Society of Systematic Biologists

We are pleased to announce that registration is open for the 8th biennial conference of the Systematics Association, held for the first time in Northern Ireland! There is an exciting programme that includes both plenaries and thematic symposia, as well as a large number of contributed sessions. Currently scheduled symposia include:

• Next Generation Systematics - Studying Evolution and Diversity in an Era of Ubiquitous Genomics
• Arthropod Systematics: are Morphology, Palaeontology and Molecules Coming Together?
• Algal Systematics: Where Next?
• Advances in Using Museum Specimens and Ancient DNA in Systematics Research

Symposia will include a mixture of talks from invited speakers and other contributions. The Biennial also presents excellent opportunities for contributed papers on any aspect of systematics and is a great forum for students and young researchers to present their work. For further details, please see http://www.systass.org/biennial2011/.

Proposals for Sabbaticals, Working Groups and Catalysis Meetings are now being accepted at The National Evolutionary Synthesis Center (NESCent). We are looking to support innovative approaches to outstanding problems in evolutionary science. In particular, proposals that have a clear interdisciplinary focus, or involve evolutionary concepts in non-traditional disciplines, are strongly encouraged, as are proposals that demonstrate international participation and a mix of senior and emerging researchers, including graduate students. Proposals are accepted twice a year, with deadlines on July 10 and December 1. Proposals for Sabbaticals may be for up to a full year. We also accept proposals for short-term visits (2 weeks to 3 months; deadlines on January 1, April 1, July 1 and September 1). For more information, please see our website at https://www.nescent.org/science/proposals.php.

The Max Planck Institute for Molecular Genetics in Berlin has announced the Otto Warburg International Summer School and Research Symposium 2011 on Evolutionary Genomics. The aim of this program is to bring together researchers and PhD students from different backgrounds (including molecular biology, bioinformatics, biological physics, mathematics) to discuss recent advances in evolutionary genomics in an interactive environment. The program focuses on high-level teaching and topical research seminars. Participants are expected to give poster presentations or contribute talks.
The registration fee is ââ??¬950 and will cover meals, accommodation and social events. Visit their web site to apply.

The US NSF has announced Assembling, Visualizing and Analyzing the Tree of Life (AVAToL) with a preliminary proposal deadline of May 10, 2011. From the NSF web site:

The Assembling, Visualizing and Analyzing the Tree of Life (AVAToL) activity supports novel and transformative approaches to the development of an integrated and robust tree of life, as well as visualization and analysis on a dynamic tree of life. This will take place through the Ideas Lab project development and review process. The goal of this activity is to identify opportunities for investment to significantly advance the state-of-the-art in tree construction, visualization, and analysis across the tree of life. Participants selected through an open application process will engage in an intensive five-day residential workshop to generate project ideas through an innovative, real-time review process. New multidisciplinary teams will form during this workshop to engage in creative problem solving directed at outstanding problems concerning the tree of life. Multidisciplinary integrative approaches calling for communication and interaction among diverse scientists are key to the success of the approach. For example, in addition to those working in systematics and phylogenetics, AVAToL might benefit from mathematicians and computer scientists to contribute algorithms and models, bioinformaticians or genomicists to contribute data pipelines and novel molecular characters, or statisticians and artists with an interest in novel methods of visualization and interactive use of the tree of life. Therefore, members of the systematics research community, bioinformaticians, genomicists, morphologists, paleontologists, computer scientists, statisticians, mathematicians, educators involved in training the next generation of researchers, and representatives of any other disciplines that might contribute important ideas are all strongly encouraged to apply.

The conference will cover the contribution of Pacific biogeographic research to the fields of ecology, evolution, and conservation biology. There will be 5 symposia, contributed papers and posters over three days (May 27-29), with optional pre-meeting workshops on May 26th and fieldtrips beginning on May 30th. The symposia will focus on the questions listed below:

1. What within-lineage biogeographic patterns are found across the Pacific?
2. Are there common patterns of evolutionary diversification among lineages across the disparate island systems of the Pacific?
3. How do different plant and animal populations interact through time to form novel island ecosystems?
4. How have people influenced the terrestrial and near-shore environments of Pacific islands?
5. How does knowledge of the evolution of Pacific Island biota contribute to the conservation of island (and continental) ecosystems?

For details visit http://botany.si.edu/events/2011_pacific/.

