Sofia Forss
@sofiaforss.bsky.social
Evolutionary Biologist interested in Animal Behavior and Cognition, especially the interlink between socio-ecological factors, motivation and learning.
www.sofiaforss.com
www.sofiaforss.com
sometimes you have to pause and just be grateful ✨for having such kind and awesome colleagues - who knows exactly what you need 🫶🏼
December 18, 2025 at 8:06 PM
sometimes you have to pause and just be grateful ✨for having such kind and awesome colleagues - who knows exactly what you need 🫶🏼
So proud and happy to have such an amazing field team, wishing you all a very joyful festive season with our latest Newsletter ✨👇🏼
Wrapping up the year with our latest UVP newsletter—fresh field updates, interviews, and more! 🎄🐒
Best holiday wishes from the whole team!
urbanvervetproject.weebly.com/news/last-20...
Best holiday wishes from the whole team!
urbanvervetproject.weebly.com/news/last-20...
December 18, 2025 at 7:36 PM
So proud and happy to have such an amazing field team, wishing you all a very joyful festive season with our latest Newsletter ✨👇🏼
Reposted by Sofia Forss
Excellent piece from Kelsey Piper at The Argument. How getting richer made teenagers less free . I really like The Argument, in general, worth checking out.
open.substack.com/pub/theargum...
open.substack.com/pub/theargum...
How getting richer made teenagers less free
We value children more than ever. But we're suffocating them.
open.substack.com
December 17, 2025 at 3:54 PM
Excellent piece from Kelsey Piper at The Argument. How getting richer made teenagers less free . I really like The Argument, in general, worth checking out.
open.substack.com/pub/theargum...
open.substack.com/pub/theargum...
Reposted by Sofia Forss
Lovely piece on how meerkats deal with climate change by @chameauleon.bsky.social in National Geographic: www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/arti... I had the pleasure to chat with Camille about the importance of understanding how extreme heat changes food availability 🐛 for meerkats
Why matriarchs reign supreme in the meerkat world
As a corner of Africa heats up, new research shows how the future of the species rests with powerful matriarchs making tough choices for survival.
www.nationalgeographic.com
December 17, 2025 at 1:32 PM
Lovely piece on how meerkats deal with climate change by @chameauleon.bsky.social in National Geographic: www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/arti... I had the pleasure to chat with Camille about the importance of understanding how extreme heat changes food availability 🐛 for meerkats
Can’t imagine a better PhD topic 😉👇🏼 Cognitive development i. ecologically relevant settings 💪🏻
PhD scholarship alert! Are you interested in cognitive evolution? Do you want to know how development influences cognitive traits? Do you love hanging out with birds in the forest? If the answer to these questions is yes, please apply to work with us! 1/2 🧪
www.wgtn.ac.nz/scholarships...
www.wgtn.ac.nz/scholarships...
November 18, 2025 at 11:28 AM
Can’t imagine a better PhD topic 😉👇🏼 Cognitive development i. ecologically relevant settings 💪🏻
Reposted by Sofia Forss
Exciting PhD opportunity to develop tech and software to record and understand wild animal behaviour. Fully funded by EPSRC DLA. Based at @uniexecec.bsky.social; co-supervised by Alex Thornton (@cornishjackdaws.bsky.social), @kjhockings.bsky.social and collaborators. Apply: tinyurl.com/5fr73snt
November 14, 2025 at 12:53 PM
Exciting PhD opportunity to develop tech and software to record and understand wild animal behaviour. Fully funded by EPSRC DLA. Based at @uniexecec.bsky.social; co-supervised by Alex Thornton (@cornishjackdaws.bsky.social), @kjhockings.bsky.social and collaborators. Apply: tinyurl.com/5fr73snt
Reposted by Sofia Forss
#PhD position!
Comparing #foraging and #cognition in #hummingbirds and #bumblebees
Fieldwork in the Canadian Rockies, lab experiments at @newcastleuni.bsky.social, and ecological modelling at @uniofstandrews.bsky.social
Details (including my email) here: iapetus.ac.uk/studentships...
Comparing #foraging and #cognition in #hummingbirds and #bumblebees
Fieldwork in the Canadian Rockies, lab experiments at @newcastleuni.bsky.social, and ecological modelling at @uniofstandrews.bsky.social
Details (including my email) here: iapetus.ac.uk/studentships...
From preferences to pollination: do hummingbirds and bees differ in how they choose flowers?
iapetus.ac.uk
November 9, 2025 at 2:14 PM
#PhD position!
