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Kirsty MacLeod

@kjmacleod.bsky.social
2.9K followers 3K following 238 posts

Behavioural and evolutionary ecologist, lecturer in Bangor 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 - sociality, life history, stress, thermal ecology, mostly in reptiles macleodlab.weebly.com

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Reposted by Kirsty MacLeod
The Company of Biologists @biologists.bsky.social · 1h
Three of our journals @dev-journal.bsky.social, @jcellsci.bsky.social & @jexpbiol.bsky.social offer Travelling Fellowships of up to £3k to graduate students and post-docs wishing to make collaborative visits to other laboratories. Next deadline: 23 October More at www.biologists.com/grants/trave...
Medley of photos of researchers
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Genome Biology and Evolution @genomebiolevol.bsky.social · 19h
How does cooperative living arise from information encoded in a genome? To highlight this key topic in evolutionary biology, GBE presents its virtual collection on the “Evolution of Sociality.” 🔗 academic.oup.com/gbe/pages/ev... 📷 @meganbarkdull.bsky.social #societyjournal #genome #evolution
E Pluribus Unum: GBE Virtual Collection on the Evolution of Sociality
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Victoria Watson-Zink, PhD @watsonzink.bsky.social · 19h
Curious about what I do? Check out this awesome research feature from @hhmi-science.bsky.social touching on several of my projects: the microbial basis of convergent land crab herbivory, land crab transcriptomic responses to desiccation, and my new evo-devo stuff in red devil vampire crabs! 🦀😍
hhmi.org
What Land Crabs Reveal About Evolution’s Repeats | HHMI
HHMI Hanna Gray Fellow Victoria Watson-Zink studies land crabs to understand a bigger question: when animals face the same evolutionary challenge, how many different ways can they solve it?
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Kirsty MacLeod @kjmacleod.bsky.social · 14/10/2026
You have a wonderful home!
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Oregon 🕎🎲 @oregonthedm.bsky.social · 11/10/2026
The most fun thing ever to randomly see
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Edward Grey Institute @egioxford.bsky.social · 13/10/2026
Pleased to announce first EGI seminar of 2026-27 with @erikpostma.bsky.social from @uniexecec.bsky.social talking about Evolutionary Dynamics & Constraints on Avian Reproductive Effort. Abstract in ALT-text. Erik's seminar is at 3.30 in LT2 in LaMB @biology.ox.ac.uk. All welcome; also streamed ⬇️
Seminar poster abstract: In search of the evolutionary forces and constraints that shape the dynamics of reproductive effort
Although central to life-history theory and a potentially powerful evolutionary constraint, the predicted trade-off between reproduction and survival remains remarkably elusive. Here I will build upon the so-called Y-model that emphasises the roles of variation in resource acquisition vs. allocation in shaping life-history correlations. In particular, I will distinguish between genetic and environmental sources of variation in resource allocation and acquisition, and between phenotypic and genetic patterns of covariance on the one hand, and the trade-off function that describes the relationship between resource allocation to, for example, reproduction versus survival, on the other. I will illustrate this using empirical studies of three species—humans, quails and great tits—in which we quantified the lifespan-cost of reproduction. Using complementary approaches, I will show how women reproducing when resources are scarce, great tits genetically predisposed to lay large clutches, and quails artificially bred to invest more in reproduction all live shorter lives. Thereby I will provide empirical evidence for a lifespan-cost of reproduction across a range of life-history strategies, and highlight its role in shaping the evolutionary dynamics of reproductive effort.
