimpanzees in the wild and the laboratory. Thank you. and Have a nice day. Tetsuro Matsuzawa, Kyoto Please visit my site, http://matsuzawa.kyoto/

9 years, 1 month

Next week's BERG seminar

by Hannah Buchanan-Smith

Dear BERGers - cc Psychology staff and PhD students in case of interest As part of our Behaviour and Evolution Research Group (BERG) seminars, next Wednesday (19th October, 5.30pm ) we have Professor Vernon Gayle, University of Edinburgh giving a short presentation on: Reproducible Research is 'Show Me' not 'Trust Me' Psychology Common Room, 3A94, Cottrell building, with usual drinks and nibbles. I think this topic is really important to consider in terms of our research process and workflow. Hope to see some of you there. Best, Hannah Abstract Despite the explosion in the number of research publications it is impossible to 'reproduce' the results of most analyses that are published. This is because information on how the work is undertaken in seldom made available. Most researchers will have a happy, or possibly even a terrifying, early educational memory of being told to "show their working out". Somewhere between primary school and graduate school this requirement has evaporated. Currently published research is far from transparent and a culture of 'trust me' rather than a culture of 'show me' exists. In this presentation I make an appeal for researchers to routinely provide enough information so that others can check that results are accurate, and that correct inferences and conclusions are reported in published work. This transparency will also allow others to test the robustness of the original piece of research, for example by employing new or additional data and alternative methods. I highlight the obstacles that are commonly encountered and provide some practicable steps for rendering research 'reproducible'. I argue that conventional research publications should, at best, be regarded as a palimpsest of the 'real work' undertaken within the data analytical process. Drawing on insights from computer science and other disciplines that have been engaged in e-Research I illustrate how contemporary digital resources could provide a useful and effective aid to making social science research more easily reproducible. I propose a set of guidelines which researchers should follow in order to enhance the reproducibility of their research. I conclude by suggesting a set of benchmarks against which the reproducibility can be assessed. Hannah M. Buchanan-Smith Professor, Behaviour and Evolution Research Group (BERG) 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 Just launched: http://refiningdogcare.com/ http://www.refiningdogcare.com/images/RDC%20Flyer.pdf

9 years, 2 months

Re: [BERG] Marmosets at BERG tonight

by Hayley Ash

Dear BERGers, Tonight, I'll be talking about 'The long term impact of infant rearing background on the affective state of common marmosets (Callithrix jacchus).' We'll be in the Psychology Common Room (3A94) from 5:30 pm, with drinks and nibbles. I've attached the schedule for this semester. Thank you to everyone who has signed up to do a talk so far! It would be great if you could also forward on a title for me to add. There are a few spaces left, if anyone would like to practice a presentation or lead a group discussion. http://doodle.com/poll/s6qagssqe6zfimgr? I hope to see you all later! All the best, Hayley

9 years, 2 months

Life Scientific: Frans de Waal

by Hannah Buchanan-Smith

BERG folk might be interested in Frans de Waal on Life Scientific: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b07wt6bj "Charles Darwin first alerted us to our ape ancestry. Genome analysis tells us we share 99% of our DNA with our closest relatives in the animal kingdom, the chimpanzee and the bonobo. And yet we seem surprised to learn that apes are kind and clever, traits we tend to like to think of as being uniquely human. Behavioural biologist and best-selling author, Frans de Waal has spent many years in offices overlooking chimp colonies, observing their behaviour on a daily basis. He pioneered studies of kindness and peace-making in primates, when other scientists were focussing on violence, greed and aggression. Empathy, he argues, has a long evolutionary history; and he is determined to undermine our arrogant assumptions of human superiority. Frans talks to Jim Al-Khalili about growing up on the Dutch polders, chimpanzee politics, and the extraordinary sex lives of the bonobos."

9 years, 2 months

Life Scientific: Frans de Waal

by Peter Hancock

BERG folk might be interested in this: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b07wt6bj Peter

