Reposted by Lauren BrentCentre for Research in Animal Behaviour (CRAB) @crab-exeter.bsky.social · 05/10/2026Thank you to everyone who signed our open letter, who sent individual letters, and supported us in many other ways. We feel incredibly privileged to be part of such an active and strong scientific community and we've written you a letter to express our thanks and to give an update on the outcome 🧡🦀 35212
Reposted by Lauren BrentErin Siracusa @erinsiracusa.bsky.social · 10/09/2026Non-kin bonds were less stable (shorter-lived & more variable in strength). Younger females & those with fewer kin had more non-kin bonds. BUT females chose non-kin even when they had plenty of kin available. (3/5) 131
Lauren Brent @ljnbrent.bsky.social · 10/09/2026Imagine this choice: Your best buddies can be your close relatives. Or they can be unrelated to you. Evolution would say 'choose family'. Rhesus macaque females often do that, but in this *new paper we show they often don't*. Why? Maybe nonkin provide them with things kin can't? More work needed! 040
Reposted by Lauren BrentExeter UCU @exeterucu.bsky.social · 09/09/2026What a MAMMOTH result. 100% the product of everyone's efforts over the summer. 21412
Reposted by Lauren BrentBibiana Rojas @biobiiana.bsky.social · 07/09/2026So grateful to @jacobcdunn.bsky.social and @wascherclaudia.bsky.social for the invitation to be a plenary speaker at #ECBB2026 along with these rockstars (Chris Schell, Tim Caro, @ljnbrent.bsky.social @ahanaaurora.bsky.social [@mherberstein.bsky.social and @andyradford.bsky.social missed the 📸])! 1162
Reposted by Lauren BrentGerry Carter @gerrycarter.bsky.social · 27/08/2026Please help spread the word: Wilkinson lab at U Maryland, College Park, is hiring a postdoc to join our collaborative ongoing NIH-funded project titled “Social stress, epigenetic and immune function across bat lifespans.” umd.wd1.myworkdayjobs.com/UMCP/job/Uni...umd.wd1.myworkdayjobs.comPost-Doctoral AssociateJob Description Summary Organization's Summary Statement: The Wilkinson lab at the University of Maryland, College Park, is hiring a postdoc to join an ongoing NIH-funded project titled “Social stress... 01217
Reposted by Lauren BrentHanna Kokko @kokkonut.bsky.social · 26/08/2026Come and work with us (the Kokkonuts) as a postdoc! Our research within (theory-evo-eco) is broad; let's say it's implicitly defined by the journal club papers we read. Which is why the application process includes a JC-related task, I hope it'll be a fun one for you! www.evoldir.net/brian/evoldi...evoldir.net 195118
Reposted by Lauren BrentAlex Prichard @profalexp.bsky.social · 26/08/2026A thread on the dispute at Exeter Uni. #ucu #defendexeteruni @ucu.org.uk On 15 June HR called Exeter UCU into a confidential meeting and informed us they would be putting over 500 colleagues at risk of redundancy and expected to loose around 200 staff. The number of c.150 you’ll have seen is FTE. 4130120
Reposted by Lauren BrentCouncil for the Defence of British Universities @cdbu.bsky.social · 20/07/2026CDBU’s Chair has penned an open letter to the new Prime Minister, read now on our blog: cdbu.org.uk/open-letter-...cdbu.org.ukOpen Letter to the Prime Minister - CDBU20 July 2026 Dear Prime Minister On behalf of the Council for the Defence of British Universities (CDBU), I request a meeting with you to discuss Higher Education. The sector needs a review of managem... 065
Reposted by Lauren BrentCentre for Research in Animal Behaviour (CRAB) @crab-exeter.bsky.social · 14/07/2026Thanks to our colleagues from around the world who signed the Open Letter against redundancies in CRAB. The letter surpassed 700 signatures in just over 1 wk. We hope execs will now see the harm they are doing to the University of Exeter's global reputation. sites.google.com/view/save-cr...sites.google.comHomeAs of 2026-07-14, this open letter has been signed by 754 people Signatories include 198 Professors and members of 11 National Academies, including 12 Fellows of the Royal Society (FRS) Signatories a... 03427
