Stu West
@stuwest.bsky.social
Evolution. He/him/his. Views not my own. 🐵🦄🏳️🌈👨🔬🍜
Reposted by Stu West
Very happy to share that I just published a new paper from my thesis! 🎉
We analysed 546 species of ant to understand how extreme specialisation into reproductive and non-reproductive roles evolved.
Key discoveries in thread🧵 👇
Full paper here: academic.oup.com/evolut/advan...
We analysed 546 species of ant to understand how extreme specialisation into reproductive and non-reproductive roles evolved.
Key discoveries in thread🧵 👇
Full paper here: academic.oup.com/evolut/advan...
December 18, 2025 at 3:31 PM
Very happy to share that I just published a new paper from my thesis! 🎉
We analysed 546 species of ant to understand how extreme specialisation into reproductive and non-reproductive roles evolved.
Key discoveries in thread🧵 👇
Full paper here: academic.oup.com/evolut/advan...
We analysed 546 species of ant to understand how extreme specialisation into reproductive and non-reproductive roles evolved.
Key discoveries in thread🧵 👇
Full paper here: academic.oup.com/evolut/advan...
Reposted by Stu West
In our new study we were the first to experimentally simulate the origin of sociality! By controlling how many wasp 🐝daughters could help their mom, we found that early helpers don't just add to colony success—they multiply it!
October 31, 2025 at 2:30 PM
In our new study we were the first to experimentally simulate the origin of sociality! By controlling how many wasp 🐝daughters could help their mom, we found that early helpers don't just add to colony success—they multiply it!
Elegant experiment-theory mix, showing increasing returns from helping in a cooperative wasp
Early-season helping in Polistes wasps shows increasing returns - more helpers lead to convex gains in sexual productivity, resolving a key paradox in the origins of eusociality.
academic.oup.com/evlett/artic...
@ricaliari.bsky.social @twenseleers.bsky.social
academic.oup.com/evlett/artic...
@ricaliari.bsky.social @twenseleers.bsky.social
December 17, 2025 at 11:12 AM
Elegant experiment-theory mix, showing increasing returns from helping in a cooperative wasp
Great video, covering a lot of non-trivial stuff very nicely!
And here it is, my interview with @juliet-turner.bsky.social youtu.be/v_46GqZDZCk?...
We saved the twitter slop for the end so trolls might learn something as they desperately wait to see if she mentions them.
Also, shoutout to @alexwild.bsky.social for letting her use his photos in this!
We saved the twitter slop for the end so trolls might learn something as they desperately wait to see if she mentions them.
Also, shoutout to @alexwild.bsky.social for letting her use his photos in this!
Dr. Juliet Turner - The Evolution of Cooperation and Division of Labour in Insects
YouTube video by Stated Casually
youtu.be
December 17, 2025 at 11:04 AM
Great video, covering a lot of non-trivial stuff very nicely!
Reposted by Stu West
Putting on my hat as @asn-amnat.bsky.social ASN President for announcements, please share widely!!!
3. The ASN Conceptual Unification of Biological Sciences award is for a late career investigator www.amnat.org/announcement...
3. The ASN Conceptual Unification of Biological Sciences award is for a late career investigator www.amnat.org/announcement...
Nominations for the ASN Award for Distinguished Achievement in the Conceptual Unification of the Biological Sciences
<p>The Conceptual Unification award is given annually and honors a senior but active investigator who is making fundamental contributions to the Society's goals in promoting the conceptual unifica...
www.amnat.org
November 25, 2025 at 6:59 PM
Putting on my hat as @asn-amnat.bsky.social ASN President for announcements, please share widely!!!
3. The ASN Conceptual Unification of Biological Sciences award is for a late career investigator www.amnat.org/announcement...
3. The ASN Conceptual Unification of Biological Sciences award is for a late career investigator www.amnat.org/announcement...
Reposted by Stu West
Putting on my hat as @asn-amnat.bsky.social
ASN President for announcements, please share widely!!!
3. The ASN Distinguished Naturalist award is for a mid career investigator (<= 20 years from PhD). Go here to nominate someone: nam10.safelinks.protection.outlook.com?url=https%3A...
ASN President for announcements, please share widely!!!
3. The ASN Distinguished Naturalist award is for a mid career investigator (<= 20 years from PhD). Go here to nominate someone: nam10.safelinks.protection.outlook.com?url=https%3A...
Nominations for the Distinguished Naturalist Award
<p>The ASN Distinguished Naturalist Award is given to an active investigator in mid-career who has made significant contributions to the knowledge of a particular ecosystem or group of organisms. Nom...
nam10.safelinks.protection.outlook.com
November 25, 2025 at 6:38 PM
Putting on my hat as @asn-amnat.bsky.social
ASN President for announcements, please share widely!!!
