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Robin Morrison

@robinmorrison.bsky.social

340 followers 240 following 11 posts

Ambizione Research Fellow and PI of the Primate Social Evolution Group | Dep. of Evolutionary Anthropology, Uni of Zurich | Affiliate Scientist at the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund | Studying the fitness consequences of sociality and early life environment

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Robin Morrison @robinmorrison.bsky.social · May 7

Thrilled to have the 1st project in my @snsf-ch.bsky.social Ambizione fellowship in @pnas.org this week. With Vic Martignac, @samellisq.bsky.social and @savinggorillas.bsky.social we asked what is a good social environment for a gorilla? And the answer was complicated... www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...

Group traits moderate the relationship between individual social traits and fitness in gorillas | PNAS

Evidence across a broad range of disciplines has demonstrated how individuals’ social environments can impact their health, lifespan, reproduction,...

www.pnas.org

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Reposted by Robin Morrison

S. Craig Roberts @scraigroberts.bsky.social · 6d

We are advertising for a postdoc with skills in psychophysiological measurement for a project on smell and emotions. Closing date is 30th October. Please spread the word.
www.stir.ac.uk/about/work-a...

Vacancy details | About | University of Stirling

Job vacancy at the University of Stirling.

www.stir.ac.uk

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Greg Albery @gfalbery.bsky.social · 7d

I'm v excited to be recruiting a PhD student to work on badger behaviour and ecology! Starting date is March 2026; see the ad here, or message me for more details: www.gregalbery.me/s/March-2026...

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Ben R Lee, PhD @benrlee.com · 7d

🚨 Please repost widely!🚨

I am recruiting a PhD student to join my lab next fall to work on forest and climate change ecology projects in southern Appalachia! Come join me in one of the most beautiful, biodiverse, and understudied parts of North America. Details below and happy to answer questions

An ad for a PhD position to start fall 2026 working with me at ETSU. For more info, please email at LeeBR1@etsu.edu.

A close-up picture of dimpled trout lilies active in early spring, still largely surrounded by the previous year's senesced tree leaves.

A beautiful vista of the Blue Ridge Mountains from on top of Carver's Gap on the border between North Carolina and Tennessee.

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Jane Goodall Institute of Canada @janegoodallcan.bsky.social · 9d

The Jane Goodall Institute of Canada has learned this morning, Wednesday, October 1st, 2025, that Dr. Jane Goodall DBE, UN Messenger of Peace and Founder of the Jane Goodall Institute, has passed away due to natural causes.

She was in California as part of her speaking tour in the United States.

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Darren Croft @darrencroft.bsky.social · 17d

We are hiring - PDRA position exploring how information access shapes social dynamics in killer whales. Collaboration with @samellisq.bsky.social @drwhale.bsky.social Prof Dan Franks (York) start 1st Nov (or ASAP) end 31st Oct 2028. Apps close on 19th Oct.

www.jobs.ac.uk/job/DOT336/p...

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primatesocietygb.bsky.social @primatesocietygb.bsky.social · 25d

📣 Abstract submissions are open for our 2025 winter meeting! Share your work on primate research, conservation and captive care with us at the National Museum in Cardiff (Hosted w. Uni South Wales)! Submissions will be open until the 15th Oct. Submit your abstract here: tinyurl.com/5yufwsar

tinyurl.com

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NPR @npr.org · Aug 6

When female gorillas leave one social group and join another, they tend to seek out groups with other females that they've lived with in the past, showing the power of long-term relationships.

Study finds female mountain gorillas prefer to join 'buddies'

When female gorillas leave one social group and join another, they tend to seek out groups with other females that they've lived with in the past, showing the power of long-term relationships.

n.pr

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Robin Morrison @robinmorrison.bsky.social · Aug 7

Female gorillas can change groups many times across their lives. These decisions are undoubtedly shaped by mating opportunities and infant protection, but what about the wider social relationships females have across groups? Check out this thread to see what we found!

Vic Martignac @vicmartignac.bsky.social · Aug 6

So happy to see my first PhD paper out royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/...

With my amazing supervisor @robinmorrison.bsky.social and the @savinggorillas.bsky.social, we examined female dispersal decisions in mountain gorillas.

Dispersed female networks: female gorillas’ inter-group relationships influence dispersal decisions | Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences

Dispersal is a fundamental aspect of many animal societies, impacting gene flow, knowledge transmission, culture and individual fitness. However, little is known about the information individuals use when dispersing. Mountain gorillas exhibit a flexible ...

royalsocietypublishing.org

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Robin Morrison @robinmorrison.bsky.social · Aug 6

@vicmartignac.bsky.social Who is now on blue sky!!

