Workshop,
11-14 August 2013, Arolla, Switzerland
Organizers:
Barbara Taborsky and Sander van Doorn
A
workshop of the CUSO 'Doctoral Program in Ecology and Evolution' (DPEE)
The
distinction between proximate and ultimate research approaches in biology seems
to be carved in stone. However, today molecular techniques open up the black
box of information processing and decision making. Molecular life scientists
increasingly apply evolutionary principles to explain patterns in their data.
Recent integrative approaches seem highly fruitful and gave rise to novel
disciplines such as evo-devo and eco-devo.
This
workshop will be headed by leading researchers transcending the boundary
between mechanistic and functional approaches. The program focus is the
evolution of proximate mechanisms underlying behaviour and life-history
decisions. In particular we will ask
(i)
why proximate mechanisms have evolved the way they are built, and
(ii)
how mechanisms shape adaptive evolution beyond their role as developmental or
evolutionary constraints.
The
workshop will include lectures by invited speakers and, as a top priority,
intensive discussions in small groups consisting of invited speakers,
researchers and advanced students.
Invited
speakers
- Thomas Flatt, University of Lausanne, Switzerland
- James Goodson, Indiana University, USA
- Ton Groothuis, University of Groningen, Netherlands
- Alex Kacelnik, University of Oxford, UK
- Kevin Laland, University of St.-Andrews, UK
- John McNamara, University of Bristol, UK
- Rui Oliveira, Instituto Superior de Psicologia Aplicada, Portugal
- G. Sander van Doorn, University of Groningen, Netherlands
The
workshop takes place at the Grand-Hôtel
'Kurhaus' in a breathtaking scenery amidst some of the finest
mountain peaks of Switzerland. The venue is situated above the picturesque
mountain village of Arolla, at 2100 m sea level in the very heart of the Swiss
high alps.
For attendance see http://behav.zoology.unibe.ch/index.php?pp=56&p=139
for further information please
contact barbara.taborsky@iee.unibe.ch or g.s.van.doorn@rug.nl