Comparing #foraging and #cognition in #hummingbirds and #bumblebees
Fieldwork in the Canadian Rockies, lab experiments at @newcastleuni.bsky.social, and ecological modelling at @uniofstandrews.bsky.social
Details (including my email) here: iapetus.ac.uk/studentships...
Comparing #foraging and #cognition in #hummingbirds and #bumblebees
Fieldwork in the Canadian Rockies, lab experiments at @newcastleuni.bsky.social, and ecological modelling at @uniofstandrews.bsky.social
Details (including my email) here: iapetus.ac.uk/studentships...
Reposted by Sofia Forss
3 year postdoc funded by @ukri.org NERC on between-group cooperation in the Shark Bay dolphins is now live - please share widely 🙏 www.bristol.ac.uk/jobs/find/de...
Details | Working at Bristol | University of Bristol
University of Bristol Beacon House Queens Road Bristol, BS8 1QU, UK Tel: +44 (0)117 928 9000 Contact us
www.bristol.ac.uk
November 10, 2025 at 9:43 AM
3 year postdoc funded by @ukri.org NERC on between-group cooperation in the Shark Bay dolphins is now live - please share widely 🙏 www.bristol.ac.uk/jobs/find/de...
Reposted by Sofia Forss
🚨Who wants to work with Kalahari meerkats? A MSc project with @mathildemartin.bsky.social at the University of Zurich.
#bioacoustics 🧪
#bioacoustics 🧪
November 10, 2025 at 3:41 PM
🚨Who wants to work with Kalahari meerkats? A MSc project with @mathildemartin.bsky.social at the University of Zurich.
#bioacoustics 🧪
#bioacoustics 🧪
Interested in early life learning and cognitive development ? In our new pre-print we present data on developmental trajectories of three cognitive traits spanning wild meerkat pups critical life transitions 👇🏼
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Developmental trajectories of cognitive traits in meerkats match socio-ecological demands
Understanding cognitive development is fundamental to contextualize adult cognitive phenotypes, and thus the operational pathways for cognitive evolution. The ontogeny of specific cognitive traits is ...
www.biorxiv.org
November 5, 2025 at 7:39 PM
Interested in early life learning and cognitive development ? In our new pre-print we present data on developmental trajectories of three cognitive traits spanning wild meerkat pups critical life transitions 👇🏼
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Field Activities 🙌🏼
Busy week at Simbithi! We had the pleasure of hosting Amy and Molly from Wild Connection (Nambiti Research Camp), as well as @albamotesr.bsky.social and @rachelaharrison.bsky.social from the Inkavu Vervet Project. Great to exchange ideas and have some field time with you all!
November 5, 2025 at 5:33 PM
Field Activities 🙌🏼
Reposted by Sofia Forss
Looking for a #PhD?
Interested in #SocialBehaviour #BiologicalMarkets #Fieldwork?
Want to be based in #Bristol?
Check out this project with me, @ljnbrent.bsky.social & #PatrickKennedy:
tinyurl.com/aja54nr6
For UK-domiciled Black-heritage applicants
Get in touch for more information
Please #share
Interested in #SocialBehaviour #BiologicalMarkets #Fieldwork?
Want to be based in #Bristol?
Check out this project with me, @ljnbrent.bsky.social & #PatrickKennedy:
tinyurl.com/aja54nr6
For UK-domiciled Black-heritage applicants
Get in touch for more information
Please #share
Funded PhD open to UK-domiciled, home fee applicants of Black African, Black Caribbean or other Black or mixed Black heritage - Biological market monitoring and manipulation in social animals at Unive...
PhD Project - Funded PhD open to UK-domiciled, home fee applicants of Black African, Black Caribbean or other Black or mixed Black heritage - Biological market monitoring and manipulation in social an...
www.findaphd.com
October 24, 2025 at 3:17 PM
Looking for a #PhD?
Interested in #SocialBehaviour #BiologicalMarkets #Fieldwork?
Want to be based in #Bristol?
Check out this project with me, @ljnbrent.bsky.social & #PatrickKennedy:
tinyurl.com/aja54nr6
For UK-domiciled Black-heritage applicants
Get in touch for more information
Please #share
Interested in #SocialBehaviour #BiologicalMarkets #Fieldwork?
Want to be based in #Bristol?