9 years, 2 months

FW: Call for papers: Measuring animal welfare and applying scientific advances - Why is it still so difficult? UFAW International Symposium 27-29th June 2017, UK

by Hannah Buchanan-Smith

This looks like a really interesting conference next year - with a request for a call for papers. From: Stephen Wickens [mailto:wickens@ufaw.org.uk] Sent: 13 September 2016 10:09 To: Hannah Buchanan-Smith <h.m.buchanan-smith(a)stir.ac.uk> Subject: Call for papers: Measuring animal welfare and applying scientific advances - Why is it still so difficult? UFAW International Symposium 27-29th June 2017, UK Dear UFAW LINK, We are seeking papers for our symposium in June 2017. I'd be grateful if you could share this call with your colleagues and students. Thanks. Steve ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Measuring animal welfare and applying scientific advances - Why is it still so difficult? Venue: Royal Holloway, University of London, Surrey, UK Dates: 27-29th June 2017 Background and Aims of the Symposium Animal welfare science is a relatively young field but it is developing rapidly. A recent review noted that over the last two decades the number of scientific publications in this area has increased by 10-15% annually. This research has been used to make many real improvements to the welfare of animals throughout the world. There seems to be a growing consensus that what matters to those animals that are presumed to experience feelings, and therefore what should matter most to those concerned about animal welfare, is how those animals feel. However, this raises difficult questions, some of which are fundamental to the development of animal welfare science as a rigorous scientific discipline and the assessment of animal welfare. For example: * Will we ever be able to demonstrate sentience? Knowing where to draw the line about which animals to care for is important to, avoid wasting scarce resources on animals that are not sentient, and to ensure that animals that are sentient are protected. Are there new techniques that could help or is the problem insoluble? Where should the line be drawn? * Are the techniques that we have to study emotional state (affect) adequate or are there new and better ways of assessing how animals feel about themselves and their environment? How should we best choose and interpret measures? Do technological advances offer us alternative approaches? Is it worth trying to put a numerical value on animal welfare or are qualitative measures more appropriate? * How does time fit into the equation? Over what period of time should welfare be considered - what is meaningful and relevant to the animal? Do animals experience time as we do? How should we weigh up the challenges and good experiences to come so as to arrive at a view about the animals lifetime experience, and is this worth doing? * How important is positive welfare? Should preventing suffering be our first priority or should we now be looking to maximise enjoyable experiences for animals in our care too? Is a permanent state of positive welfare possible, or do animals reset their emotional state so that attempts to achieve positive welfare are doomed to failure as the animal habituates to a better than adequate environment? What happens when those experiences preferred by an animal have a long-term negative impact on health? * How robust is the data collected on animal welfare? Are there lessons to be learnt from other areas of research with respect to e.g. blinding, randomization, pre-registration of hypotheses, null results, meta-analysis, clinical trials? With the aim of developing new ideas and of promoting higher quality and better-focused animal welfare science, this symposium will consider whether and how animal welfare scientists can make progress in these and other areas. Speakers will include: * Professor Georgia Mason (University of Guelph, Canada), 'Using welfare indicators to make valid inference about animals' subjective states, with a focus on HPA responses and stereotypic behaviour' * Professor Mike Mendl (University of Bristol, UK) 'Animal affect: What is it, what do we know, and what can we know?' and * Professor Jaak Panksepp (Washington State University, USA) 'The emotional feelings of other minds: From neuroaffective foundations to novel therapeutics (especially depressions)' Call for papers We would like to hear from anyone interested in making a contribution to the symposium on the subjects and themes detailed above or others relating to measuring animal welfare and to animal welfare and the sciences and other disciplines associated with it - eg applied ethology, veterinary, physiological and neuroscience. Submissions should feature the title of the proposed presentation, the nature of the presentation - talk or poster, and the name and full contact details of all contributors. Abstracts must be in English and should be no longer than 400 words. Full details on formatting these can be found on the UFAW website. Time allocated to talks at the meeting is likely to be in region of 20-25 minutes. The deadline for submission of abstracts is 30th November 2016. Further details on this meeting can be found here: http://www.ufaw.org.uk/ufaw-events/ufaw-events and updates on social media<http://www.facebook.com/ufaw.org.uk/>. Contact details: Stephen Wickens, Royal Holloway 2017 UFAW, The Old School, Brewhouse Hill, Wheathampstead, Hertfordshire, AL4 8AN, UK Tel: +44 (0) 1582 831818; Fax: +44 (0) 1582 831414 Website: www.ufaw.org.uk<http://www.ufaw.org.uk/>; Email: wickens(a)ufaw.org.uk<mailto:wickens@ufaw.org.uk> Follow us: Facebook: Universities Federation for Animal Welfare - UFAW<http://www.facebook.com/ufaw.org.uk> ; Twitter: @UFAW_1926<https://twitter.com/ufaw_1926> Other details: The Universities Federation for Animal Welfare (UFAW), the international animal welfare science society, is a UK registered scientific and educational charity that brings together the animal welfare science community, educators, veterinarians and all concerned about animal welfare worldwide in order to achieve advances in the well-being of farm, companion, laboratory and captive wild animals, and for those animals with which we interact in the wild. Registered Charity No 207996 (Registered in England) and Company Limited by Guarantee No 579991

