Robin Morrison
@robinmorrison.bsky.social
Ambizione Research Fellow and PI of the Primate Social Evolution Group | Dep. of Evolutionary Anthropology, Uni of Zurich | Affiliate Scientist at the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund | Studying the fitness consequences of sociality and early life environment
Pinned
Group traits moderate the relationship between individual social traits and fitness in gorillas | PNAS
Evidence across a broad range of disciplines has demonstrated how individuals’ social
environments can impact their health, lifespan, reproduction,...
www.pnas.org
Thrilled to have the 1st project in my @snsf-ch.bsky.social Ambizione fellowship in @pnas.org this week. With Vic Martignac, @samellisq.bsky.social and @savinggorillas.bsky.social we asked what is a good social environment for a gorilla? And the answer was complicated... www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
Reposted by Robin Morrison
Award alert! 🎖️🚨 Every other year, the Ethologische Gesellschaft awards the Niko Tinbergen Award to outstanding post-doc level researchers in Behavioural Biology (<=6yrs post PhD exam).
...and this year is one of these years! Please send us your nominations! 🫵 Infos: www.etho-ges.de/wordpress/aw...
...and this year is one of these years! Please send us your nominations! 🫵 Infos: www.etho-ges.de/wordpress/aw...
Awards – Ethologische Gesellschaft e.V.
www.etho-ges.de
October 31, 2025 at 2:58 PM
Award alert! 🎖️🚨 Every other year, the Ethologische Gesellschaft awards the Niko Tinbergen Award to outstanding post-doc level researchers in Behavioural Biology (<=6yrs post PhD exam).
...and this year is one of these years! Please send us your nominations! 🫵 Infos: www.etho-ges.de/wordpress/aw...
...and this year is one of these years! Please send us your nominations! 🫵 Infos: www.etho-ges.de/wordpress/aw...
Reposted by Robin Morrison
❓ Want to join us?
📢 Fully funded #PhD for UK-domiciled Black heritage candidates
🐵 Biological market monitoring & manipulation in social animals #mongooses #macaques #fieldwork
👥 With me, #LaurenBrent & #PatrickKennedy
🎓 @bristolbiosci.bsky.social
ℹ️ www.findaphd.com/phds/project...
🙏Share widely
📢 Fully funded #PhD for UK-domiciled Black heritage candidates
🐵 Biological market monitoring & manipulation in social animals #mongooses #macaques #fieldwork
👥 With me, #LaurenBrent & #PatrickKennedy
🎓 @bristolbiosci.bsky.social
ℹ️ www.findaphd.com/phds/project...
🙏Share widely
October 16, 2025 at 7:46 AM
❓ Want to join us?
📢 Fully funded #PhD for UK-domiciled Black heritage candidates
🐵 Biological market monitoring & manipulation in social animals #mongooses #macaques #fieldwork
👥 With me, #LaurenBrent & #PatrickKennedy
🎓 @bristolbiosci.bsky.social
ℹ️ www.findaphd.com/phds/project...
🙏Share widely
📢 Fully funded #PhD for UK-domiciled Black heritage candidates
🐵 Biological market monitoring & manipulation in social animals #mongooses #macaques #fieldwork
👥 With me, #LaurenBrent & #PatrickKennedy
🎓 @bristolbiosci.bsky.social
ℹ️ www.findaphd.com/phds/project...
🙏Share widely
Reposted by Robin Morrison
🚨Fully-funded PhD opportunity in my group🚨
🧬How does parental ageing shape the next generation?🐾
Find out by studying meerkats!
🧪Epigenetic clocks
✨Bioinformatics
📊Long-term data
🌍Kalahari fieldwork
💡Big evolutionary questions
Get in touch or APPLY NOW
Please share!
www.uea.ac.uk/course/phd-d...
🧬How does parental ageing shape the next generation?🐾
Find out by studying meerkats!
🧪Epigenetic clocks
✨Bioinformatics
📊Long-term data
🌍Kalahari fieldwork
💡Big evolutionary questions
Get in touch or APPLY NOW
Please share!
www.uea.ac.uk/course/phd-d...
October 17, 2025 at 9:12 AM
🚨Fully-funded PhD opportunity in my group🚨
🧬How does parental ageing shape the next generation?🐾
Find out by studying meerkats!
🧪Epigenetic clocks
✨Bioinformatics
📊Long-term data
🌍Kalahari fieldwork
💡Big evolutionary questions
Get in touch or APPLY NOW
Please share!
www.uea.ac.uk/course/phd-d...
🧬How does parental ageing shape the next generation?🐾
Find out by studying meerkats!