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Dan Baldassarre @evornithology.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
tldr: birds fly around, fuck up natural selection
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Eleanor Bath @eleanorbath.bsky.social · 12/10/2026
Why do animals fight? I’m recruiting a PhD student at Durham University to investigate the ecology, evolution and genes underlying aggression in fruit flies Funded PhD (UK students only). Details & how to apply 👇 www.findaphd.com/phds/project... Please share! #PhD #Evolution #BehaviouralEcology
findaphd.com
What drives aggression? Linking Ecology, Evolution, and Genes at Durham University on FindAPhD.com
PhD Project - What drives aggression? Linking Ecology, Evolution, and Genes at Durham University, listed on FindAPhD.com
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Scott Horton @robertscotthorton.bsky.social · 10/10/2026
Princeton, McGill and Penn have all denied tenure to women who went on to win a Nobel Prize. It says quite a bit about tenure standards, and the treatment of women in academia. MAGA thinks that DEI gives them an unfair advantage. And that's farcical. www.forbes.com/sites/conorm...
forbes.com
Researcher Demoted By University Of Pennsylvania Wins Nobel Prize For mRNA Discoveries—And Some Academics Urge Penn To Apologize
Katalin Karikó’s research laid the foundation for both the Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna Covid-19 vaccines.
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pixelatedboat aka “mr bluesky” @pixelatedboat.bsky.social · 11/10/2026
Australopithecus 3 million years ago:
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Rob Cruickshank @robcruickshank.bsky.social · 11/10/2026
Turns out these guys are real
A fish like a child would draw, no fins, just a tail an eye and a little smile
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Ari Strandburg-Peshkin @arispeshkin.bsky.social · 09/10/2026
We are offering 3 #PhD positions in our Ecology of Animal Societies Department @livingingroups.bsky.social at the Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior - check them out! imprs-qbee.mpg.de/66685/current
imprs-qbee.mpg.de
Current
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Kirsty MacLeod @kjmacleod.bsky.social · 09/10/2026
This is one of the nicest graphical abstracts I’ve seen! 👏
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Kathryn R Elmer @profkathrynelmer.bsky.social · 08/10/2026
we have a PhD studentship open in the NorthWestBio Doctoral Training Programme. This is a "CASE" Studentship, meaning it is academics together with a charity partner and involves an internship. Currently open for international applicants; home UK applicants from 2 Nov. www.gla.ac.uk/postgraduate...
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Alexei Maklakov @alexeimaklakov.bsky.social · 08/10/2026
Why do some animals continue to live long after they have stopped reproducing? And what about sex differences in lifespan? Apply here to find out 😀: I have ARIES DTP PhD position together with Tracey Chapman, Simone Immler, see below! aries-dtp.ac.uk/studentships...
aries-dtp.ac.uk
Postreproductive Maternal Care and the Evolution of Sex Differences in Lifespan | Aries
Professor Alexei Maklakov, School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia – contact me Professor Tracey Chapman, UEA/BIO Professor Simone Immler, UEA/BIO Why do some animals continue to live...
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Katharina Ruthsatz @kruthsatz.bsky.social · 08/10/2026
Interested in the role of gut microbiomes in bird thermal resilience? 🥚⚡🐣🌡️🐥🧫 Come join us as a #postdoc in the #HOTGUT project at @biologylu.bsky.social ! Supervisor me, @cyanistesnord.bsky.social as co-supervisor. 💫 Please spread! Apply here 👇: lu.varbi.com/what:job/job...
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Nature Ecology & Evolution @natecoevo.nature.com · 07/10/2026
Our October issue is out now! Featuring research on: 🐈 Feliform evolution 🛣️ Forest fragmentation from roads 🐟 Gene-regulatory evolution in salmonids Cover image from Hausharter et al. www.nature.com/articles/s41...
October cover image for Nature Ecology & Evolution showing an alpine plant. The headline reads "Warming signals"
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Duncan Sproul @sproullab.bsky.social · 08/10/2026
Last week to apply for this. If you are interested in working on cool project to understand the role of DNA methylation in regulating transcription please apply!
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SEBiology @sebiology.bsky.social · 08/10/2026
How far would you go to save your research? 🧬 For the @rsb.org.uk ’s #BiologyWeek, discover Dr Lucy Hawkes’ unexpected rescue mission, brought to life in animation! 🎬 More information: 🎧 urls.fr/pyjv-Z
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International Initiative for Theoretical Ecology @iite-ecotheory.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
📣Next Tuesday, our online seminar speaker will be Mingyu Luo (UCLA) @mingyuluo.bsky.social, presenting: ⭐The many meanings of ecological stability⭐ Do join us - its free and open to all! Zoom link: liu-se.zoom.us/j/63158449287 Global times: www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/f...
