The European University for Well-Being (EUniWell)

Speaker:
Armin Bahl, Einat Couzin-Fuchs, Raghavendra Gadagkar, Katja Reinhard, Anna Stöckl

An expedition to explore animal behaviour between lab and wild

Are you ready for an expedition into the multifarious world of animal behaviour, where the lab meets the wild? Join us for RELab, a unique experimental workshop in the scenic location of Lake Constance, Germany.

Unlike well-established scientific frameworks relying on synthetic stimuli, working with real, complex naturalistic stimuli presents unique challenges in tractability, interpretability, and relevance. This workshop will bring together 16 exceptional early-career scientists and 5 renowned principal investigators in the fields from systems neuroscience to ethology, to tackle conceptual and practical challenges in analyzing natural behaviours. RELab is not just about conventional lectures; it’s about prototyping paradigms and hacking them together in both natural and controlled environments. RELab is designed as a dialogue and a collective journey of discovery. For 5 days, participants will engage in:

• Naturalist hikes and field experiments, exploring the natural habitats around Lake Constance (Bodensee).
• Laboratory sessions employing advanced technologies such as virtual reality, collaborative activities integrating field and lab perspectives in real-time.
• Thought-provoking talks and discussions with leading experts, aiming to build a new understanding of natural behaviours.

Come enjoy the beautiful Bodensee region for an adventure of intellectual exploration, collaborative discovery, and vibrant community building. RELab is supported by the Centre for the Advanced Study of Collective Behaviour (CASCB) and Nencki Open Lab and it will be hosted by the Max Planck Institute of Animal behaviour, ensuring a high-quality, inclusive, and stimulating environment. Together, we aim to lay the groundwork for achieving new meaningful insights into behaviour in a complex world where standardized procedures may not exist.

Rewilders

• Anna Stöckl (CASCB, Dept. of Biology, Uni Konstanz)
• Armin Bahl (MPI-AB, CASCB, Dept. of Biology, Uni Konstanz)
• Einat Couzin-Fuchs (MPI-AB, CASCB, Dept. of Biology, Uni Konstanz)
• Katja Reinhard (International School for Advanced Studies, Trieste)
• Raghavendra Gadagkar (Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru)

Where, When, and How

RELab will be held on the Lake of Constance, Germany, 26-30 August 2024 (arrival on August 25, departure on August 31). The fee is EUR 750, and includes accommodation in shared double rooms at the venue and all meals for the duration of the workshop (breakfasts, lunches and dinners); it also includes dinner on the night before the workshop begins. We are securing funds for fee waivers, please specify in the registration form if you need one. PhD students and postdocs from systems neuroscience or animal behavior, as well as related disciplines, are encouraged to apply. We will also consider exceptional applications from pre-PhD students.

How to apply

The application form is available here. The deadline for application is June 24th, 2024. For inquiries, please contact the organizers.

Organizers:

• August Paula (MPI-AB, CASCB, Dept. of Biology, Uni Konstanz)
• Cyrill Fromm (MPI-AB, CASCB, Dept. of Biology, Uni Konstanz)
• Iacopo Hachen (MSCA Fellow, MPI-AB, CASCB, Dept. of Biology, Uni Konstanz)
• Kajal Kumari (MPI-AB, CASCB, Dept. of Biology, Uni Konstanz)
• Mateusz Kostecki (Nencki Institute)
• Pavan Kaushik (MPI-AB, CASCB, Dept. of Biology, Uni Konstanz)
• Ruiheng Wu (MPI-AB, CASCB, Uni Konstanz)