The National Institute for Mathematical and Biological Synthesis
(NIMBioS) is now accepting applications for its Investigative Workshop,
"Animal Social Networks," to be held March 6-8, 2014, at NIMBioS.
*Objectives: *The structure and functioning of social networks is of
rapidly growing interest in evolutionary biology. While modern network
analysis offers many sophisticated techniques, most were developed for
extremely large networks, not for the smaller networks most commonly
found in non-human social systems. Furthermore, biological systems
change through time, and many questions of fundamental importance
involve network dynamics. Thus, there is currently a need for modern
network analysis techniques that are specific to these systems and
issues. This workshop will explore problems and opportunities raised by
small (tens to hundreds of individuals) social networks as they develop
over time, with special focus on three issues: 1) how temporal dynamics
affect network function and emergent properties, 2) the response of the
network to perturbations such as births, deaths, immigration and
emigration from the social group, 3) the tension between a focus on
network structure (e.g., importance of roles and network centrality) and
process (e.g., flow of information, disease transmission). The workshop
will bring together empiricists interested in a diversity of animal
social groups (ants, fish, birds, mammals) and quantitative scientists
(network scientists, mathematicians, computer scientists, physicists)
interested in the special problems posed by the dynamics of small social
networks.
*Location: *NIMBioS at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville
*Co-Organizers:* David B. McDonald, Zoology & Physiology, Univ. of
Wyoming; Tanya Berger-Wolf, Computer Science, Univ. of Illinois;
Jennifer Fewell, Life Sciences, Center for Social Dynamics and
Complexity, Arizona State Univ.; Amiyaal Ilany, NIMBioS; Bryan Shader,
Mathematics, Univ. of Wyoming; and Tina Wey, Biology, New Mexico State Univ.
For more information about the workshop and a link to the online
application form, go to http://nimbios.org/workshops/WS_socialnet
Participation in the workshop is by application only. Individuals with a
strong interest in the topic are encouraged to apply, and successful
applicants will be notified within two weeks of the application
deadline. If needed, financial support for travel, meals, and lodging is
available for workshop attendees.
*Application deadline:* December 2, 2013
The National Institute for Mathematical and Biological Synthesis
(NIMBioS) (http://www.nimbios.org) brings together researchers from
around the world to collaborate across disciplinary boundaries to
investigate solutions to basic and applied problems in the life
sciences. NIMBioS is sponsored by the National Science Foundation, the
U.S. Department of Homeland Security, and the U.S. Department of
Agriculture with additional support from The University of Tennessee,
Knoxville.
*****************************
Catherine Crawley, Ph.D.
Communications Manager
National Institute for Mathematical and Biological Synthesis (NIMBioS)
University of Tennessee
1122 Volunteer Blvd, Ste. 106
Knoxville, TN 37996
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