Reposted by Lauren BrentAdam Rutherford @adamrutherford.bsky.social · 13/07/2026I've signed and sent a letter - from authors, broadcasters, journalists, artists, scholars and performers - to express our deep concern at @exeter.ac.uk’s troubling plans to make mass redundancies within the Humanities Dept @uniofexeterhass.bsky.social. I would love it if you read and shared widely. 9224126
Lauren Brent @ljnbrent.bsky.social · 07/07/2026Update from the Univ of Exeter redundancy front... disappointing reading from top to bottom 086
Reposted by Lauren BrentGeorge Monbiot @georgemonbiot.bsky.social · 01/07/2026Something deeply troubling & shocking is happening at Exeter University*, where a mass cull of staff is planned, even though it's in surplus. No good justifications given. @jamesgdyke.info provides the details: www.technosphere.earth/the-bonfire-... *Disclosure: I have a Visiting Fellowship here. +🧵technosphere.earthThe bonfire of the humanities150 academic posts at the University of Exeter are to be cut, most in the humanities but also in social sciences, engineering and environmental sciences 381042507
Reposted by Lauren BrentAdam Rutherford @adamrutherford.bsky.social · 30/06/2026This is cultural suicide and intellectual vandalism. In an era where humanities-illiterate tech bros have unearned god-like powers, we need historians, philosophers, ethicists, classicists more than ever.deplorable.is 416748
Lauren Brent @ljnbrent.bsky.social · 25/06/2026The University of Exeter is not in budget deficit. Yet are proposing to cut 150 academic jobs. This include my job. Please sign and share the petition, write our Vice Chancellor, to your MP, and get the word out about the act of self harm this university is about to commit. c.org/yKcx6Zr29Hc.orgThis campaign needs you nowStop Redundancies at the University of Exeter 1287107
Reposted by Lauren BrentBen Phillips @benphillips1989.bsky.social · 23/06/2026A statement from Exeter UCU branch @ucu.org.uk - please share far and wide. 16231273
Reposted by Lauren BrentExeter Green Party @exetergreens.bsky.social · 23/06/2026Exeter Green Party stands in solidarity with the Exeter University and College Union in condemning the University of Exeter’s announcement of sweeping job cuts. These plans will recklessly imperil the University’s vital contributions to the social, cultural, and economic life of the city. 1/4 111051
Lauren Brent @ljnbrent.bsky.social · 22/06/2026New paper where we explore social and environmental health correlates. We use a citizen science approach (Monkey Health Explorer on Zooniverse) to score ~2000 images of blood smears collected during annual health checks 1123
Lauren Brent @ljnbrent.bsky.social · 16/06/2026My first ever croquet! My team didn't win the blue crab trophy but we win some sugar highs off cake and pimms. Success comes in many forms. 0100
Reposted by Lauren BrentDanai Papageorgiou @danaipapageorgiou.bsky.social · 04/06/2026In our new TREE paper, with M. Borgerhoff Mulder, S. Brosnan and E. Strauss we show that power in animal societies can be subject to control. When high-powered individuals use aggression to gain better access to resources, other group members can respond with "levelling". doi.org/10.1016/j.tr...doi.orgRedirecting 44219
Lauren Brent @ljnbrent.bsky.social · 03/06/2026New paper! We use simulations to test received wisdom on the observational sampling method to use and find that Altmann 1974 was right all along (never bet against Jeanne!). Focal follows capture rare, fleeting behaviours, scans captures long, common behaviours. www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...sciencedirect.comObservation methods in animal behaviour: a simulation study of performanceMost behavioural studies rely on systematic behavioural sampling, as observing and recording all behavioural events that occur is rarely feasible. Cho… 35031
