- BERG - University of Stirling Mailing Lists

BERG Meeting 26th March
by Alejandro Sanchez Amaro 21 Mar '25

21 Mar '25

Dear all, In the next BERG/SHAIR meeting this week, Elisa Felsche (MPI EVA Leipzig) will present her latest work on "How Complex Are Chimpanzees' Inferences? Insights into Abstract Reasoning and Social Learning in Primates" Elisa will present online (Wednesday 26th 4pm), but we can all meet in the Psychology Common Room. Abstract: Can non-human primates, like humans, infer patterns from limited evidence and apply this knowledge in new situations? Are they able to integrate multiple variables when learning from others? In this talk, I will first present studies investigating the abilities of chimpanzees, children, and capuchin monkeys to form abstract knowledge (“overhypotheses”) and generalize to novel situations. Second, I will explore whether chimpanzees use the naïve utility calculus to infer the relative value of novel food items by observing conspecifics’ choices under varying effort demands. link: https://teams.microsoft.com/l/meetup-join/19%3ameeting_NTliODBlNDQtMzM1MC00… Best, Alex ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Dr. Alejandro Sanchez-Amaro Lecturer in Psychology Cottrell Building Room 3B144c, Department of Psychology, Faculty of Natural Sciences University of Stirling @ Colleagues and Students: Please let me know of any EDI (Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion) -related issues that you would like me to bring to the attention of our Division's EDI Committee. ________________________________ Scotland’s University for Sporting Excellence The University of Stirling is a charity registered in Scotland, number SC 011159

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Fw: PhD position (MPI EVA)
by Alejandro Sanchez Amaro 20 Mar '25

20 Mar '25

PhD position for student at MPI EVA (Germany); see below ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Dr. Alejandro Sanchez-Amaro Lecturer in Psychology Cottrell Building Room 3B144c, Department of Psychology, Faculty of Natural Sciences University of Stirling @ Colleagues and Students: Please let me know of any EDI (Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion) -related issues that you would like me to bring to the attention of our Division's EDI Committee. ________________________________ From: Matthias Allritz <matthias_allritz(a)eva.mpg.de> Sent: Thursday, March 20, 2025 1:58 PM To: Alejandro Sanchez Amaro <alejandro.sanchezamaro(a)stir.ac.uk>; Christine Anna Caldwell <c.a.caldwell(a)stir.ac.uk>; Pawel Fedurek <pawel.fedurek(a)stir.ac.uk> Subject: PhD position (MPI EVA) Some people who received this message don't often get email from matthias_allritz(a)eva.mpg.de. Learn why this is important<https://aka.ms/LearnAboutSenderIdentification> CAUTION: This email originated from outside University of Stirling. Do not follow links or open attachments if you doubt the authenticity of the sender or the content. ________________________________ Dear Alex, Christine and Pawel, I hope all is well. I wanted to ask if you would mind circulating this PhD ad among potentially interested master students? Feel free to forward this also to lab or field site coordinators, they tend to know well who is currently looking for a PhD position. We are looking for a candidate for a new PhD position on self-recognition in chimpanzees at the Department of Comparative Cultural Psychology at MPI-EVA (Leipzig, Germany). Application deadline is April 20, 2025. Please find the ad here: https://www.eva.mpg.de/career/positions-available/job/651/Abteilung%20Vergl… Thank you very much! Matthias ________________________________ Scotland's University for Sporting Excellence The University of Stirling is a charity registered in Scotland, number SC 011159

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Volunteer Research Assistants needed (crow behaviour)
by Pawel Fedurek 20 Mar '25

