Don't forget to re-subscribe to EvolDir to continue receiving emails! EvolDir is such a great thing for the Evolutionary Biology community, great to hear that it will continue in good hands :) @eseb.bsky.social

The exercise led to a bunch of improved practices (we had a board game night! we now share updates about our cats to start group meetings!). Recommend! (3/3)

The stuff I thought might bug them (e.g. me rescheduling meetings, not enough journal clubs ) didn't come up, but other stuff that wasn't on my mind did, and this was super useful. E.g. they want more fun non-work group activities. (2/3)

I recently asked my research group for collective feedback, after seeing this blog post. I was a bit nervous about it! But it was really good and helpful.
I gave them a starter set of questions. They met without me & then shared their collective thoughts.
(1/3)
colinraffel.com/blog/getting...

Book: Beetles of the World: A Natural History

What a treat to win a book about beetles! Won in a draw from @coleopsoc.bsky.social

Reshaping universities via consultants is currently underway in NS.
@ Advanced Education: why not learn from other govts that have tried this?
#NSpoli

Very excited to announce our new review accepted at Phil. Trans. B. (in press)!

This project started after a journal club I presented this time last year (!) sparked some lab discussions and it's been so much fun seeing it become a paper. Big thanks to all my co-authors for making it happen :)

For other NSERC watchers this week:

Nice to see our work featured in The Guardian — showing that sperm quality can decline the longer it is stored. @krishsanghvi11.bsky.social @itchyshin.bsky.social

Thanks Tristan! Fun when results are opposite of expected

New preprint from Mabel Sydney, Tracey Chapman & me:
female diet choice when there's harassment from males plus social information:
doi.org/10.32942/X2G...

Thanks Jenny!

DNA barcoding question: does anyone know of a facility that's lower cost than the Canadian Centre for DNA Barcoding ?

FindAPhD : Biosciences Graduate Training Assistant PhD Studentships at University College London Apply for a PhD: Biosciences Graduate Training Assistant PhD Studentships at University College London

🧬 Funded GTA PhD in my lab at UCL @ucllifesciences.bsky.social !

Looking for a motivated student to work on how mismatches between mitochondrial & nuclear genomes shape health, ageing & evolution.

Experimental (Drosophila) | Computational genomics

The project is flexible & shaped around you.

I would enthusiastically read a 3000 word piece on the ugly truth about brentids

Author of Heated Rivalry voices opposition to N.S. arts cuts Bestselling author and the brains behind the global phenomenon Heated Rivalry, is speaking out against the Nova Scotia government’s proposal to axe art funding. Lifelong Nova Scotia resident, Rachel R...

Heated Rivalry author, Rachel Reid, speaks out against N.S. arts cuts #NovaScotia

halifax.citynews.ca/2026/03/04/h...

Transition trust fund for MtA 🤯

Mapping the Beetle Tree of Life YouTube video by Biological Recording Company

With over 400,000 described species, Coleoptera represent one of the most diverse groups of organisms on Earth, necessitating a global, integrative approach to understanding their evolutionary history. m.youtube.com/watch?v=Pg47...

📣🐦This is a reminder that early bird registration for the CSEE 2026 Conference ends tomorrow, January 30!

Register here: event.fourwaves.com/csee2026/reg...

Angry and Alone: How Social Experience Shapes Female Aggression in Flies at Newcastle University on FindAPhD.com PhD Project - Angry and Alone: How Social Experience Shapes Female Aggression in Flies at Newcastle University, listed on FindAPhD.com

We're advertising a PhD project on how social isolation influences aggression in flies. Based at Durham, co-supervised by @clarahowcroft.bsky.social . Despite what the ad says, this is also open to international applicants! Any questions, shoot me a msg! www.findaphd.com/phds/project...

White House tweet with Trump walking with a penguin toward a Greenland flag

The hazards of failing first-year biology: you invade the wrong pole.

🇦🇶 🐧 🇬🇱 🐻‍❄️

Come work on the beautiful east coast! Our department has a 9 month teaching-focused position advertised. Happy to chat! @stfx-university.bsky.social
recruiting.ultipro.ca/GOV5000GOVE/...

Me too.
Even presentations. Last year some students presented content that was clearly AI generated and read aloud AI-generated notes.

Ladybugs are critical critters in the garden, but warmer winters could wipe them out | CBC News Researchers at St. Francis Xavier University are examining the impacts of warming winters on Nova Scotia’s lady beetle population and what a decline could mean for the wider ecosystem.

We had fun talking to Alex Guye from the CBC about Yaseen's work on overwintering ladybugs 🐞
www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...

Launch of new Canada Impact+ Research Training Awards As announced in Budget 2025 -

New post doc funding opportunity:
Are you outside Canada & interested in a post doc on insects & environment/climate? Our lab studies insect evol & ecol, esp reproduction/sexual selection. Our university seeks a nominee. Let's chat!
nserc-crsng.canada.ca/en/news/laun...

Got my first student report with a fully hallucinated reference list! Just in time for the holidays 🎄

Shipping insect specimens in ethanol from Canada to Europe: has anyone found an easy solution? We're a 2 h drive from the nearest DHL service point

The Entomological Society of Canada is a fantastic supporter of grad students. Congrats Yaseen 🎉 @canentomologist.bsky.social
www.stfx.ca/news/Yaseen-...

Medfly

UEA campus

Please share 📢

We have a Postdoc position available here @uniofeastanglia.bsky.social to develop innovative genetic control strategies for insect agricultural pests in collaboration with @imperialcollegeldn.bsky.social

vacancies.uea.ac.uk/vacancies/19...