🧪Epigenetic clocks
✨Bioinformatics
📊Long-term data
🌍Kalahari fieldwork
💡Big evolutionary questions
Get in touch or APPLY NOW
Please share!
www.uea.ac.uk/course/phd-d...
Reposted by Robin Morrison
We are advertising for a postdoc with skills in psychophysiological measurement for a project on smell and emotions. Closing date is 30th October. Please spread the word.
www.stir.ac.uk/about/work-a...
www.stir.ac.uk/about/work-a...
Vacancy details | About | University of Stirling
Job vacancy at the University of Stirling.
www.stir.ac.uk
October 4, 2025 at 11:09 AM
We are advertising for a postdoc with skills in psychophysiological measurement for a project on smell and emotions. Closing date is 30th October. Please spread the word.
www.stir.ac.uk/about/work-a...
www.stir.ac.uk/about/work-a...
Reposted by Robin Morrison
I'm v excited to be recruiting a PhD student to work on badger behaviour and ecology! Starting date is March 2026; see the ad here, or message me for more details: www.gregalbery.me/s/March-2026...
October 3, 2025 at 2:05 PM
I'm v excited to be recruiting a PhD student to work on badger behaviour and ecology! Starting date is March 2026; see the ad here, or message me for more details: www.gregalbery.me/s/March-2026...
Reposted by Robin Morrison
🚨 Please repost widely!🚨
I am recruiting a PhD student to join my lab next fall to work on forest and climate change ecology projects in southern Appalachia! Come join me in one of the most beautiful, biodiverse, and understudied parts of North America. Details below and happy to answer questions
I am recruiting a PhD student to join my lab next fall to work on forest and climate change ecology projects in southern Appalachia! Come join me in one of the most beautiful, biodiverse, and understudied parts of North America. Details below and happy to answer questions
October 3, 2025 at 4:45 PM
🚨 Please repost widely!🚨
I am recruiting a PhD student to join my lab next fall to work on forest and climate change ecology projects in southern Appalachia! Come join me in one of the most beautiful, biodiverse, and understudied parts of North America. Details below and happy to answer questions
I am recruiting a PhD student to join my lab next fall to work on forest and climate change ecology projects in southern Appalachia! Come join me in one of the most beautiful, biodiverse, and understudied parts of North America. Details below and happy to answer questions
Reposted by Robin Morrison
The Jane Goodall Institute of Canada has learned this morning, Wednesday, October 1st, 2025, that Dr. Jane Goodall DBE, UN Messenger of Peace and Founder of the Jane Goodall Institute, has passed away due to natural causes.
She was in California as part of her speaking tour in the United States.
She was in California as part of her speaking tour in the United States.
October 1, 2025 at 6:14 PM
The Jane Goodall Institute of Canada has learned this morning, Wednesday, October 1st, 2025, that Dr. Jane Goodall DBE, UN Messenger of Peace and Founder of the Jane Goodall Institute, has passed away due to natural causes.
She was in California as part of her speaking tour in the United States.
She was in California as part of her speaking tour in the United States.
Reposted by Robin Morrison
We are hiring - PDRA position exploring how information access shapes social dynamics in killer whales. Collaboration with @samellisq.bsky.social @drwhale.bsky.social Prof Dan Franks (York) start 1st Nov (or ASAP) end 31st Oct 2028. Apps close on 19th Oct.
www.jobs.ac.uk/job/DOT336/p...
www.jobs.ac.uk/job/DOT336/p...
September 23, 2025 at 6:29 PM
We are hiring - PDRA position exploring how information access shapes social dynamics in killer whales. Collaboration with @samellisq.bsky.social @drwhale.bsky.social Prof Dan Franks (York) start 1st Nov (or ASAP) end 31st Oct 2028. Apps close on 19th Oct.
www.jobs.ac.uk/job/DOT336/p...
www.jobs.ac.uk/job/DOT336/p...
Reposted by Robin Morrison
📣 Abstract submissions are open for our 2025 winter meeting! Share your work on primate research, conservation and captive care with us at the National Museum in Cardiff (Hosted w. Uni South Wales)! Submissions will be open until the 15th Oct. Submit your abstract here: tinyurl.com/5yufwsar
tinyurl.com
September 15, 2025 at 4:32 PM
📣 Abstract submissions are open for our 2025 winter meeting! Share your work on primate research, conservation and captive care with us at the National Museum in Cardiff (Hosted w. Uni South Wales)! Submissions will be open until the 15th Oct. Submit your abstract here: tinyurl.com/5yufwsar
Reposted by Robin Morrison
When female gorillas leave one social group and join another, they tend to seek out groups with other females that they've lived with in the past, showing the power of long-term relationships.