20 Mar '25

FYI: 3 volunteer research assistants (RAs) are needed this spring and/or summer to assist PhD student Julie Chase with on-campus fieldwork as part of the Crow Behaviour and Cognition Project. While primarily field-based, there may be additional chances for RAs to help with data processing, if interested. This is a unique opportunity for students interested in both experimental and observational behavioural research on wild animals. No experience is needed, but punctuality, reliability, and attention to detail are key. Fieldwork primarily takes place in the morning and the RA would help with any of 4 animal behaviour projects, on a rotating basis depending on requirements and availability: (1) A field experiment investigating the effect of urbanization on predator discrimination ability. Crows are being habituated to a feeding site and then will be presented with a selection of taxidermy animals. The RA would help Julie with both habituation and experimental trials from about 0830-1200. (2) Monitoring breeding behaviour. The RA would help monitor breeding activities in the approximately 20 crow territories across campus. After training, the RA may undertake this activity independently and on their own schedule. It is recommended that these observations are conducted in the morning, as that is when the crows are most active. (3) Ringing nestling crows. In collaboration with experts from BTO Scotland and Tay Ringing Group, we will be ringing nestling crows and conducting simple behavioural tests to determine reactions to the stress of this human handling. This activity will take place near dawn, so as to minimise the disruption on campus. While this activity is optional, it is a fantastic opportunity to learn about behavioural research on (very) temporarily captive animals, as well as new field ecology techniques. The RA would primarily assist with note taking, sample collection, and maintaining the work area under the climb sites. (4) Ringing adult crows. Campus crows are currently being habituated to the presence of a large ladder trap within their territories. The RA would help Julie with setup and takedown of the trap at approximately 0800-0900 and 1600-1700. This ladder trap will eventually be used to capture the crows for ringing and simple behavioural tests to determine reactions to the stress of this human handling. The RA would also have the opportunity, although optional, to assist with ringing adult crows in the same manner as for the nestlings. If interested, please get in touch with Julia Chase (j.e.chase(a)stir.ac.uk) ________________________________ Scotland's University for Sporting Excellence The University of Stirling is a charity registered in Scotland, number SC 011159

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BERG Meeting 19th March
by Alejandro Sanchez Amaro 17 Mar '25

17 Mar '25

Dear all, I hope you had a great weekend. . In the next BERG/SHAIR meeting this week, Matthew Lomas will present his latest work on the project: How important is Theory of Mind to Human Pedagogy? Matthew will present online but we can all meet in the Psychology Common Room. As usual, we will meet Wednesday at 4pm. Abstract: The ecological dominance of humans has been often suggested as being underlined by our capacity for pedagogy (i.e. teaching), but the mechanisms the enable us to transfer knowledge effectively, as compared to non-human species, are not well understood. Theory of Mind (ToM, i.e. the capacity to consider the minds of others) has typically been framed as human’s “silver bullet”, however empirical research is lacking and is contradicted by evidence of non-human species who do engage in teaching where ToM is absent. Alternatively, human pedagogy might be supported by heuristical behaviours (i.e. rules of thumb) and not necessitate the use of high order cognitive mechanisms such as ToM. In this presentation I will discuss my PhD project in which I seek to evidence questions in these areas about the role of ToM in human pedagogy. I will detail the structure and design of my investigations and (hopefully!) present you with some preliminary findings. link for online attendance: https://teams.microsoft.com/l/meetup-join/19%3ameeting_NTliODBlNDQtMzM1MC00… Best, Alex ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Dr. Alejandro Sanchez-Amaro Lecturer in Psychology Cottrell Building Room 3B144c, Department of Psychology, Faculty of Natural Sciences University of Stirling @ Colleagues and Students: Please let me know of any EDI (Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion) -related issues that you would like me to bring to the attention of our Division's EDI Committee. ________________________________ Scotland’s University for Sporting Excellence The University of Stirling is a charity registered in Scotland, number SC 011159

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BERG Impact meeting 12th March, 4-5pm Psychology Common room
by Hannah Buchanan-Smith 12 Mar '25

12 Mar '25

Morning all! Tomorrow's BERG meeting (4-5pm, Psych common room) is dedicated to discussing the individual impact submissions made to Paul Hibbard from Gema (bees), Pawel (snare-free), Paws for Progress, and one on welfare assessment (lead by Kristine Gandia) and one from me on welfare legislation. All welcome - the meeting will also be a good time to hear about any other impact or engagement activity that has not yet been captured. As it will be a discussion, no hybrid option is available, but do get in touch if you wish a separate meeting about impact. Hope to see you tomorrow! Best, Hannah Hannah M. Buchanan-Smith Professor, Behaviour and Evolution Research Group (BERG) Psychology, Faculty of Natural Sciences University of Stirling Stirling, FK9 4LA Scotland E-mail: h.m.buchanan-smith(a)stir.ac.uk<http://h.m.buchanan-smith@stir.ac.uk/> Home page<https://www.stir.ac.uk/people/257464> Marmoset care<https://www.marmosetcare.stir.ac.uk/> Animal Welfare 24/7 across the lifespan<https://www.animalconcepts.eu/247approachtopromotingoptimalwelfareforcaptiv…> Welfare of dogs <https://nc3rs.org.uk/housing-and-husbandry-dogs> ________________________________ Scotland's University for Sporting Excellence The University of Stirling is a charity registered in Scotland, number SC 011159

