Definitely one to add to the “wasp or not?” game we play for school groups!

PhD student Ayla Webb presenting her prize-winning poster at the ASAB Spring Conference in Bristol in March 2026.

🥇Poster prize awarded to #AylaWebb at @asab.org #ASABSpring2026

🐝Reproductive hierarchies & queen succession in paper #wasps

🌟CONGRATULATIONS Ayla 🎉

@patrick-kennedy.bsky.social #ProudSupervisors

@bristolbiosci.bsky.social @asab-meetings.bsky.social
#fieldwork #ECR #PhD #experiments #evolution

Just wishing I was 36,000 ft lower down!

What causes these huge parallel dunes near the Chad border?

18° 0’ N 13° 48’ E

Stunning ochre and red Martian smears in the Ténéré region

19° 31’ N 12° 30’ E

Was baffled by these giant gridlines on the landscape in Algeria. Apparently for oil/mineral exploration?

Immense!

Northern Niger, 21° 26’ N 11° 16’ E

Can any geologists explain why these clusters of dunes seem so evenly spaced?

(Southern Algeria)

Always get a thrill from flying over the (absolutely vast) Sahara!

What causes these huge parallel dunes near the Chad border?

18°00' N 13°48' E

Stunning ochre and red Martian smears in the Ténéré region

19°31' N 12°30' E

Immense!

Northern Niger, 21°26 N 11°16' E

🔊 Calling UK early career researches in astro, particle & nuclear physics. Please sign this open response to the proposed cuts at STFC ⚛️🧪🔭

"Protecting the UK's reputation as a science superpower requires not only investment, but continuity, confidence, and people"

✍️ ecr-openletter-stfc.github.io

@andyradford.bsky.social One for you!

Spectacular quote!

Always confusing for a British person, as for us “public school” means “ultraposh private school”, like Eton

NASA’s Landsat-5 image from 10 July 1995 of the Loreto region in Peru

Copernicus Sentinel-2 image from 3 August 2020 of the Loreto region in Peru

🆕 The threat of large-scale deforestation is well known, but this new study reveals a surprising risk factor: small clearings of tropical forest account for more than half of net carbon losses across the Tropics.

📷 These satellite images show how deforestation has expanded in Peru’s Loreto region.

Four days left to apply for two postdocs in social evolution with me and @dustinrubenstein.com

Based at the University of Bristol (UK), conducting fieldwork with wasps in Cameroon, Kenya, and South Africa.

🚨Roll up, roll up, fully-funded #PhD deadlines approaching...

6th Jan: tinyurl.com/aja54nr6

8th Jan: tinyurl.com/4jfy47pp

Social monitoring & manipulation
#meerkats #mongooses #macaques #fieldwork #long-termdata

@patrick-kennedy.bsky.social @ljnbrent.bsky.social
@bristolbiosci.bsky.social

I love audiobooks for the same reason, but for me they feel shallower and more passive than reading. Reading a book requires you to focus attention completely, but audiobooks wash over you whilst you’re doing something else. I do listen to loads though!

That's very kind of you, Danai! Can confirm that Bristol is a great place to be based.

We'll miss you as you go on to your exciting next phase!

Certificate for winning Nature Award for Mentoring in Science

Professor Andy Radford with some of his mentees at the University of Bristol

Honoured & humbled to receive a #Nature #Award for #Mentoring in #Science yesterday. ☺️

Testament to the wonderful #ECRs I've been privileged to work with. THANK YOU to all who nominated me. 🙏

#proud #support

@natureportfolio.nature.com @bristolbiosci.bsky.social

www.bristol.ac.uk/news/2025/de...

Sad to be missing the #ASABWinter2025
@asab-meetings.bsky.social conference this week, but two postdocs that may interest ASAB members:

blown away by this, given the names of previous winners - recent and not so recent - hugely grateful to @zslofficial.bsky.social, and all the many students, postgrads, postdocs and collaborators who have helped make the last 14 years so fun and exciting

Will go back to avoiding cameras now… 🫣

For informal enquiries, email patrick.kennedy@bristol.ac.uk

Please repost or forward to those who may be interested!

@bristolbiosci.bsky.social @asab.org @iussi-nwes.bsky.social @iussi-nas.bsky.social @britishecologicalsociety.org

2⃣ Postdoctoral Research Associate
"Understanding the evolution of castes"

You will investigate the evolution of behavioural castes in the social insects (‘queens’ and ‘workers’), combining multiple methodologies.

tinyurl.com/SocialStrate...

1⃣ Postdoctoral Field Manager
"Quantifying Hamilton's rule in the wild"

You will help to coordinate an international field team spanning three African countries, investigating cooperation and conflict by running experiments with wasps across Africa.
tinyurl.com/SocialStrate...

POSTDOC ALERT🚨

Two exciting social evolution postdoc positions live today!

We're looking for two excellent field biologists. Join us to explore the evolution of sociality in wasps across Africa. Apply by 11th January.

Collaboration with
@dustinrubenstein.com

@bristolbiosci.bsky.social