Reposted by Robin Morrison

Margot Finn @eicathomefinn.bsky.social · Aug 6

'Moving around is something that is also crucial in shaping human society. And the researchers say that studying its roots in other great apes can shed light on the evolutionary driving forces behind it.'

Link to original research article: royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/...

Gorillas seek out old female friends when they move

A study in Rwanda reveals the significance of a social connection between female mountain gorillas.

www.bbc.co.uk

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Robin Morrison @robinmorrison.bsky.social · Aug 6

Loved listening to this discussion, and so pleased our research on the gorillas monitored by @savinggorillas.bsky.social, led by the fantastic Vic Martignac is resonating with so many!

Gilly Forrester @gillyforrester.bsky.social · Aug 6

On the radio this morning #BBC Radio Sussex with Sarah Gorrell chatting about a new study about gorilla female relationships from researchers at University of Zurich: royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/...

You can listen here by rewinding to 10:38

www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...

Dispersed female networks: female gorillas’ inter-group relationships influence dispersal decisions | Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences

royalsocietypublishing.org

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Stephanie L King @stephanielking.bsky.social · Jul 31

Excited to share that we have just been awarded a NERC Pushing the Frontiers grant to work on between-group cooperation in the Shark Bay dolphins. We will soon advertise a 3 year post-doc to join the team - drop me an email if you might be interested! Pls share widely 🙏🏻

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Jordan S. Martin @jsmartin.bsky.social · Jul 30

I'm very excited to share the central paper from my PhD out now in Science Advances. We investigated how social effects among neighbors shape the evolution of reproductive cooperation and the pace of adaptive population growth among the Indigenous Tsimane of Bolivia.
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...

Indirect genetic effects among neighbors promote cooperation and accelerate adaptation in a small-scale human society

Social effects on fertility promote population growth and the evolution of flexible cooperation in a small-scale human society.

www.science.org

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Jordi Galbany @jordigalbany.bsky.social · Jul 25

Great days at the #IPSMadagascar2025 with @sanchezmegias.bsky.social and Adriana Hernandez-Aguilar, presenting our research @ub.edu @psicologiaub.bsky.social @janegoodallespana.bsky.social

Always a pleasure to come to this conference and interact with primatologists from all over the Word!
🐒🦧🦍

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Ecology Group Basel - Sabine Rumpf @ecologybasel.bsky.social · Jul 2

*Job alert*
Within our recently funded collaborative project focusing on assisted migration of #mountain #plant species, we are looking for a #PhD candidate based at ETH Zürich. For further details and instructions, see the job ad:
jobs.ethz.ch/job/view/JOP...
Please repost!
🧪🏔️🌿

PhD Assisted Migration

jobs.ethz.ch

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Lauren Brent @ljnbrent.bsky.social · Jul 4

the journal Animal Behaviour, which is run by @asab.org, is looking to hire a new Managing Editor. Please share advert with folks with a Life Sciences degree (ideally postgrad) who might be interested www.asab.org/opportunities

Opportunities — ASAB

www.asab.org

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Kathelijne Koops @kathelijnekoops.bsky.social · Jul 3

Join us!!! 2 (!) PhD positions on wild chimpanzees and bonobos in the Ape Behaviour & Ecology Group and Wildminds Lab!!! 🤩🤩🤩

Cat Hobaiter @nakedprimate.bsky.social · Jul 2

📣 Join the K/Creative Ape Team 🤓 2 PhDs on Creativity in Wild Chimpanzees & Bonobos; w myself & the v awesome @kathelijnekoops.bsky.social

@snf-fns.ch Uni Zurich @uniofstandrews.bsky.social @efp2026.bsky.social @ips-primatenews.bsky.social @primatesocietygb.bsky.social @primbehavecol.bsky.social 🐵🧪

two 4-year PhD positions in the Ape Behaviour & Ecology Group of the Department of Evolutionary Anthropology at the University of Zurich, and the Wild Minds Lab of the School of Psychology and Neuroscience at the University of St Andrews, to study wild chimpanzees and bonobos.
The PhD candidates will work within the Creative Ape Project. The overall goal of the project is to enhance our understanding of the evolution of creativity, and to shed light on whether humans are a uniquely 'creative ape'. To do so we will apply a comparative approach, quantifying the creative capacities of wild non-human apes to investigate the underlying drivers that shape creative expression across species. The project explores four interconnected topics: i) Making mavericks, ii) Funny guys and arty-types, iii) Lone ape geniuses, and iv) Creative ape economies. We employ a comprehensive approach that leverages long-term datasets, new field data, detailed manual video-coding, bespoke automated deep-learning models, and advanced modelling, to extract rich information on the ways in which apes solve problems in their daily lives.