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Fw: Primate Behavior and Conservation Field Course in Uganda
by Pawel Fedurek 10 Mar '25

10 Mar '25

FYI ------------------------------- 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 Twitter: @fedurekp<https://twitter.com/fedurekp> @BERG_Stirling<https://twitter.com/BERG_Stirling> 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). ________________________________ From: Psychology Enquiries <psych-enquiries(a)stir.ac.uk> Sent: 07 March 2025 10:26 To: PsychAcadStaff <PsychAcadStaff(a)stir.ac.uk> Subject: Fw: Primate Behavior and Conservation Field Course in Uganda ________________________________ From: Kimberly Dingess <kdingess(a)semlikichimpanzee.org> Sent: 06 March 2025 16:29 To: PatriciaBunce(a)ferris.edu <PatriciaBunce(a)ferris.edu> Subject: Primate Behavior and Conservation Field Course in Uganda CAUTION: This email originated from outside University of Stirling. Do not follow links or open attachments if you doubt the authenticity of the sender or the content. ________________________________ The Semliki Chimpanzee Project is now accepting applications for its Primate Behavior and Conservation field course in Uganda. The course dates are July 15-30, 2025. Students can participate on a credit or non-credit basis. Students will gain an in-depth understanding of Uganda culture, geography and wildlife. They will attend lectures on Ugandan conservation and wildlife by a guest lecturer from the Uganda Wildlife Authority (the national parks oversight organization); they will learn about the Ugandan independence and Kampala city history; they will visit the Entebbe Zoo where they will see a wide variety of Ugandan wildlife; they will live in tents in Semliki surrounded by wildlife including warthogs, kob, bushbuck, baboons, chimpanzees, redtail monkeys and forest elephants; at dusk they will be serenaded by black and white colobus (among the loudest animals on the planet) and during the night they will hear bushbabies and owls; they may see a nocturnal potto in the tamarind tree near the toilets; they will visit the famed Queen Elizabeth National Park where they will see wildlife such as millions of Uganda kob as well as elephants, hippos, crocodiles, banded mongoose, vervets, baboons and possibly lions; they will visit local markets in Ntoroko, Karagutu and Fort Portal; at Lake Albert they will see the famous and rare shoebill stork; they will look out over the famed Rift Valley, a mile below them, from the top of the rift escarpment; they will visit a tea plantation and see the harvesting and drying of the famous Ugandan tea (and receive a free sample); they will visit a smallholder family farm to see how self-sustaining families manage to produce their own vegetables, protein and natural products on a family-owned plot of land; they will trek gorillas in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. They will be immersed in Ugandan culture, nature and animals and guided by Ugandans and instructors with decades of experience in Uganda and all of Africa. For more information and to apply, visit Semliki Chimpanzee Project Field School – Semliki Chimpanzee Project<https://semliki.blog/> If you have any questions or would like a course information packet, please contact us at kdingess(a)semlikichimpanzee.org<mailto:kdingess@semlikichimpanzee.org>. ________________________________ Scotland’s University for Sporting Excellence The University of Stirling is a charity registered in Scotland, number SC 011159

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Fw: seminar of possible interest
by Alejandro Sanchez Amaro 04 Mar '25

04 Mar '25

FYI see below best, Alex ________________________________ From: Peter Hancock <p.j.b.hancock(a)stir.ac.uk> Sent: Tuesday, March 4, 2025 11:02 AM To: Alejandro Sanchez Amaro <alejandro.sanchezamaro(a)stir.ac.uk>; Ailsa E Millen <ailsa.millen(a)stir.ac.uk> Subject: seminar of possible interest Hi Ailsa, Alex. The following paid for course may be of interest to some Corgi and Berg folk. $49 for students, $100 for staff [Using AI to Read Hidden Signals of Humans, Animals, and Plants] This seminar explores the use of AI and machine learning to decode non-verbal communication in humans, animals, and plants, focusing on the concept of honest signals. Participants will gain hands-on experience with Python tools to analyze these signals, enhancing their research methodologies across diverse fields. https://instats.org/seminar/using-ai-to-read-honest-signals-of-human Peter Hancock (he/him) Emeritus Professor Psychology, School of Natural Sciences University of Stirling FK9 4LA, UK phone 01786 467675 http://rms.stir.ac.uk/converis-stirling/person/11587 @pjbhancock Latest papers: The Wisdom of the Crowd Can Unmask Faces https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/acp.4254 Benchmarking automation-aided performance in a forensic face matching task. Applied Ergonomics, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apergo.2024.104364 My messages may arrive outside of the working day but this does not imply any expectation that you should reply outside of your normal working hours. If you wish to respond, please do so when convenient. Web: www.stir.ac.uk<http://www.stir.ac.uk/> [Facebook icon]<https://www.facebook.com/universityofstirling/>[Twitter icon]<https://twitter.com/StirUni>[LinkedIn icon]<https://www.linkedin.com/edu/university-of-stirling-12676>[Instagram icon]<https://www.instagram.com/universityofstirling/>[Youtbue icon]<https://www.youtube.com/user/UniversityOfStirling> [Banner]<https://www.stir.ac.uk/> ________________________________ Scotland's University for Sporting Excellence The University of Stirling is a charity registered in Scotland, number SC 011159