Lauren Brent @ljnbrent.bsky.social · 25/02/2026Congrats to MacaqueNet and thanks @sortee.bsky.social team for the recognition 🎉😊 060
Reposted by Lauren BrentSORTEE @sortee.bsky.social · 24/02/2026🎉 2025 SORTEE Commendation Award recipients: EcoEvoApps, Flipping the Script, JuliaPhylo, MacaqueNet, MorphoBank, and Virtual Australian Museum of Palaeontology (VAMP)! Congrats to all for advancing open, reliable, & transparent practices in ecology and evolution. 🔗 Learn more at sortee.org/awards/ 02110
Reposted by Lauren BrentErik Postma @erikpostma.bsky.social · 13/02/2026Interested in the interface of evolution 🧬 and ecology 🌳? Then you cannot miss #ExE2026! Hosted by @uniexecec.bsky.social in beautiful #Cornwall, this #conference has a stellar line-up of speakers and lots of pre-and post-conference workshops. Space is limited, so register now at evoxeco.uk! 13437
Reposted by Lauren BrentAndy Radford @andyradford.bsky.social · 30/12/2025🚨Roll up, roll up, fully-funded #PhD deadlines approaching... 6th Jan: tinyurl.com/aja54nr6 8th Jan: tinyurl.com/4jfy47pp Social monitoring & manipulation #meerkats #mongooses #macaques #fieldwork #long-termdata @patrick-kennedy.bsky.social @ljnbrent.bsky.social @bristolbiosci.bsky.social 02741
Reposted by Lauren BrentEuropean Conference on Behavioural Biology @ecbb2026.bsky.social · 11/12/2025Our call for symposia now open! We are now accepting submissions for symposia, with submissions for oral/poster presentations invited from 31 January 2026. For more info, or to download the proposal form, visit our conference page 👇 www.aru.ac.uk/science-and-...aru.ac.ukCall for symposia/papers - ECBB 2026 - ARUFind out how to propose a symposium, paper, or poster for the European Congress for Behavioural Biology (ECBB) at ARU in Cambridge, 1-4 September 2026. 01116
Lauren Brent @ljnbrent.bsky.social · 10/12/2025First ever quiz win! Very proud of my team made up of a random selection of my lab members + Sam for bringing home the Christmas-crab shaped CRAB trophy 🎉. 030
Reposted by Lauren BrentPrimate Behavioral Ecology @primbehavecol.bsky.social · 25/11/2025Come and join our lab! We have TWO fully funded PhD positions AND a paid field assistant opportunity in our Behavioral Ecology group @uni-goettingen.de & @primatenzentrum.bsky.social. Projects will be part of @rtg2906-curiosity.bsky.social & @sfb1528.bsky.social!! Details in thread. Please re-post! 24953
Reposted by Lauren BrentDelphine De Moor @delphinedemoor.bsky.social · 24/11/2025Excited to introduce the Latent Layers Framework – now out in @behavecol.bsky.social – to help think through when and why network differences confound inference in (comparative) social network analysis! 🧵 tinyurl.com/3k3yahwy 14119
Reposted by Lauren BrentAndy Radford @andyradford.bsky.social · 21/11/2025📢Two fully-funded #PhD opportunities to work with us: Topic: Social monitoring & manipulation UK-domiciled black-heritage scheme: tinyurl.com/aja54nr6 NERC DLTP: tinyurl.com/4jfy47pp Cosupervisors: #PatrickKennedy @ljnbrent.bsky.social @bristolbiosci.bsky.social #bioacoustics #mammals #fieldwork 04151
Reposted by Lauren BrentAndy Radford @andyradford.bsky.social · 20/11/2025🌟Fully funded #PhD🌟 Social monitoring and manipulation of cooperative exchanges. #NERC funding With @ljnbrent.bsky.social, #PatrickKennedy & me. Based in @bristolbiosci.bsky.social #LongtermData #Fieldwork #Mongooses #Macaques Deadline: 8th Jan 2026 Please share! www.findaphd.com/phds/project...findaphd.comFunded PhD NERC GW4+ DLTP - Social monitoring and manipulation of cooperative exchanges at University of Bristol on FindAPhD.comPhD Project - Funded PhD NERC GW4+ DLTP - Social monitoring and manipulation of cooperative exchanges at University of Bristol, listed on FindAPhD.com 01214