Registration and abstract submission for the international conference "Deep Metazoan Phylogeny 2011 â�" new data, new challenges", to be held from October 11-14, 2011 at the University of Munich (Germany) is now open!

The conference will bring together mathematicians, theoreticians, molecular systematists, and morphologists that aim at resolving deep branches in the animal tree of life for a better understanding of the evolution and diversification of multicellular life on Earth.

During the conference, new data, new analytical tools and new results will be discussed. Challenges and pitfalls in phylogeny reconstruction based on molecular and/or morphological data will be identified, aiming for a critical and constructive view of the state of the art of the metazoan tree of life.

Fort Collins, Colorado, USA

24 July - 6 August 2011

Application Deadline: 15 May was the preferred application deadline, after which time people will be admitted to the course following review of applications by the admissions committee. However, later applications are accepted.

http://www.molecularevolution.org/workshops/WME

Michael P. Cummings, Scott A. Handley and Kendra Nightingale, Co-Directors

The Workshop consists of a series of lectures, demonstrations and computer laboratories that cover various aspects of molecular evolution. Faculty are chosen exclusively for their effectiveness in teaching theory and practice in molecular evolution. Included among the faculty are developers and other experts in the use of computer programs and packages such as BEAST, *BEAST, DataMonkey, FigTree, Genealogical Sorting Index, GARLI, HyPhy, LAMARC, MAFFT, MrBayes, and SeaView who provide demonstrations and consultations.

Fort Collins, Colorado, USA, 10 - 23 July 2011

Application Deadline: 15 May is the preferred application deadline, after which time people will be admitted to the course following review of applications by the admissions committee. However, later applications will certainly be accepted.

http://www.molecularevolution.org/workshops/WCG

Scott A. Handley, Michael Cummings and Kendra Nightingale, Co-Directors

The Workshop on Comparative Genomics consists of a series of lectures, demonstrations and computer laboratories that cover various aspects of comparative genomics focusing on next-generation sequencing data. Faculty are chosen exclusively for their effectiveness in teaching theory and practice in comparative genomics. Included among the faculty are developers and other experts in the use of computer programs and packages such as ABySS, bowtie, velvet, bioperl, Scripture, GMOD, Gbrowse, Galaxy, PyCogent, QIIME who provide demonstrations and consultations. The course is designed for established investigators, postdoctoral scholars, and advanced graduate students. Scientists with strong interests in the uses of short-read sequence data, analytical methods, comparative structure of genomes, metagenomics, genome visualization tools and related areas are encouraged to apply for admission. Lectures and computer laboratories total ~90 hours of scheduled instruction. Admission is limited. No programming experience is required, however, detailed instruction suitable for the novice will be provided during the early days of the Workshop on the use of the command line, editing tools and basic scripting.

Rhodes University, Grahamstown, South Africa, is advertising for a Senior Lecturer or Lecturer in Systematic or evolutionary entomology. Recognising that diversity is important in achieving excellence, Rhodes University especially encourages South African members of designated groups to apply. Responsibilities will include teaching at an Honours, and all undergraduate levels, with significant contributions to evolutionary biology (including some genetics) and entomology. The successful candidate is expected to carry out postgraduate supervision within the department, take on some departmental administration, and develop a strong research programme.

To apply, please email your completed application form, accompanied by a substantial letter of motivation, curriculum vitae, academic transcripts and copies of certificates to: jobs- yellow@ru.ac.za Or you can post your application to: Recruitment & Selection Section, Rhodes University, P O Box 94, Grahamstown, 6140. For more information please contact 046 603 7265.

For more information about the Department of Zoology and Entomology, kindly visit their website on: http://www.ru.ac.za/zoologyandentomology/ Closing Date: 12h00, 28 February 2011

The Willi Hennig Society is organising a workshop on phylogenetic methods, to be held 23 - 27 May, 2011 in Xalapa, M�©xico. Instructors include Kevin Nixon, Christopher P. Randle, John W. Wenzel, and Ward C. Wheeler. The workshop is open to participants from Mexico, Latinamerican countries, but also to students from the US/Canada, Europe, and elsewhere. Cost for students is US$300, and for non students is US$400. This only includes registration fee. Limited fellowships to cover the costs of registration are available. It does not include transportation, accommodations or food. For more details see the course web site.