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Talk Wednesday 26th
by Alejandro Sanchez Amaro 24 Feb '25

24 Feb '25

Dear all, Hope you had a great weekend. In the next BERG/SHAIR meeting this week, Alice Turner will present her latest work on her project: Human-Beaver Coexistence in a Nature Emergency. The meeting will take place in the Common Psychology room at 4pm, Wednesday. Abstract: We are in a nature emergency, and the re-establishment of beavers is one solution to restore biodiversity and ecosystem function. Yet, their relationship with humans, with whom they share their environment, remains largely under-researched. There are many studies which demonstrate the impact of human activity on wildlife, as well as how species adapt to human proximity, but our understanding of this in a beaver context is limited. Future ecosystem management must go beyond reintroduction schemes and allow both humans and beavers to engineer the environment without generating conflict. This talk outlines a PhD study into human-beaver coexistence, describing methodology and preliminary findings and potential applications to beaver policy and practice. link for online attendance: https://teams.microsoft.com/l/meetup-join/19%3ameeting_NTliODBlNDQtMzM1MC00… best, Alex ________________________________ Scotland's University for Sporting Excellence The University of Stirling is a charity registered in Scotland, number SC 011159

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no berg meeting this week
by Alejandro Sanchez Amaro 17 Feb '25

17 Feb '25

Dear all, Unfortunately, there will be no meeting this week. The good news is that we have a complete schedule until June with the exception of the reading week. See you soon. All the best, Alex ________________________________ Scotland's University for Sporting Excellence The University of Stirling is a charity registered in Scotland, number SC 011159

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Japanese Film Festival – Dogs without names, inc. Paws for Progress, and free drinks reception!
by Hannah Buchanan-Smith 12 Feb '25

12 Feb '25

Japanese Film Festival – Dogs without names The University and the Consul General of Japan are hosting an evening for both film and dog lovers alike on Wednesday, 26 February in Pathfoot Lecture Theatre, from 5.30pm. The film ‘Dogs without names’<https://uoscomms.newsweaver.com/universityofstirling.12bwynwx8b/15ss6pfo9u0…> is an inspirational story of a filmmaker who decides to channel her grief over her deceased golden retriever into making a documentary about people who rescue dogs and cats 'without names' - meaning with no one to care for them. She works with organisations who rescue dogs and cats from being euthanised and sees anew the power of our bonds with these animals and our responsibilities should we opt to care for them. The film is in Japanese with English subtitles. The evening will be opened by the Consul General of Japan and the film introduced by the University's linked charity Paws for Progress<https://uoscomms.newsweaver.com/universityofstirling.12bwynwx8b/qdcy6zyjxqn…>. There will be a drinks reception afterwards for all who attend. For more information and to register for the event, please see the event booking site<https://uoscomms.newsweaver.com/universityofstirling.12bwynwx8b/5licskkn987…>. You can also watch this short trailer<https://uoscomms.newsweaver.com/universityofstirling.12bwynwx8b/ff52jiwtpmj…> of the film. Hannah M. Buchanan-Smith Professor, Behaviour and Evolution Research Group (BERG) Psychology, Faculty of Natural Sciences University of Stirling Stirling, FK9 4LA Scotland E-mail: h.m.buchanan-smith(a)stir.ac.uk<http://h.m.buchanan-smith@stir.ac.uk/> Home page<https://www.stir.ac.uk/people/257464> Marmoset care<https://www.marmosetcare.stir.ac.uk/> Animal Welfare 24/7 across the lifespan<https://www.animalconcepts.eu/247approachtopromotingoptimalwelfareforcaptiv…> Welfare of dogs <https://nc3rs.org.uk/housing-and-husbandry-dogs> ________________________________ Scotland’s University for Sporting Excellence The University of Stirling is a charity registered in Scotland, number SC 011159

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