Call for participants - NESCent catalysis meeting on integrated macroevolution April 2013. We are seeking additional participants (up to 3 people) for the recently funded NESCent catalysis meeting: Integrating approaches to macroevolution: combining fossils and phylogenies to be held on 11-13th of April 2013 at the National Evolutionary Synthesis Center (NESCent) in Durham NC, USA (www.nescent.org ). This catalysis meeting is intended to be a first step towards a unification of quantitative paleobiology with phylogenetic comparative biology to produce a macroevolutionary approach for the 21st century. (http://www.nescent.org/science/awards_summary.php?id=361). More information can also be found at the end of this call. 20 leading researchers from 10 countries and 3 continents are committed to this meeting and we are looking for a few additional participants in the areas of paleontology and evolutionary biology. This call is open to all ranks, but we particularly encourage the application of graduate students, postdoctoral researchers, and junior faculty members. We also highly encourage applications from underrepresented groups. NESCent will fund transportation, accommodation and food for all participants. Please note that we are actively seeking both theoreticians and empiricists. Any researchers with an interest in using paleontological and phylogenetic approaches to study macroevolutionary pattern and process are encouraged to apply. TO APPLY: send an email to Lars Schmitz (lschm...@kecksci.claremont.edu) no later than November 26th 2012 in which you explain why you would like to participate, including how you can contribute to the discussion of integrating fossil and phylogenetic approaches to macroevolution and how it will beneficial to your research (aim for no more than 500 words please). Please also include any relevant publications or experience. If you have any questions before you apply please contact the organizers: Samantha Price Lars Schmitz or Graham Slater, at the email addresses listed below.
Samantha Price (UC Davis, www.evovert.com, saprice at ucdavis dot edu) Lars Schmitz (Claremont Colleges, www.ecomorph.wordpress.com, lschmitz at kecksci dot edu) Graham Slater (Smithsonian Museum of Natural History, http://vertebrates.si.edu/mammals/mammals_staff_pages/slater_graham.html, SlaterG at si dot edu) PROJECT SUMMARY: This catalysis meeting is intended to be a first step towards a unification of quantitative paleobiology with phylogenetic comparative biology to produce a macroevolutionary approach for the 21st century. The last decade has witnessed a dramatic increase in macroevolutionary studies that attempt to explain phenotypic and taxonomic diversity across the tree of life. Paleontologists, relying on information from the fossil record, take a historical approach to studying macroevolutionary patterns. Neontologists instead utilize phylogenetic inferences from extant species. Although both approaches have respective strengths, when pursued separately their assumptions and weaknesses can result in conflicting interpretations of evolutionary process. We organize this catalysis meeting to facilitate the synthesis of paleontological and neontological data and methods used to study macroevolution. A unification of these two distinct disciplines is expected to reconcile many of the conflicting conclusions and result in an improved understanding of macroevolutionary patterns and processes. The immediate outcomes of the meeting relate to three main aspects. (1) Establishing an interdisciplinary network of researchers that will join forces to integrate data and methods, enabling faster and more efficient synthesis across disciplines. (2) Outlining of a proposed framework for integrating data and methods in a perspectives paper. (3) Establishment of an annual student workshop and associated web resources to facilitate cross-disciplinary training and data sharing. --------------------------------------- Samantha Price, Ph.D. Dept. Evolution & Ecology 1 Shields Ave, UC Davis Davis, CA 95616 USA Tel: +1 530-752-4720 Website: www.evovert.com --------------------------------------- [[alternative HTML version deleted]]
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