9 years, 3 months

BERG meetings

by Hannah Buchanan-Smith

Dear BERGers I am pleased to say that Hayley Ash will be organising the Behaviour and Evolution Research Group (BERG) seminars this coming semester. These seminars are held on Wednesdays at 5.30pm in 3A94. Meetings will start on Wednesday 14th September, so please add these Wednesday dates to your diaries, noting there will be no meeting on Wed 26th October as it is mid semester break, and we shall wind up early-mid December The first meeting is on Wednesday 14th September at 5.30pm in 3A94 (Psychology common room). We shall use this meeting for introductions, including I hope for our new students, and updates from the summer...please come prepared to share news of any grants awarded, papers published, exciting conferences attended etc. Hayley will circulate a Doodle poll to sign up. 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 controversial/interesting research paper etc. You can also suggest external speakers who we might invite (local speakers only please). 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 new folk must complete the form available here: http://lists.stir.ac.uk/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/berg You can also use this link to unsubscribe. We'll send round the Doodle poll later, but please add the dates to your dairy. We'd appreciate those who gave conference talks recently to take the early slots! Many thanks, Hannah and Hayley Hannah M. Buchanan-Smith Professor, Behaviour and Evolution Research Group (BERG) 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 Just launched: http://refiningdogcare.com/

9 years, 3 months

RSPCA/UFAW rodent and rabbit welfare group meeting

by Laura Hall

Dear all, For the first time, the RSPCA/UFAW rodent and rabbit welfare group meeting will be held in Scotland this year, which some of you might be interested in attending. Please see the attached flyer from Penny Hawkins for more details. Kind regards Laura

9 years, 4 months

FW: Reminder: Extra Monday Seminar- Natalie Pilakouta

by Phyllis Lee

-----Original Message----- From: Luc Bussiere Sent: 23 May 2016 08:30 Subject: Reminder: Extra Monday Seminar- Natalie Pilakouta Hi everyone, Just a quick reminder that we have an extra seminar today at noon in room 3A142 by Natalie Pilakouta from Edinburgh University (see below for details). Please come along if you can! Thanks, Luc > ** > > Next Monday, May 23 (noon in room 3A142), I am pleased to host Natalie Pilakouta (http://www.nataliepilakouta.com/) from the University of Edinburgh, who will deliver one last seminar for our spring series, titled "Maternal effects alter the magnitude of inbreeding depression in the offspring” (short abstract below). Natalie is a really engaging speaker, and her research features both fascinating questions (e.g., on the evolution of parental care & inbreeding) and charismatic creatures (who doesn’t love burying beetles?). > > I will take her for lunch after the seminar, and anyone is welcome to join us (let me know by Monday morning). She is also keen to meet with other Stirling academics during her visit — let me know if you want me to arrange a meeting. > > Thanks! > > Luc > > Maternal effects alter the magnitude of inbreeding depression in the offspring > > A maternal effect is a causal influence of the maternal phenotype on the offspring phenotype over and above any direct effects of genes that the offspring inherit from their mother. There is abundant evidence that maternal effects can have a major impact on offspring fitness. Yet, no previous study has investigated the potential role of maternal effects in influencing the severity of inbreeding depression in the offspring. Inbreeding depression is a reduction in the fitness of inbred offspring relative to outbred offspring. We tested whether maternal effects due to body size alter the magnitude of inbreeding depression in the burying beetle Nicrophorus vespilloides. We found that inbreeding depression was more severe for offspring of large females than offspring of small females. This might be due to differences in how small and large females invested in inbred broods because of their different prospects for future breeding opportunities. This work provides the first evidence for a causal effect of the maternal phenotype on the severity of inbreeding depression in the offspring. We propose that in natural populations that are subject to inbreeding, maternal effects may drive variation in the magnitude of inbreeding depression and consequently contribute to variation in the strength and direction of selection for inbreeding avoidance. -- Luc Bussière Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Stirling, Stirling FK9 4LA United Kingdom Voice: +44 (0)1786 467758 Fax: +44 (0)1786 467843 Mobile: +44 (0)79 1384 9238 This is a Calm Inbox: email is checked once in the AM and once in the PM. Learn why at www.calmbox.me

9 years, 6 months

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