Vol. 71, No. 3 | Fall 2026
 
 

Committee Updates


Highlighting the past, present, and future presence of animal behavior science from and in Latin America.

The Latin American Affairs Committee (LAAC) had another strong presence at the 2026 ABS conference. Multiple events, recognitions, and awards continue to showcase the important contributions our community has made to improving our understanding of animal behavior through research, teaching, and service. 

The work and contributions of Zuleyma Tang Martínez, who founded the LAAC in 1995, were highlighted at a symposium, where eight speakers presented original research and shared how Zuleyma’s legacy has been crucial to their scientific and professional achievements. She was also recognized with the newly established Golden ABS Award, recognizing 50th consecutive years of attending the annual ABS Conference. Additionally, four Latin American researchers were recognized with awards at this conference. Our former chair, Alex (Alejandra) Trillo, received the Outstanding Service Award for her numerous contributions on many fronts to our society. Alejandro Farji Brener was awarded the Penny Bernstein Distinguished Teaching Award for his 30+ years of teaching animal behavior and ecology in Latin America. Lastly, Rachel Page, a longtime leader in research in Latin America, and Damian Elias, a Mexican American performing top-notch research in the US, were named ABS fellows, a distinction that highlights their seminal contributions to our field.

Throughout the conference, many scientists presented novel research developed in Latin America. It is worth noting that the conference had three Turner mentees from Latin America, and LAAC partially funded 11 travel awards for researchers to attend the conference and showcase their work. Lastly, our annual LAAC luncheon was a success once again, with over 50 attendees. This activity is fundamental in celebrating our past year’s achievements and outlining the main goals for the upcoming academic year. And last but not least, we have a new logo! (see attached image). Stickers with our logo were distributed at the conference to increase the visibility of the LAAC and start conversations about our mission and how to be involved.

This year, we will prioritize activities developed in response to a community-wide survey we conducted last year. We identified a need for networking, collaboration, and mentorship in professional development, grant writing, and research dissemination. We look forward to another exciting year. If you are interested in hearing more about our work and/or collaborating on our activities, please reach out to [email protected].


 
ABS Newsletter

Send general correspondence concerning the Society to to the ABS Communications Officer, at: [email protected]. The newsletter gets published three times per year in September, January and May Articles submitted by members of the society and judged by the ABS Secretary to be appropriate are occasionally published in the ABS Newsletter. The publication of such material does not imply ABS endorsement of the opinions expressed by contributors.

Animal Behavior Society Website: http://www.animalbehaviorsociety.org

Animal Behaviour

Animal Behaviour, manuscripts and editorial matters: Authors should submit manuscripts online to Elsevier’s Editorial System (https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/animal-behaviour). For enquiries relating to submissions prior to acceptance, contact the Journal Manager ([email protected]). For enquiries relating to submissions after acceptance, visit Elsevier at http://www.elsevier.com/journals. For other general correspondence, contact Kris Bruner, Managing Editor, Animal Behaviour, Indiana University, 409 N. Park Avenue, Bloomington, IN 47408, USA. E-mail: [email protected]. Phone: 812-345-0497.