Check out this project with me, @ljnbrent.bsky.social & #PatrickKennedy:
tinyurl.com/aja54nr6
For UK-domiciled Black-heritage applicants
Get in touch for more information
Please #share
Reposted by Sofia Forss
❓ 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
🚨In this new Pre-print we present our findings on Monkey-Dog interactions
🐒🐕🦺🐒🐕🦺 @UrbanVervet
Living with urban fear: vervet monkey response to an evolutionarily new predator www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
🐒🐕🦺🐒🐕🦺 @UrbanVervet
Living with urban fear: vervet monkey response to an evolutionarily new predator www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Living with urban fear: vervet monkey response to an evolutionarily new predator
Humans have facilitated contacts between prey and predator species that have originally not co-evolved, reshuffling the prey-predator arms race. How do prey cope with an evolutionarily new predation r...
www.biorxiv.org
October 6, 2025 at 6:24 PM
🚨In this new Pre-print we present our findings on Monkey-Dog interactions
🐒🐕🦺🐒🐕🦺 @UrbanVervet
Living with urban fear: vervet monkey response to an evolutionarily new predator www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
🐒🐕🦺🐒🐕🦺 @UrbanVervet
Living with urban fear: vervet monkey response to an evolutionarily new predator www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Reposted by Sofia Forss
⭐PhD position available!⭐
Come join us @imprs-qbee.bsky.social to study communication and collective behavior in animal groups! We're looking for someone excited to use computational approaches to tackle biological questions, using our full-group tracking datasets
imprs-qbee.mpg.de/121465/analy...
Come join us @imprs-qbee.bsky.social to study communication and collective behavior in animal groups! We're looking for someone excited to use computational approaches to tackle biological questions, using our full-group tracking datasets
imprs-qbee.mpg.de/121465/analy...
Analysis of communication and collective behavior in animal groups
imprs-qbee.mpg.de
October 3, 2025 at 7:40 AM
⭐PhD position available!⭐
Come join us @imprs-qbee.bsky.social to study communication and collective behavior in animal groups! We're looking for someone excited to use computational approaches to tackle biological questions, using our full-group tracking datasets
imprs-qbee.mpg.de/121465/analy...
Come join us @imprs-qbee.bsky.social to study communication and collective behavior in animal groups! We're looking for someone excited to use computational approaches to tackle biological questions, using our full-group tracking datasets
imprs-qbee.mpg.de/121465/analy...
in the beginning of September the UVP hosted a few days with our collaborators from the Sinergia project on gut-microbiom axis & behavior. Looking forward to see what the urban diet reveals in terms of health 🐒🍕🐒 @UrbanVervet Project @SimbithiEcoEstate
September 27, 2025 at 8:42 PM
in the beginning of September the UVP hosted a few days with our collaborators from the Sinergia project on gut-microbiom axis & behavior. Looking forward to see what the urban diet reveals in terms of health 🐒🍕🐒 @UrbanVervet Project @SimbithiEcoEstate
Reposted by Sofia Forss
**PhD POSITIONS** I am recruiting 1-2 PhD students to work on sociality and cognition in Monk Parakeets, starting Fall 2026. Full ad is here: hobsonresearch.com/index.php/20... (please help spread the word!)
September 23, 2025 at 6:58 PM
**PhD POSITIONS** I am recruiting 1-2 PhD students to work on sociality and cognition in Monk Parakeets, starting Fall 2026. Full ad is here: hobsonresearch.com/index.php/20... (please help spread the word!)
Reposted by Sofia Forss
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 Sofia Forss
@durhampsych.bsky.social current has 5 (FIVE!!) PhD studentships being advertised!
3 to work with me on children as agents of cultural evolution
2 to work with @drboothroyd.bsky.social on examining school-based body image interventions.
Please share and apply!
www.durham.ac.uk/departments/...
3 to work with me on children as agents of cultural evolution
2 to work with @drboothroyd.bsky.social on examining school-based body image interventions.
Please share and apply!
www.durham.ac.uk/departments/...
Fees and Funding - Durham University
www.durham.ac.uk
September 11, 2025 at 9:12 AM
@durhampsych.bsky.social current has 5 (FIVE!!) PhD studentships being advertised!
3 to work with me on children as agents of cultural evolution
2 to work with @drboothroyd.bsky.social on examining school-based body image interventions.
Please share and apply!
www.durham.ac.uk/departments/...
3 to work with me on children as agents of cultural evolution
2 to work with @drboothroyd.bsky.social on examining school-based body image interventions.