Excellent collaborative, independent working and time management skills are essential. Previous field experience (incl. behavioural data collection) is required, and experience working in remote places under difficult living conditions is highly recommended. The project will require strong data management and data analysis skills, and 12-18 months of field work split into 2-3 periods.

Please submit your application in a single PDF to kathelijne.koops@iea.uzh.ch and clh42@st-andrews.ac.uk – by 4th of August 2025. Feel free to get in touch if you have any inquiries about the positions. Applications should include: 1) cover letter stating your motivation and how your expertise fits the project (max. 1 page), 2) Curriculum Vitae, 3) copy of the highest degree obtained, 4) names and contact details of two referees, and 5) reprints of 1-2 selected publications

A tiny chimpfant looks at the camera with surprise

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ISBE2026 @isbe2026.bsky.social · Jun 28

The Local Organizing Commitee welcomes behavioral ecologists from across the world and of all career stages to enjoy a five-day meeting rich in top-notch science and ample networking opportunities in Turin (Italy), 20-24 July 2026.

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Megan Petersdorf @meganpetersdorf.bsky.social · Jul 1

Do you have field work experience? Do you want more? Our team wants YOU to manage our field site studying Kinda baboons in Kasanka National Park, Zambia!

Start date is this August 2025 so apply ASAP!

Job ad here: tinyurl.com/KindaBaboon

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Reposted by Robin Morrison

Marlen Fröhlich @marlenfroehlich.bsky.social · Jun 30

📢 2 PhD positions (E13 TV-L, 75%) in our DFG-funded project on great ape communication & the evolution of common ground!

🧠 Backgrounds in biology, psychology or linguistics welcome.
🗓️ Deadline: Aug 13
🔗 bit.ly/4l8p7hy & bit.ly/46jcfAq

Please share!
@elmanubohn.bsky.social @meanwhileina.bsky.social

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Dr. Franziska Wegdell @franziswegdell.bsky.social · Jun 26

We studied the evolution of infant-directed communication by comparing vocal input rates across great apes!

A collaborative study led by @carolinefryns.bsky.social, Johanna Schick and me;

www.science.org/doi/epdf/10....

The evolution of infant-directed communication: Comparing vocal input across all great apes

You have to enable JavaScript in your browser's settings in order to use the eReader.

www.science.org

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Cecilia Padilla-Iglesias @ceciliapad.bsky.social · Jun 18

I could not be more proud of my lab, and my fantastic colleagues for the study they just published in @nature.com revealing a massive expansion of our species' niche before dispersing out of Africa. Have a read, because it's an amazing paper 🤩

Evolutionary Ecology Group, Cambridge @eegcam.bsky.social · Jun 18

#newpaper now out in @nature.com!
A huge expansion of the human niche in Africa ~70 kya likely equipped later #outofAfrica dispersals with a unique ecological flexibility.
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
led by Emily Hallett, @mikleonardi.bsky.social, Andrea Manica, @elliescerri.bsky.social 1/4

Major expansion in the human niche preceded out of Africa dispersal - Nature

Analysis of species distribution models in a pan-African database comprising chronometrically dated archaeological sites over the past 120,000 years shows major expansion in the human niche from 70 ka...

www.nature.com

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Sofia Forss @sofiaforss.bsky.social · Jun 17

Working with @wildcognition.bsky.social on this paper was so much fun: drawing from our research with mammals (primates & hyenas) we discuss to what extent the urban niche poses novel cognitive challenges or whether they are exapted to exploit urban resources
link.springer.com/article/10.1...

How cognitively demanding is the urban niche? Reconsidering exaptation and habituation - Animal Cognition

Urbanization is hypothesized to create a myriad of cognitive challenges for animals because it creates novel environmental conditions in evolutionary terms. The consensus is that these novel urban cha...

link.springer.com

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Stephanie L King @stephanielking.bsky.social · Jun 15

We are looking for a Research Assistant to contribute to our ongoing analysis of dolphin acoustic data from West Wales - collaboration between @wtsww.bsky.social @bristolbiosci.bsky.social 🐬
Deadline is 29th June - please share widely!
www.bristol.ac.uk/jobs/find/de...

Details | Working at Bristol | University of Bristol

www.bristol.ac.uk

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michael chimento @mchimento.bsky.social · Jun 12

been a long time coming, there's now a preprint along with Will Hoppitt describing our new R package for creating, fitting and interpreting bayesian NBDA models (STBayes). www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1.... Documentation is here michaelchimento.github.io/STbayes/inde...

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