Lauren Brent @ljnbrent.bsky.social · 17/11/2025Apply now for a NERC-funded PhD position with @andyradford.bsky.social & Patrick Kennedy at @bristolbiosci.bsky.social (with me as friendly 2nd supervisor down the road in @crab-exeter.bsky.social). Network cognition, cooperation, competition...what's not to like? www.findaphd.com/phds/project...findaphd.comFunded PhD NERC GW4+ DLTP - Social monitoring and manipulation of cooperative exchanges at University of Bristol on FindAPhD.comPhD Project - Funded PhD NERC GW4+ DLTP - Social monitoring and manipulation of cooperative exchanges at University of Bristol, listed on FindAPhD.com 02533
Reposted by Lauren BrentSean Rands @seanrands.bsky.social · 12/11/2025Decision-making in slime moulds! Competitively funded PhD project in the UK (lead supervisor Andy Higginson in @crab-exeter.bsky.social, with co-supervisors in Bristol, Exeter and Macquarie, including me!), open to students worldwide. Deadline 3rd December 2025 www.findaphd.com/phds/project...findaphd.comThe influence of variability and information on decision-making at University of Exeter on FindAPhD.comPhD Project - The influence of variability and information on decision-making at University of Exeter, listed on FindAPhD.com 025
Reposted by Lauren BrentRichard McElreath 🐈⬛ @rmcelreath.bsky.social · 12/11/2025Behavioral data can be very detailed but are usually aggregated and normalized in ways that smother the dynamics. Ben wrote a continuous-time Markov model to improve on this, and also wrote simulations for exploring and validating pipelines. All the code is here: github.com/BenKawam/ASN... 15518
Reposted by Lauren BrentAndy Radford @andyradford.bsky.social · 24/10/2025Looking for a #PhD? Interested in #SocialBehaviour #BiologicalMarkets #Fieldwork? Want to be based in #Bristol? Check out this project with me, @ljnbrent.bsky.social & #PatrickKennedy: tinyurl.com/aja54nr6 For UK-domiciled Black-heritage applicants Get in touch for more information Please #sharefindaphd.comFunded PhD open to UK-domiciled, home fee applicants of Black African, Black Caribbean or other Black or mixed Black heritage - Biological market monitoring and manipulation in social animals at Unive...PhD Project - Funded PhD open to UK-domiciled, home fee applicants of Black African, Black Caribbean or other Black or mixed Black heritage - Biological market monitoring and manipulation in social an... 01517
Lauren Brent @ljnbrent.bsky.social · 24/10/2025the IUCN have passed the Longevity Conservation motion put forward to them by @kellerfish.bsky.social and @pili-scotland.bsky.social and based on the paper we wrote on the value of older individuals in animal societies. www.cdu.edu.au/news/global-...cdu.edu.auGlobal body adopts policy to protect Earth’s old, wise and large animals | Charles Darwin UniversityThe International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has recognised Charles Darwin University-led research into the Earth’s oldest animals with the adoption of the ‘Longevity Conservation’ global... 15527
Reposted by Lauren BrentDarren Croft @darrencroft.bsky.social · 22/10/2025MSc by Res opportunity - developing behavioural indicators to inform killer whale conservation with @exeter.ac.uk @whaleresearch.bsky.social @seadocsociety.bsky.social People from underrepresented groups in marine science encouraged to apply. Deadline 19Dec www.exeter.ac.uk/study/fundin... 12821
Lauren Brent @ljnbrent.bsky.social · 16/10/2025For what seems like forever, I've wanted to know what benefits we get from our friends - or in other words, why these relationships evolved. tinyurl.com/55dnkeh7tinyurl.comQuality, quantity, and the adaptive function of social relationshipsAffiliative social relationships have clear links to fitness in many species, yet exactly why that is the case remains elusive. We unify theory from socioecology and network science to set forth testa... 14214
