Absdigest Digest, Vol 16, Issue 10

[James Ha]

+-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
+                            A B S n e t - Electronic Newsletter                                              +
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
|        Maintained in association with the Animal Behavior Society                     +
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Editors:   * James C. Ha      Internet: jcha at u.washington.edu                           +
|                ** Shan D. Duncan   Internet: sdduncan at abs.animalbehavior.org  +
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+

Today's Topics:

    1. PhD scholarship, Macquarie Univ (James Ha)
    2. WEBS: symposium for early career female biologists (Shan Duncan)


----------------------------------------------------------------------

Message: 1
From: Culum Brown <culumbrown at yahoo.com>
Subject: Re: ABSNET PhD add

PhD Scholarship, Sydney

Development and evolution of cerebral lateralisation:
Fishes as model organisms

Macquarie University is offering a PhD scholarship to
international or Australian student to work on the above
research topic in the Department of Biological Sciences
starting 2008. The research will be conducted under the
supervision of Dr Culum Brown
(http://www.bio.mq.edu.au/beef/) and will comprise a
mixture of lab and field based experiments. The research is
supported by the ARC.

The project:
Cerebral lateralisation refers to the functional
partitioning of information processing between the two
hemispheres of the brain and is often overtly expressed as
lateralised behavioural traits such as handedness. Previous
research has focussed on the neural mechanisms behind
cerebral lateralisation, yet surprisingly little is known
about its function and the fitness benefits it may provide
animals in their natural environments. This project will
address these questions by examining the development and
function of lateralisation using an evolutionary approach.
The research will determine the relative costs and benefits
associated with cerebral lateralisation in the day to day
lives of fishes occupying a range of natural environments
and, in doing so, identify its ecological correlates and
phylogenetic constraints. This research will address
fundamental questions pertaining to the evolution of
cognition in vertebrates using Australian rainbowfish as a
model.

The candidate:
The student for this program of research will have a
background in behavioural ecology or comparative
psychology. Experience working with fishes is preferential.
   A first class honours degree (or equivalent) is required
for enrolment in the PhD program at Macquarie University.
Some evidence of publication is desirable.

Further reading:
Brown, C., Western, J. and Braithwaite, V.A. (2007) The
influence of early experience on, and inheritance of,
cerebral lateralization. Animal Behaviour, 74, 231-238.
Brown, C. (2005) Cerebral lateralisation; Social
constraints and coordinated antipredator responses.
Behavioural and Brain Sciences, 28(4), 591-592.
Brown, C., Gardner, G. and Braithwaite, V.A. (2004)
Population variation in lateralised eye use in the
poeciliid Brachyraphis episcopi. Proc. Roy. Soc. Lond. B
(suppl), 271, S455–S457.

Contact:
Dr Culum Brown cbrown at bio.mq.edu.au for more information

------------------------------

Message: 2
From: Shan Duncan <sdduncan at abs.animalbehavior.org>
Subject: WEBS: symposium for early career female biologists

Announcement about WEBS WEBS (Women Evolving Biological Sciences) is an 
annual three-day symposium aimed at addressing the retention of female 
scientists and issues related to the transition of women from early career 
stages to tenure track positions and leadership roles in academic and 
research settings. We are now accepting applications online 
(http://www.webs.washington.edu) for participation in the symposium. 
Applications are due April 15, 2008.

WEBS will target early career women in the Biological Sciences with an
emphasis on ecology and evolutionary biology. In particular, it will
focus on women who have earned their doctoral degrees within the past
two to eight years and who do not have tenure in order to address the
critical transition period from graduate studies and post-doctoral
positions to permanent research and teaching positions. The symposia
will provide a forum for professional development, including awareness
and improvement of academic leadership skills; opportunities to
establish mentoring relationships; and resources for developing
professional networks. The 2008 symposium will be held at the Pack
Forest Conference center near Seattle, WA from October 19-22, 2008.





------------------------------

+========================================================================+
|  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                |
+------------------------------------------------------------------------+
                       *******************

                  IMPORTANT ADDRESSES TO USE FOR ABSNET

o Post a Message to ABSnet, Send To:
    absnet-post at abs.animalbehavior.org

For Personal Mail Regarding The Newsletter, Send To:
     jcha at u.washington.edu

For Emergency Help With Subscriptions, Send To:
       sdduncan at indiana.edu

To subscribe or unsubscribe use the web link:

http://abs.animalbehavior.org/mailman/listinfo/absnet

at the bottom of the page under the heading: ABSNet Subscribers


End of Absdigest Digest, Vol 16, Issue 10
*****************************************