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Pierre de Villemereuil @pdevillemereuil.bsky.social · 07/10/2026
Last episode of the common lizard🦎 quantitative genetics trilogy: doi.org/10.1111/1365... A study on the selection and heritability of breeding phenology in our wild population, led by Théo Bodineau during his PhD, published in @animalecology.bsky.social. @isyeb.mnhn.fr @ephe-psl.bsky.social
doi.org
High thermal plasticity, low heritability and constant directional selection on breeding phenology in a viviparous ectotherm
Our findings reveal that breeding phenology of the common lizard is shaped by strong thermal plasticity, body size effects, constant selection for earlier parturition, but low heritability. This sugg...
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Joel Pick @joelpick.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
🚨Exciting project alert!!🚨 Are you interested in data and code sharing in Ecology and Evolution? @eivimeycook.bsky.social and I are running a hackathon to quantify data and code availability and sharing quality across 90 society journals, and looking for people who want to be involved.
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Open Consortium of Squamate Genomics @squamategenomics.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
The Open Consortium of Squamate Genomics (OCSG) is a rapidly growing network of researchers interested in building capacity for cutting-edge genomics research in lizards and snakes. We teach and learn from one another while making new connections across the globe. Join us! forms.gle/67J2vQHQB3tP...
forms.gle
Open Consortium of Squamate Genomics (OCSG) Sign-up/Contact Form
The Open Consortium of Squamate Genomics (OCSG) is a new global initiative (est. 2024) with an overarching goal of increasing both quality and quantity of lizard and snake genomic resources, as well a...
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BES Evolutionary Ecology Group @bes-evolecol.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
We are so excited to announce Arvid Ågren as our next webinar speaker on the 21st October at 3:30PM (BST). @arvidagren.bsky.social works on genomic conflict—the selective tensions within every cell and how they are resolved. Register (for free) here: www.britishecologicalsociety.org/content/evol...
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Jess Stephenson @jfstep.bsky.social · 05/10/2026
A week left to apply for this postdoc! Join me in sunny (ish.. for now..) Stockholm to work on this ERC funded project exploring the intersection of sexual selection and epidemiology. We'll use guppies & worms, experimental epidemics, AI tracking, modelling, fieldwork su.varbi.com/what:job/job...
su.varbi.com
Postdoktor i sexuell selektion och epidemiologi
Zoologiska institutionen är en av de äldsta institutionerna vid Stockholms universitet och har en lång historia av grundläggande och tillämpad forskning på djur, från leddjur till stora däggdj
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Science Magazine @science.org · 05/10/2026
Exclusive: A new analysis refutes James Watson’s claim that he was the first to recognize the significance of the famed photograph 51. scim.ag/4rTKck8
scim.ag
How did Rosalind Franklin miss the helix in her iconic DNA image? She didn’t
New analysis refutes James Watson’s claim he was first to recognize significance of famed photograph 51
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NL Institute of Ecology NIOO-KNAW @niooknaw.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
New publication: Family life is critical for migration and survival in a long-lived social #bird, by @hanslinssen.bsky.social @bartnolet.bsky.social and others. #Bewicksswan #sociallearning #waterfowl #biodiversity doi.org/10.1007/s002...
Figure 3 in Linssen et al. (2026): "First northward migration of juveniles in 2022 that became orphaned during midwinter (red, n = 10) compared to juveniles with no indication of altered family status (reference group; blue, n = 14)."
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Bob Wong @bbmwong.bsky.social · 05/10/2026
Monash University is offering a fully-funded PhD scholarship to an outstanding student in animal behaviour/evolutionary ecology. Choose from eight project areas. For information about what project I'm offering, please DM me or see application form: forms.gle/ia9t4KPD3FKT.... Deadline: 15 Nov.
