Absdigest Digest, Vol 16, Issue 5
James Ha
jcha at u.washington.edu
Fri Feb 8 14:45:41 EST 2008
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+ A B S n e t - Electronic Newsletter +
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| Maintained in association with the Animal Behavior Society +
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| Editors: * James C. Ha Internet: jcha at u.washington.edu +
| ** Shan D. Duncan Internet: sdduncan at abs.animalbehavior.org +
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Today's Topics:
1. Volunteer Opportunity (Alexis Chaine)
2. Applications being accepted for MSc in Animal Behaviour
(Leaver, Lisa)
3. Formal advertisment for Behavioural Ecology position
(John A. Endler)
4. PhD position available - Norwegian University of Life Science
(Shan Duncan)
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Message: 1
From: "Alexis Chaine" <alexis.chaine at EcoEx-Moulis.cnrs.fr>
Subject: Volunteer Opportunity
Volunteer Opportunity
We are looking for volunteers on a project examining the evolution of
dispersal and sociality. The themes of this work are centered on the
evolution of sociality (cooperation), condition-dependent dispersal, and
meta-population dynamics. This project seeks to experimentally manipulate
parameters of dispersal behavior and social aggregations to understand
trade-offs and key determinants of the evolution of these behaviors. The
project is lab based, using Tetrahymena thermophila, a unicellular
ciliated protist, as a model organism. Our recent work has shown genetic
variation in dispersal and cooperative behavior among clonal lines and has
investigated some elements of condition-dependent dispersal (information
use, dispersal phenotypes). Future work will examine evolutionary
processes affecting dispersal and the stability of social strategies to
build on previous findings. Volunteers are expected to participate in
maintenance of cultures, experimental manipulations, and the best
candidates will also be capable of helping to plan experiments and process
data.
This project is run in Dr. Jean Clobert's lab and students will work with
both Dr. Clobert and Dr. Alexis Chaine. The lab is situated in the
foothills of the French Pyrenees Mountains at a CNRS field station (Moulis
/ Saint Girons). Students will be provided with housing but will be
expected to cover their other expenses. Work is ongoing and volunteers can
begin at a negotiated date. Duration of work is flexible, and while
volunteers are expected to commit to a minimum of 4 weeks, priority will
be given to those who can commit to longer periods.
For more information, please contact Alexis Chaine at
alexis.chaine at ecoex-moulis.cnrs.fr
------------------------------
Message: 2
From: "Leaver, Lisa" <L.A.Leaver at exeter.ac.uk>
Subject: Applications being accepted for MSc in Animal Behaviour
MSc in Animal Behaviour at the University of Exeter is now accepting
applications for October 2008.
The MSc programme in Animal Behaviour is a unique course in the United
Kingdom, allowing both psychology and biology students to investigate
questions in the area of animal behaviour.
The programme is designed to provide students with a strong background in
a broad cross section of research methods used by animal behaviourists and
behavioural ecologists. The research skills will be backed up by a strong
theoretical grounding. The purpose of the programme is to give students
the opportunity to advance and expand their knowledge in the field of
animal behaviour and to gain expertise in the research and statistical
methods generally used in Psychology. Students will have the opportunity
to learn how to formulate and test relevant research questions, as well as
learning to critically evaluate the research carried out by others in the
field. The programme will enable students to get an insight into the
varied means of doing animal behaviour research in a wide array of
locations - zoo, laboratory and in the wild. Students will be well suited
to continue in academia to pursue PhDs at Exeter and elsewhere. They will
also have the necessary training to work in such places as zoos, wildlife
offices, research centres and the expanding field of eco-tourism. This is
a full 12 month course comprising taught courses, practical courses and a
research placement. The teaching and learning methods are a mix of
lectures, seminars, practicals and field courses. Overall there is a
strong practical and demonstration element to the programme utilising
innovative teaching practices. For full-time students course work should
occupy about four days a week, leaving you a fifth day for preparatory
work on your research placement.
For further details please contact the Fiona Neligan, Postgraduate
Secretary F.C.Neligan at ex.ac.uk, or browse our web pages at:
http://www.psychology.ex.ac.uk/pgtaught/mscab.shtml
Dr Lisa Leaver
Senior Lecturer
Director of the MSc in Animal Behaviour
School of Psychology
University of Exeter
EX4 4QG
UK
------------------------------
Message: 3
From: "John A. Endler" <J.A.Endler at exeter.ac.uk>
Subject: formal advertisment for Behavioural Ecology position
Dear everyone on the Animal Behaviour mailing list,
I earlier sent an informal announcement of a position in my new
Animal Behaviour Research Group; I can now give you the official
announcement:
Lecturer in Animal Behaviour or Behavioural Ecology, £30k-£35k (Ref. R52N1479)
University of Exeter, School of Psychology
The University of Exeter is building an enthusiastic, integrative,
interactive, and broad group in Animal Behaviour with the goal of making
it an international centre of excellence. We seek future colleagues who
would like to understand the why and how of natural behaviour; the neural
mechanisms which control it, its function and adaptive value, and its
origin, maintenance, and changes over evolutionary time. Applicants
should be asking these kinds of questions: What is the behaviour's purpose
in the sense of what are the problems that the behaviour solves? How does
solving the environmental or social problem of interest maintain or
enhance fitness? Why and how does it evolve?