Please share and apply!
www.durham.ac.uk/departments/...
The Urban Vervet Projects educational work is featured in local South African news 🐒 Thanks Stef 🙏🏻 www.citizen.co.za/north-coast-...
Simbithi study reveals health crisis in urban monkeys caused by human food | North Coast Courier
Experts warn against feeding monkeys as human food is doing more harm than good.
www.citizen.co.za
September 10, 2025 at 2:27 PM
The Urban Vervet Projects educational work is featured in local South African news 🐒 Thanks Stef 🙏🏻 www.citizen.co.za/north-coast-...
Reposted by Sofia Forss
🚨 Junior Research Fellow position (+possible PhD conversion) studying Emergent Collective Intelligence for Ephemeral Resource Tracking. Based with Akanksha Rathore at BITS Pilani (India) and including visits to Konstanz (Germany) to collaborate with us! Apply by 12 September. More info 👇
September 7, 2025 at 11:59 AM
🚨 Junior Research Fellow position (+possible PhD conversion) studying Emergent Collective Intelligence for Ephemeral Resource Tracking. Based with Akanksha Rathore at BITS Pilani (India) and including visits to Konstanz (Germany) to collaborate with us! Apply by 12 September. More info 👇
🐕 Dogs, 🐺Wolfs & 🇸🇪 Sweden - sounds like a fantastic combination to me 👇🏼
🚨 PhD position in behavioural evolution 🚨
Come do your PhD with me in Linköping, Sweden, using the domestic dog (and some wolves) to answer fun questions on how complex behaviours develop and evolve.
Application deadline September 24 2025 🧪 🌍 🦊 #AcademicSky #ScienceJobs
liu.se/en/work-at-l...
Come do your PhD with me in Linköping, Sweden, using the domestic dog (and some wolves) to answer fun questions on how complex behaviours develop and evolve.
Application deadline September 24 2025 🧪 🌍 🦊 #AcademicSky #ScienceJobs
liu.se/en/work-at-l...
September 4, 2025 at 11:07 AM
🐕 Dogs, 🐺Wolfs & 🇸🇪 Sweden - sounds like a fantastic combination to me 👇🏼
News from Kalahari on Meerkat foraging ontogeny 👇🏼
🚨 New paper! 🚨
In exploring the ontogeny of foraging in cooperatively breeding meerkats:
🐛 Foraging skill development doesn't align with the delayed onset of breeding
🪲 Foraging performance likely constrained by physical traits
@asab.org #AnimalBehaviourJournal
Read more ✨ doi.org/10.1016/j.an...
In exploring the ontogeny of foraging in cooperatively breeding meerkats:
🐛 Foraging skill development doesn't align with the delayed onset of breeding
🪲 Foraging performance likely constrained by physical traits
@asab.org #AnimalBehaviourJournal
Read more ✨ doi.org/10.1016/j.an...
August 21, 2025 at 7:47 PM
News from Kalahari on Meerkat foraging ontogeny 👇🏼
Reposted by Sofia Forss
Come join my lab!!! 🧪🦊🐺🐱seeking a PhD student for urban mesocarnivore research. Details at jobs.rwfm.tamu.edu/view-job/?id... or my website: drjuliekyoung.weebly.com
PhD position - urban mesocarnivores | Natural Resources Job Board
jobs.rwfm.tamu.edu
August 13, 2025 at 3:26 PM
Come join my lab!!! 🧪🦊🐺🐱seeking a PhD student for urban mesocarnivore research. Details at jobs.rwfm.tamu.edu/view-job/?id... or my website: drjuliekyoung.weebly.com
For a long time we been wondering how the human “WEIRD” syndrome also is present in comparative cognitive research. In our new Paper led by @elisa_bandini we report on the existing biases in chimpanzee research 🚨👇🏼 @Einstein_Berlin
The Biases in Captive Chimpanzee Cognitive Research: First Insights From the Ape Research Index (ARI) Database
Photo of a female chimpanzee (Ikuru) at Ngamba Island Chimpanzee Sanctuary, Uganda (photo by Sofia Forss). The Ape Research Index (ARI) project aims to measure the diversity of cognitive research eff...
onlinelibrary.wiley.com
July 14, 2025 at 4:05 PM
For a long time we been wondering how the human “WEIRD” syndrome also is present in comparative cognitive research. In our new Paper led by @elisa_bandini we report on the existing biases in chimpanzee research 🚨👇🏼 @Einstein_Berlin