ABS 2023 Workshops

Workshop 1: Introduction to Inclusive Mentoring

July 11th
Co-Organizers: Jen Hamel, Damian Elias, Ximena Bernal, Cassandra Nuñez,
Location: TBD

Mentoring by faculty and peers can strongly influence individual well-being, success, and persistence in academia and other research settings. Quality mentorship can enhance the development of identity, sense of belonging, and resilience - the ability to navigate uncertainty. Yet, mentoring relationships are complex, outcomes range widely, and mentors may wonder how to mentor inclusively and across differences. In this workshop on inclusive mentoring practices and wellbeing, participants will complete two modules: one on Equity-Minded Mentoring and one on Writing Inclusive Letters of Recommendation. Activities in the first module will focus on 1) taking personal and institutional responsibility for the success of students; 2) attending to the social and historical context of science education and how exclusionary practices shape the experiences of students who are from minoritized groups; and 3) affirming the social identities of emerging scholars in ways that facilitate their academic, professional, and social development. Activities in the second module will help attendees develop knowledge, skills, and language to manage common equity dilemmas in how we review, solicit, and write letters of recommendation.

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Workshop 2: Taking students across town or across the world: Developing a guide for inclusive experiences for leaders and student participants

July 11th
Co-Organizers: Clara Voorhees, Andrea Bierema, Nora Prior, Kasey Fowler-Finn, Anne Clark
Laura Sirot. Jen Hamel
Location: TBD

The Education and Diversity Committees propose a workshop to focus on the legality, health, and personal aspects of working with or preparing graduate students in the field for research and coursework. The workshop will focus on:

• Safety.

• Health.

• Legal considerations for faculty and students.

• Laws of national, state, and local municipalities (i.e., LBGTQ+-related issues, access to reproductive health care and abortion).

• Sexual harassment and discrimination as it pertains to field courses and research.

• Affordability and inclusivity of field and course experiences for undergraduate and graduate students.
  
  

The workshop is envisioned to function to 1) provide information to attendees on the legal resources available to them, 2) inform attendees of their legal rights as faculty or students, 3) provide attendees with information that has been compiled by other academic societies, 4) discuss with, and provide information, to attendees regarding the affordability and inclusivity of field and course experiences. Members from the Education and Diversity Committees will work together to gather and disseminate the most up-to-date information regarding laws that impact our members from groups traditionally underrepresented in field studies as they work, do research in the field or travel for field courses.

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Workshop 3: Weaving the Future of Animal Behavior: A professional-development workshop for pre-tenure faculty and postdoctoral researchers in animal behavior

July 11th - 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Co-Organizers: Christine Miller, Gail Patricelli
Location: TBD

The future of excellent animal behavior research depends on the success of the next generation of scientists and leaders. The goal of the Weaving the Future of Animal Behavior (WFAB) initiative, started in 2019, is to provide support and mentorship to help with the critical transition to permanent research and teaching positions. Our workshop participants are pre-tenure faculty and postdocs working in the areas of the animal behavior sciences. We particularly encourage women and scientists from underrepresented groups in animal behavior to apply.

WFAB workshops include panel and small-group discussions addressing the following topics:

1)How to find multiple mentors in the areas you need
2)Setting up new collaborations
3)Getting a faculty job and how to allocate your time during the first two years
4)The formation and maintenance of long-term peer-mentoring circles

In 2023, the WFAB workshop will have both a virtual and an in-person component. We will meet online in June 2023, and then in person for an all-day workshop on July 11th in Portland, OR at the ABS meeting. Travel awards may be available to offset the costs of attending the meeting.

Eligibility:
•You have recently obtained a PhD in animal behavior or a related science. WFAB workshops are designed for pre-tenure faculty and advanced postdocs
•You have registered for and expect to attend the 2023 annual meeting of the Animal Behavior Society
•You agree to participate in one virtual workshop (June 2023) and the in-person event in Portland on July 11th

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Workshop 4: Why and How to integrate wild animal welfare into behavioral research

July 11th
Chair: Dr. Janire Castellano Bueno
Co-Chairs: Dr. Anne Safiya Clay, Dr. Vittoria Elliott, Grey Fernandez
Location: TBD
Cost: $20 USD

In this workshop, participants will learn how considering wild animal welfare can inform animal behavior studies, with particular emphasis on how welfare states can induce behavioral differences among individuals. Further, the workshop will provide opportunities for participants to work through detailed examples, which highlight the opportunities and benefits of integrating the study of animal welfare with the study of animal behavior in the wild. Examples used will cover a range of species from both captive and wild environments.

This workshop will demonstrate how reframing research on animal behavior through the lens of wild animal welfare can provide a unique perspective that will help behavioral researchers answer some critical as yet unanswered questions.

 

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Workshop 5: Using drones and computer vision to study animal movement and behavior in the wild

July 11th
Chair: Adwait Deshapande
Co-Chairs: Benjamin Koger, Jeffrey T. Kerby, Jacob Graving, Blair Costelloe
Location: TBD

Recent developments in technology and computational approaches have given rise to advanced behavioral data collection and analysis methods which are increasingly applied alongside traditional methods. This workshop aims to introduce a cutting-edge method that combines drone imaging and computer vision to study the movement and behavior of multiple animals simultaneously in their natural environment. In the workshop, participants will become familiar with the basic concepts involved in data collection, from filming to data processing to analysis using this method. We will also walk through the Python code with hands-on tutorials on different data processing steps using example data. It includes raw data handling, automated detection and tracking of multiple animals, 3D environmental reconstruction and automated pose estimation from aerial videos. We will also briefly discuss how and what potential analyses could be done with the processed data. In the end, participants will have a basic understanding of the concepts and practical experience in this versatile method of studying animal behavior.