We seek highly interactive individuals who would not hesitate to cross
traditional disciplinary boundaries when necessary, and do at least some
work on natural populations of vertebrates or invertebrates. We have a
preference for those interested in animal signalling, mate choice, habitat
choice, or prey choice related to anti-predation mechanisms, but
first-rate people outside these areas, for example in behaviour
phylogenetics, behaviour genetics, or animal cognition in the context of
behaviour in the natural environment, are most welcome to apply.
The successful applicant will show evidence of an original and independent
research programme, an established record of high quality research
publication, and preferably a record of successful application for
research funding. The person appointed will be expected to teach
undergraduates in Behavioural Ecology, and will have the opportunity to
develop specialist teaching at the postgraduate and undergraduate levels
in her/his area of research expertise.
The appointment will be made at a level commensurate with the person's
qualifications, skills and achievements. Starting Salary will be between
£29,139 and £32,796 on Grade F dependent upon skills and experience with
further progression possible to £35,837 subject to contribution. The
University has a rapidly expanding national and international profile and
can offer a very attractive range of employment benefits and facilities
including final salary pension scheme. The University of Exeter is an
equal opportunity employer and promotes diversity in its workforce and,
whilst all applicants will be judged on merit alone, is particularly keen
to consider applications from groups currently underrepresented in the
workforce.
Applications should be made directly to the University of Exeter Personnel
Office quoting reference number R52N1479, after obtaining the application
pack. The application packs are available from www.exeter.ac.uk/jobs;
e-mail r.j.baker at exeter.ac.uk (quoting the reference number) ; fax (+44)
01392 263414; If the material in the information pack does not answer
your questions, please email Prof. John A. Endler:
J.A.Endler at exeter.ac.uk. Closing date for completed applications is 14
March 2008.
*----------------------------------------------*
* Prof. John A. Endler *
* Animal Behaviour Research Group *
* School of Psychology, Washington Singer Labs *
* Perry Road *
* University of Exeter *
* EXETER EX4 4QG *
* UK *
* tel: 01392 269228 (office number) *
* +44 1392 264228 (international) *
* mob: 07858 764667 (not always switched on) *
* tel: 01392 264626 (school office) *
* fax: 01392 264623 *
* email J.A.Endler at exeter.ac.uk *
*----------------------------------------------*
------------------------------
Message: 4
From: Dan Blumstein <marmots at ucla.edu>
Subject: Ph.D. position
A PhD position will be available on "Chemical ecology and genetics in
mammals" from August 1st 2008 (for 3-4 years). This is an exciting
interdisciplinary project that brings together chemistry, biochemistry and
ecology to allow novel insight into sociality and communication in
mammals. The project will focus on Eurasian beavers (Castor fiber), brown
bears (Ursus arctos) and yellow-bellied marmots (Marmota flaviventris) as
model species.
The student will be enrolled at the Norwegian University of Life Science,
Ås, Norway but work daily at Telemark University College, Bø, Telemark,
Norway.
Assoc. Prof. Frank Rosell will be main supervisor; Professor Jon Swenson
(http://www.umb.no/ina/ansatte/jsw_e.htm), Dr. Andreas Zedrosser
(http://www.umb.no/ina/ansatte/arz_e.htm), and Assoc. Prof. Dan Blumstein,
UCLA, USA (see http://www.eeb.ucla.edu/Faculty/Blumstein/)
will be co-supervisors.
The majority of field work will be carried out in Telemark on beavers with
additional field work on bears in Sweden, and on yellow-bellied marmots at
the Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory (http:// www.rmbl.org), Colorado,
USA.
Please contact Frank Rosell (Frank.Rosell at hit.no) for further details. ***
------------------------------
+========================================================================+
| Contact Addresses: |
| |
| James Ha |
| Department of Psychology and National Primate Research Center |
| University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195 |
| |
| Shan D. Duncan |
| Animal Behavior Society Central Office at Indiana University |
| 2611 East 10th Street #170, Bloomington, IN 47405 |
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