Study finds female mountain gorillas prefer to join 'buddies'
When female gorillas leave one social group and join another, they tend to seek out groups with other females that they've lived with in the past, showing the power of long-term relationships.
n.pr
August 6, 2025 at 5:38 PM
When female gorillas leave one social group and join another, they tend to seek out groups with other females that they've lived with in the past, showing the power of long-term relationships.
Female gorillas can change groups many times across their lives. These decisions are undoubtedly shaped by mating opportunities and infant protection, but what about the wider social relationships females have across groups? Check out this thread to see what we found!
So happy to see my first PhD paper out royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/...
With my amazing supervisor @robinmorrison.bsky.social and the @savinggorillas.bsky.social, we examined female dispersal decisions in mountain gorillas.
With my amazing supervisor @robinmorrison.bsky.social and the @savinggorillas.bsky.social, we examined female dispersal decisions in mountain gorillas.
Dispersed female networks: female gorillas’ inter-group relationships influence dispersal decisions | Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences
Dispersal is a fundamental aspect of many animal societies, impacting gene flow, knowledge transmission, culture and individual fitness. However, little is known about the information individuals use when dispersing. Mountain gorillas exhibit a flexible ...
royalsocietypublishing.org
August 7, 2025 at 7:42 AM
Female gorillas can change groups many times across their lives. These decisions are undoubtedly shaped by mating opportunities and infant protection, but what about the wider social relationships females have across groups? Check out this thread to see what we found!
Reposted by Robin Morrison
'Moving around is something that is also crucial in shaping human society. And the researchers say that studying its roots in other great apes can shed light on the evolutionary driving forces behind it.'
Link to original research article: royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/...
Link to original research article: royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/...
Gorillas seek out old female friends when they move
A study in Rwanda reveals the significance of a social connection between female mountain gorillas.
www.bbc.co.uk
August 6, 2025 at 6:30 AM
'Moving around is something that is also crucial in shaping human society. And the researchers say that studying its roots in other great apes can shed light on the evolutionary driving forces behind it.'
Link to original research article: royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/...
Link to original research article: royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/...
Loved listening to this discussion, and so pleased our research on the gorillas monitored by @savinggorillas.bsky.social, led by the fantastic Vic Martignac is resonating with so many!
On the radio this morning #BBC Radio Sussex with Sarah Gorrell chatting about a new study about gorilla female relationships from researchers at University of Zurich: royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/...
You can listen here by rewinding to 10:38
www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...
You can listen here by rewinding to 10:38
www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...
Dispersed female networks: female gorillas’ inter-group relationships influence dispersal decisions | Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences
Dispersal is a fundamental aspect of many animal societies, impacting gene flow, knowledge
transmission, culture and individual fitness. However, little is known about the information
individuals use ...
royalsocietypublishing.org
August 6, 2025 at 11:01 AM
Loved listening to this discussion, and so pleased our research on the gorillas monitored by @savinggorillas.bsky.social, led by the fantastic Vic Martignac is resonating with so many!
Reposted by Robin Morrison
Excited to share that we have just been awarded a NERC Pushing the Frontiers grant to work on between-group cooperation in the Shark Bay dolphins. We will soon advertise a 3 year post-doc to join the team - drop me an email if you might be interested! Pls share widely 🙏🏻
July 31, 2025 at 6:13 AM
Excited to share that we have just been awarded a NERC Pushing the Frontiers grant to work on between-group cooperation in the Shark Bay dolphins. We will soon advertise a 3 year post-doc to join the team - drop me an email if you might be interested! Pls share widely 🙏🏻
Reposted by Robin Morrison
I'm very excited to share the central paper from my PhD out now in Science Advances. We investigated how social effects among neighbors shape the evolution of reproductive cooperation and the pace of adaptive population growth among the Indigenous Tsimane of Bolivia.
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Indirect genetic effects among neighbors promote cooperation and accelerate adaptation in a small-scale human society
Social effects on fertility promote population growth and the evolution of flexible cooperation in a small-scale human society.
www.science.org
July 30, 2025 at 7:41 PM
I'm very excited to share the central paper from my PhD out now in Science Advances. We investigated how social effects among neighbors shape the evolution of reproductive cooperation and the pace of adaptive population growth among the Indigenous Tsimane of Bolivia.
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Reposted by Robin Morrison
Great days at the #IPSMadagascar2025 with @sanchezmegias.bsky.social and Adriana Hernandez-Aguilar, presenting our research @ub.edu @psicologiaub.bsky.social @janegoodallespana.bsky.social
Always a pleasure to come to this conference and interact with primatologists from all over the Word!
