Science communication

The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated - Mahatma Gandhi (1931)

We are really excited about our research, and we like to engage with people outside of our field to share our work. Therefore, we have been involved in various activities. These include, for example, advising screenwriters and journalists, communicating our findings with media, contributing to science fares, teaching in summer schools, and providing small workshops and guided tours through research facilities for all age classes. Besides we’ve always enjoyed such fun activities (because we learn a lot from people outside of our field!), we also think it is part of science to make findings accessible to everyone, not just to academics who are working on similar questions. We strongly believe that the more we know about the diversity and complexity of the world around us, the more we appreciate and value it. In addition, we aim at creating awareness for fundamental research and promoting scientific/critical thinking.

Writers, journalists, teachers, and organisers of events are welcome to contact us, if they’d like to learn more about how and why animals behave the way they do and the impact of such knowledge.


 

 

 

Humans are unique.

Or so we like to think.

But are we really?

 

 

 

 

We explored this question in a museum exhibition here in St Andrews that we put together with the wonderful Museums of the University of St Andrews team. More information and accompanying events here.

activities (selection)

06/24

05/24

05/23 - 09/23

07/22

07/22

05/22

10/21

02/21

02/21

10/20

08/20

03/20

01/20

09/19

04/18

02/18

02/18

02/18

02/18

02/18

05/17

11/16

11/16

07/16

12/15

03/15

06/14

06/11

Talk: Sutton Trust Summer School: Comparative Psychology (UK)

Judge: Ethics Cup - for a more civil debate (UK)

Museum exhibition - What makes us human? (UK)

Participant: The British Art Show: The incredible re-birth dinner (UK)

Talk: Sutton Trust Summer School: Comparative Psychology (UK)

Judge: Ethics Cup - for a more civil debate (UK)

Radio: Boston Public Radio - podcast on rats (US)

Interview: Kooperation ist auf lange Sicht die bessere Strategie! (D)

Talk: Pupils Ask an Academic (Sophie Harrower, St Andrews, UK)

Zoologie: Reziproke Kooperation - was wir von Ratten lernen können (D)

YouTube: Podcast - The Knowledge Archives (CA)

Science fare: Discovery Day (St Andrews, UK)

Radio: Interview - BBC Radio Scotland (UK)

Science fare: Budongo Research Unit (Edinburgh, UK)

Science fare: Edinburgh International Science Festival (Edinburgh, UK)

Radio: Interview - Kingdom FM (UK)

Radio: Interview - BBC World Service (UK)

Radio: Podcast - SRF4 (CH)

Radio: Morning Show - Energy Bern/Zürich (CH)

Radio: Interview - BR5 (D)

TV: Planet Wissen - ARD & BR (D)

TV: Xenius - ARTE (D/FR)

TV: Nano - 3sat (D)

TV: Faszination Wissen - BR (D)

Workshop for teenagers: Studying animals & their behaviour (Bern, CH)

TV: Einstein - SRF (CH)

Workshop for kids: What are behavioural ecologists doing? (Bern, CH)

TV: Short documentary on geese - ORF2 (AT)


For further information, please have a look at these great resources

Great teaching resources about Animal Behaviour in English.

Great teaching resources about Animal Behaviour in German.

Online magazine about Animal Behaviour by UC Davis Graduate Group.

Online magazine about recent articles in Behavioural Biology (D).

Blog on stories on topical developments in nature worldwide.

Blog about recent topics in Ecology for people outside the field (D).

Animal Cognition Podcast with great interviews by D. Brodbeck.

Scientists can sign up to become pen pals for the next generation.

Arrange a chat with a scientist, suitable for families and schools.

Fantastic initiative to combine research with conservation and education.

Great article about science communication, including toolkits.


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