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David Berger @dbergerbiol.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
PhD-position ALERT! Interested in the genomics of local adaptation and the evolution of niche breadth? 🪲🧬🪲🧬🪲🧬🪲🧬🪲🧬 Come join me and @gmkov.bsky.social at @animecol-uu.bsky.social, Uppsala University, by applying here: uu.varbi.com/en/what:job/... Deadline 1st of November!
uu.varbi.com
PhD-student in Evolutionary and Ecological Genetics
Do you want to conduct frontier research in an outstanding environment within evolutionary biology at Sweden’s largest faculty of science and technology? The Department of Ecology and Genetics at Up
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Lindsey Swierk @lindseyswierk.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
🦎*Please share!*🦎 Review begins Oct 5. The Swierk Lab is recruiting 1-2 PhD students for Fall 27 / Spr 28 to study Neotropical anole 1) body coloration and visual signals or 2) predator avoidance, diving, and respiration. Please contact only by email. Details here: drive.google.com/file/d/1TGmC...
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Jeremy Van Cleve @vancleve.theoretical.bio · 29/09/2026
My group is recruiting a Ph.D student for Fall 2027! We're a friendly group of mathematically-minded and computationally-inspired biologists studying topics including social evolution, host-pathogen interactions, genetics, and demography. See vancleve.theoretical.bio for more info!
vancleve.theoretical.bio
van cleve research group
Van Cleve Research Group – theoretical evolution & ecology at the University of Kentucky
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Behaviour, Ecology & Physiology at Bangor University @beps-bangor.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
Two BEPs keynotes at WEEN this year! @alexvgeorgiev.bsky.social @svenjatidau.bsky.social 👏
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Society for the Study of Evolution @sse-evolution.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
Applications are now open for the International Travel Stipends to attend the 2027 Evolution meeting in San Juan, Puerto Rico! Funds cover registration, travel, meals, and lodging. Submit your application by November 1st! www.evolutionsociety.org/content/soci... @evolmtg.bsky.social
The San Juan coastline. Text: Evolution 2027, San Juan, Puerto Rico, June 25-29. Society for the Study of Evolution International Travel Stipends, Deadline: November 1.
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Dana Goldstein @danagoldstein.bsky.social · 17/08/2026
Most American students are already using A.I. to generate writing. I took a step back to ask: What does cognitive science tell us about what writing *does* for us? Is there a way to teach and learn alongside this technology without degrading skills? www.nytimes.com/2026/08/17/u...
nytimes.com
What Do Students Lose When They Stop Writing? (Gift Article)
Educators are worried that many students can no longer write essays without A.I. And it’s costing more than just grammar skills.
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Journal of Experimental Biology @jexpbiol.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
. @biologists.bsky.social is offering 20 funded places for ECRs from the Global South to attend the Integrative Ecological Neurobiology in Changing Environments Workshop in Argentina, 1-5 August 2027 Application deadline: 6 Nov 2026 Don't miss out! 🔁 www.biologists.com/workshops/au...
Workshop
Integrative Ecological Neurobiology in Changing Environments
Organisers: Martin Berón de Astrada, Sebastián Eduardo Sabatini, Martín Tresguerres, Maria Soledad Yusseppone
Early-career reserachers apply for funded places
1-5 August 2027
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Dr Alex Bond @thelabandfield.bsky.social · 15/08/2026
New paper in @bou.org.uk's Ibis: there is still no comprehensive database of bird type specimens. Many major collections have no published type catalogue at all. Where they exist, they're often print-only, partial, or decades out of date. 🧵
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Brian J. Enquist @bjenquist.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
Please pass along: I’m recruiting PhD students to join our Macroecology Lab. We study physical ecology, macroecology, and biodiversity — spanning scaling, trait-based ecology, theory, comparative biology & ecoinformatics. Several avenues for funding. Please reach out if interested 🧪🌐🌾
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SEBiology @sebiology.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
⏰ Final days to submit your session proposal for #SEBconference Glasgow 2027! The deadline is THIS WEEK: 1 October. Don't miss your chance to shape the scientific programme! Submit now: www.sebiology.org/resource/fin... Please share widely
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Jente Ottenburghs | Avian Hybrids @jenteo.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