🐒🦧🦍
Always a pleasure to come to this conference and interact with primatologists from all over the Word!
🐒🦧🦍
July 25, 2025 at 3:35 AM
Great days at the #IPSMadagascar2025 with @sanchezmegias.bsky.social and Adriana Hernandez-Aguilar, presenting our research @ub.edu @psicologiaub.bsky.social @janegoodallespana.bsky.social
Always a pleasure to come to this conference and interact with primatologists from all over the Word!
🐒🦧🦍
Always a pleasure to come to this conference and interact with primatologists from all over the Word!
🐒🦧🦍
Reposted by Robin Morrison
*Job alert*
Within our recently funded collaborative project focusing on assisted migration of #mountain #plant species, we are looking for a #PhD candidate based at ETH Zürich. For further details and instructions, see the job ad:
jobs.ethz.ch/job/view/JOP...
Please repost!
🧪🏔️🌿
Within our recently funded collaborative project focusing on assisted migration of #mountain #plant species, we are looking for a #PhD candidate based at ETH Zürich. For further details and instructions, see the job ad:
jobs.ethz.ch/job/view/JOP...
Please repost!
🧪🏔️🌿
PhD Assisted Migration
jobs.ethz.ch
July 2, 2025 at 11:14 AM
*Job alert*
Within our recently funded collaborative project focusing on assisted migration of #mountain #plant species, we are looking for a #PhD candidate based at ETH Zürich. For further details and instructions, see the job ad:
jobs.ethz.ch/job/view/JOP...
Please repost!
🧪🏔️🌿
Within our recently funded collaborative project focusing on assisted migration of #mountain #plant species, we are looking for a #PhD candidate based at ETH Zürich. For further details and instructions, see the job ad:
jobs.ethz.ch/job/view/JOP...
Please repost!
🧪🏔️🌿
Reposted by Robin Morrison
the journal Animal Behaviour, which is run by @asab.org, is looking to hire a new Managing Editor. Please share advert with folks with a Life Sciences degree (ideally postgrad) who might be interested www.asab.org/opportunities
Opportunities — ASAB
www.asab.org
July 4, 2025 at 12:44 PM
the journal Animal Behaviour, which is run by @asab.org, is looking to hire a new Managing Editor. Please share advert with folks with a Life Sciences degree (ideally postgrad) who might be interested www.asab.org/opportunities
Reposted by Robin Morrison
Join us!!! 2 (!) PhD positions on wild chimpanzees and bonobos in the Ape Behaviour & Ecology Group and Wildminds Lab!!! 🤩🤩🤩
📣 Join the K/Creative Ape Team 🤓 2 PhDs on Creativity in Wild Chimpanzees & Bonobos; w myself & the v awesome @kathelijnekoops.bsky.social
@snf-fns.ch Uni Zurich @uniofstandrews.bsky.social @efp2026.bsky.social @ips-primatenews.bsky.social @primatesocietygb.bsky.social @primbehavecol.bsky.social 🐵🧪
@snf-fns.ch Uni Zurich @uniofstandrews.bsky.social @efp2026.bsky.social @ips-primatenews.bsky.social @primatesocietygb.bsky.social @primbehavecol.bsky.social 🐵🧪
July 3, 2025 at 4:46 AM
Join us!!! 2 (!) PhD positions on wild chimpanzees and bonobos in the Ape Behaviour & Ecology Group and Wildminds Lab!!! 🤩🤩🤩
Reposted by Robin Morrison
The Local Organizing Commitee welcomes behavioral ecologists from across the world and of all career stages to enjoy a five-day meeting rich in top-notch science and ample networking opportunities in Turin (Italy), 20-24 July 2026.
June 28, 2025 at 9:24 PM
The Local Organizing Commitee welcomes behavioral ecologists from across the world and of all career stages to enjoy a five-day meeting rich in top-notch science and ample networking opportunities in Turin (Italy), 20-24 July 2026.
Reposted by Robin Morrison
Do you have field work experience? Do you want more? Our team wants YOU to manage our field site studying Kinda baboons in Kasanka National Park, Zambia!
Start date is this August 2025 so apply ASAP!
Job ad here: tinyurl.com/KindaBaboon
Start date is this August 2025 so apply ASAP!
Job ad here: tinyurl.com/KindaBaboon
July 1, 2025 at 2:55 AM
Do you have field work experience? Do you want more? Our team wants YOU to manage our field site studying Kinda baboons in Kasanka National Park, Zambia!
Start date is this August 2025 so apply ASAP!