Reposted by Lauren BrentDelphine De Moor @delphinedemoor.bsky.social · 16/10/2025Social relationships are powerful predictors of fitness across social animals. But *why*? In our new @cp-trendsecolevo.bsky.social paper, we outline testable predictions for why relationship quality and quantity adaptively vary across socio-ecological contexts. tinyurl.com/55dnkeh7 110356
Reposted by Lauren BrentKeller Kopf @kellerfish.bsky.social · 12/10/2025@biodiversityguy.bsky.social @euanritchie.bsky.social @ljnbrent.bsky.social @pili-scotland.bsky.social @chrisjolly.bsky.social @charlesdarwinuni.bsky.social @rarlinghausfish.bsky.social @shoalorg.bsky.social @sharkscience.bsky.social @amfisheriessoc.bsky.social @fishconserve.bsky.social 042
Reposted by Lauren BrentKeller Kopf @kellerfish.bsky.social · 12/10/2025If you are a voting member of the IUCN - please consider supporting our motion (113) for Longevity Conservation at the Congress this week @iucnshark.bsky.social @aciucn.bsky.social @iucn-bctf.bsky.social @sscmarine.bsky.social iucncongress2025.org/assembly/mot...iucncongress2025.orgMOTION 113 241
Lauren Brent @ljnbrent.bsky.social · 22/09/2025Postdoc job alert! We are hiring a NYU-based postdoc to work on our project on the social and environmental determinants of aging. The 3 year post will be based in James Higham's lab and will focus on endocrine, immune, and inflammatory aspects of aging. Please share! apply.interfolio.com/173938apply.interfolio.com Apply - Interfolio {{$ctrl.$state.data.pageTitle}} - Apply - Interfolio 0616
Reposted by Lauren BrentBen Kawam @benkawam.bsky.social · 04/09/2025Are you studying animal sociality? Confused about the "non-independence" of social network data: what on earth are they? are they threatening your results? should you attempt to get rid of them? A thread summarising a part of our new paper (ecoevorxiv.org/repository/v...).ecoevorxiv.orgFive misunderstandings in animal social network analysis 12012
Lauren Brent @ljnbrent.bsky.social · 31/08/2025Survey alert! If you're a social behavioural ecologist, please fill in our survey aimed at gauging interest in, barriers and solutions to, comparative social behaviour research. Thanks! forms.gle/KZJDMtLCJhvY...forms.gleComparative Social Behaviour SurveyWe'd like to gauge interest, openness and perceived barriers to cross-species comparative research in social behavioural ecology. Please respond to questions below - should take no more than 5 minutes... 045
Reposted by Lauren BrentKrishna Balasubramaniam @krishsubramaniam.bsky.social · 30/08/2025😎😎 symposium and discussion on comparative studies in animal behaviour, organized by @delphinedemoor.bsky.social, @ljnbrent.bsky.social & Anindya Sinha at @behaviour2025.bsky.social ! Was a pleasure to be part of a 👌 speaker lineup, & present my work on interspecific variation in 🐵 social behaviour! 043
Lauren Brent @ljnbrent.bsky.social · 27/08/2025Animal Behaviour from Exeter and Bristol, plus some of our alumni, went to @behaviour2025.bsky.social in Kolkata and had mountains of rice. @crab-exeter.bsky.social @bristolbiosci.bsky.social @uniexecec.bsky.social 0265
Lauren Brent @ljnbrent.bsky.social · 19/08/2025Looking forward to another gathering of MacaqueNet! In India no less, home of the best ever macaque: the rhesu....haha just kidding, the lion-tailed, obviously. Hope to see lots of you there! 041
Lauren Brent @ljnbrent.bsky.social · 07/08/2025Going to @behaviour2025.bsky.social in Kolkata? Join us for Weaving the MacaqueNet 3.0, our third workshop for this big team science & community initiative behaviourindia2025.in/workshops.html. Members + non-members welcome! Get your very own sticker and be as happy as @macaelaskelton.bsky.social! 031