✍ New blog post! How to Have More Fun in Academia jenteottenburghs.wordpress.com/2026/09/28/h... A few lessons for enjoying academic life. (1) Find your fun-factor (2) Collaborate with nice people (3) Find joy in the small things (4) Don't take yourself too seriously
jenteottenburghs.wordpress.com
How to Have More Fun in Academia
Four lessons for enjoying academic life
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Robin Hayward 🌳 🏳️‍⚧️ @canopyrobin.com · 25/09/2026
We're publishing new guidance to support trans people who do fieldwork (any work outside the office)! Now we need your help to get them seen so please share! inclusivefieldwork.leeds.ac.uk/trans/
a cartoon of three fieldworkers. One has a small trans flag. The logos of the university of leeds, research england, and canopy robin are shown, as well as the URL: InclusiveFieldwork (dot) Leeds (dot) AC (dot) UK (slash) trans
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beetle moses @beetlemoses.bsky.social · 07/09/2026
Three panel comic. Panel 1: a horseshoe crab watches as a variety of prehistoric creatures swim towards an ethereal light. An ammonite calls back to the crab, “come on, horseshoe crab! We’re all evolving!” Panel 2: the horseshoe crab stays in position and replies, “nahh that’s crazy” Panel 3: the horseshoe crab is superimposed in front of a future premonition: a rather miserable-looking human slouched in the glow of a desktop computer. The horshoe crab swims away and says, “good luck tho”
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Wolfgang Wüster @wolfgangwuster.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
theconversation.com/a-new-venomo... In response to some overblown press reports on venom in the #smoothsnake, here’s a summary of the evidence. Most importantly, the smooth snake is entirely harmless to humans. Venomous ≠ dangerous! 🐍 #herps #herpetology #venom
theconversation.com
A new venomous British snake? Why there’s no need to panic
Why the smooth snake is in far more need of protection than humans.
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Kirsty MacLeod @kjmacleod.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
Congratulations @juliajones.bsky.social!
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primatesocietygb.bsky.social @primatesocietygb.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
The Wales Ecology & Evolution Network is advertising its annual WEEN conference, featuring PSGB's own @alexvgeorgiev.bsky.social as a Keynote speaker! Don't miss your chance to register!
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Kirsty MacLeod @kjmacleod.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
Trying to decide what materials get the best results for intaglio printing on the cheap… as a scientist this obviously requires an experiment! #sciart #printmaking
Printmaking equipment on a cutting mat - small identical plates cut from different types of tetrapak on different quality papers
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Nicolas Bekka @nicolasbekka.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
New paper out in @animalecology.bsky.social ! 🔥🕺💃🔥 Across 6 European cities, great tits breeding in more impervious territories had paler carotenoid-based yellow plumage! 🐦‍⬛🏙️ doi.org/10.1111/1365... Huge thanks to all co-authors and everyone involved in long-term monitoring who made this possible!
Adult great tit held in the hand during field monitoring, with its yellow breast plumage clearly visible. A small pink field label is attached beside the bird.Three-panel figure showing the relationship between great tit carotenoid chroma and impervious surface cover. Panel A shows individual observations from six European cities with a negative fitted trend. Panel B shows 1,000 bootstrap fits, nearly all with negative slopes. Panel C shows leave-one-city-out estimates, with the relationship remaining negative regardless of which city is removed.
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ASAB @asab.org · 24/09/2026
One week left until a lot of important deadlines ⌛️
OCT 1 2026 Deadlines

-Winter Meeting Attendance, Accessibility and Childcare Grants 
-Research Grants
-Interdisciplinary Workshop Grants 
-Undergraduate Research Grants*
-Education Grants*
-Public Engagement Grants*
-EDIA Award Nominations 

*Multiple rounds per year
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Kirsty MacLeod @kjmacleod.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
…. wow
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Hanna Kokko @kokkonut.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
There is still time to apply! I'll start reading the applications this Friday.
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Natalie Cooper @nhcooper123.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
Our update to the BES Data Management Guide is now live! assets.britishecologicalsociety.org/2026/09/2110... Huge thanks to the incredibly talented ECRs who contributed sections. It's an excellent resource that I've already used with my PhD students. ❤️
Cover image of the Data Management guide. Blue cover with a puffin on it! Also features the BES logo, Better Science Guides and our mission Through science we can.
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