Job ad here: tinyurl.com/KindaBaboon
Start date is this August 2025 so apply ASAP!
Job ad here: tinyurl.com/KindaBaboon
Reposted by Robin Morrison
📢 2 PhD positions (E13 TV-L, 75%) in our DFG-funded project on great ape communication & the evolution of common ground!
🧠 Backgrounds in biology, psychology or linguistics welcome.
🗓️ Deadline: Aug 13
🔗 bit.ly/4l8p7hy & bit.ly/46jcfAq
Please share!
@elmanubohn.bsky.social @meanwhileina.bsky.social
🧠 Backgrounds in biology, psychology or linguistics welcome.
🗓️ Deadline: Aug 13
🔗 bit.ly/4l8p7hy & bit.ly/46jcfAq
Please share!
@elmanubohn.bsky.social @meanwhileina.bsky.social
June 30, 2025 at 7:39 AM
📢 2 PhD positions (E13 TV-L, 75%) in our DFG-funded project on great ape communication & the evolution of common ground!
🧠 Backgrounds in biology, psychology or linguistics welcome.
🗓️ Deadline: Aug 13
🔗 bit.ly/4l8p7hy & bit.ly/46jcfAq
Please share!
@elmanubohn.bsky.social @meanwhileina.bsky.social
🧠 Backgrounds in biology, psychology or linguistics welcome.
🗓️ Deadline: Aug 13
🔗 bit.ly/4l8p7hy & bit.ly/46jcfAq
Please share!
@elmanubohn.bsky.social @meanwhileina.bsky.social
Reposted by Robin Morrison
We studied the evolution of infant-directed communication by comparing vocal input rates across great apes!
A collaborative study led by @carolinefryns.bsky.social, Johanna Schick and me;
www.science.org/doi/epdf/10....
A collaborative study led by @carolinefryns.bsky.social, Johanna Schick and me;
www.science.org/doi/epdf/10....
The evolution of infant-directed communication: Comparing vocal input across all great apes
You have to enable JavaScript in your browser's settings in order to use the eReader.
www.science.org
June 26, 2025 at 12:33 PM
We studied the evolution of infant-directed communication by comparing vocal input rates across great apes!
A collaborative study led by @carolinefryns.bsky.social, Johanna Schick and me;
www.science.org/doi/epdf/10....
A collaborative study led by @carolinefryns.bsky.social, Johanna Schick and me;
www.science.org/doi/epdf/10....
Reposted by Robin Morrison
I could not be more proud of my lab, and my fantastic colleagues for the study they just published in @nature.com revealing a massive expansion of our species' niche before dispersing out of Africa. Have a read, because it's an amazing paper 🤩
#newpaper now out in @nature.com!
A huge expansion of the human niche in Africa ~70 kya likely equipped later #outofAfrica dispersals with a unique ecological flexibility.
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
led by Emily Hallett, @mikleonardi.bsky.social, Andrea Manica, @elliescerri.bsky.social 1/4
A huge expansion of the human niche in Africa ~70 kya likely equipped later #outofAfrica dispersals with a unique ecological flexibility.
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
led by Emily Hallett, @mikleonardi.bsky.social, Andrea Manica, @elliescerri.bsky.social 1/4
Major expansion in the human niche preceded out of Africa dispersal - Nature
Analysis of species distribution models in a pan-African database comprising chronometrically dated archaeological sites over the past 120,000 years shows major expansion in the human niche from 70 ka...
www.nature.com
June 18, 2025 at 3:47 PM
I could not be more proud of my lab, and my fantastic colleagues for the study they just published in @nature.com revealing a massive expansion of our species' niche before dispersing out of Africa. Have a read, because it's an amazing paper 🤩
Reposted by Robin Morrison
Working with @wildcognition.bsky.social on this paper was so much fun: drawing from our research with mammals (primates & hyenas) we discuss to what extent the urban niche poses novel cognitive challenges or whether they are exapted to exploit urban resources
link.springer.com/article/10.1...
link.springer.com/article/10.1...
How cognitively demanding is the urban niche? Reconsidering exaptation and habituation - Animal Cognition
Urbanization is hypothesized to create a myriad of cognitive challenges for animals because it creates novel environmental conditions in evolutionary terms. The consensus is that these novel urban cha...
link.springer.com
June 17, 2025 at 7:11 PM
Working with @wildcognition.bsky.social on this paper was so much fun: drawing from our research with mammals (primates & hyenas) we discuss to what extent the urban niche poses novel cognitive challenges or whether they are exapted to exploit urban resources
link.springer.com/article/10.1...
link.springer.com/article/10.1...