3. The ASN Distinguished Naturalist award is for a mid career investigator (<= 20 years from PhD). Go here to nominate someone: nam10.safelinks.protection.outlook.com?url=https%3A...
ASN President for announcements, please share widely!!!
3. The ASN Distinguished Naturalist award is for a mid career investigator (<= 20 years from PhD). Go here to nominate someone: nam10.safelinks.protection.outlook.com?url=https%3A...
Reposted by Stu West
Putting on my hat as @asn-amnat.bsky.social
ASN President for announcements, please share widely!!!
2. ASN Early Career Investigator awards are now open for application. Self-nominations okay! Due Jan 5
nam10.safelinks.protection.outlook.com?url=https%3A...
ASN President for announcements, please share widely!!!
2. ASN Early Career Investigator awards are now open for application. Self-nominations okay! Due Jan 5
nam10.safelinks.protection.outlook.com?url=https%3A...
Applications for the 2026 ASN Early Career Investigator Award
<p>Nominations/Applications for the 2026 Early Career Investigator Award are <strong>due January 5, 2026</strong></p><br/>
nam10.safelinks.protection.outlook.com
November 25, 2025 at 5:59 PM
Putting on my hat as @asn-amnat.bsky.social
ASN President for announcements, please share widely!!!
2. ASN Early Career Investigator awards are now open for application. Self-nominations okay! Due Jan 5
nam10.safelinks.protection.outlook.com?url=https%3A...
ASN President for announcements, please share widely!!!
2. ASN Early Career Investigator awards are now open for application. Self-nominations okay! Due Jan 5
nam10.safelinks.protection.outlook.com?url=https%3A...
Reposted by Stu West
Putting on my hat as @asn-amnat.bsky.social ASN President for a minute for a string of announcements, please share widely!!!
1. Student research awards are open for applications, to fund research expenses for 10 graduate students ($2000 each)
nam10.safelinks.protection.outlook.com?url=https%3A...
1. Student research awards are open for applications, to fund research expenses for 10 graduate students ($2000 each)
nam10.safelinks.protection.outlook.com?url=https%3A...
Student Research Award
<p>The ASN Student Research Awards support research by student members that advances the goals of the society: the conceptual unification of ecology, evolution, and behavior. Each award consists of a ...
nam10.safelinks.protection.outlook.com
November 25, 2025 at 5:55 PM
Putting on my hat as @asn-amnat.bsky.social ASN President for a minute for a string of announcements, please share widely!!!
1. Student research awards are open for applications, to fund research expenses for 10 graduate students ($2000 each)
nam10.safelinks.protection.outlook.com?url=https%3A...
1. Student research awards are open for applications, to fund research expenses for 10 graduate students ($2000 each)
nam10.safelinks.protection.outlook.com?url=https%3A...
Want to join us at Oxford? This is a great Royal Society fellowship scheme to bring early career researchers from abroad. royalsociety.org/grants/newto...
Newton International Fellowships | Royal Society
This fellowship is for non-UK scientists who are at an early stage of their research career and wish to conduct research in the UK.
royalsociety.org
December 16, 2025 at 10:59 AM
Want to join us at Oxford? This is a great Royal Society fellowship scheme to bring early career researchers from abroad. royalsociety.org/grants/newto...
Reposted by Stu West
Out today!
Innovations in Decolonising the Curriculum: Multidisciplinary Perspectives.
I am happy (with @kztwyman.bsky.social & Jasmeen Kanwal) to have contributed a chapter – "Teaching the Science of Race and Racism" – to this important book that "moves beyond debate to action"
Please do read.
Innovations in Decolonising the Curriculum: Multidisciplinary Perspectives.
I am happy (with @kztwyman.bsky.social & Jasmeen Kanwal) to have contributed a chapter – "Teaching the Science of Race and Racism" – to this important book that "moves beyond debate to action"
Please do read.
December 12, 2025 at 1:34 PM
Out today!
Innovations in Decolonising the Curriculum: Multidisciplinary Perspectives.
I am happy (with @kztwyman.bsky.social & Jasmeen Kanwal) to have contributed a chapter – "Teaching the Science of Race and Racism" – to this important book that "moves beyond debate to action"
Please do read.
Innovations in Decolonising the Curriculum: Multidisciplinary Perspectives.
I am happy (with @kztwyman.bsky.social & Jasmeen Kanwal) to have contributed a chapter – "Teaching the Science of Race and Racism" – to this important book that "moves beyond debate to action"
Please do read.
A pictorial guide to parasitoids (11/11). Parasitoid population dynamics can be studied with modelling. Silwood Park, 1992.
December 9, 2025 at 1:16 PM
A pictorial guide to parasitoids (11/11). Parasitoid population dynamics can be studied with modelling. Silwood Park, 1992.
Reposted by Stu West
The book has so many great contributors. To name a few:
@amyboddy.bsky.social @martijnschenkel.bsky.social @stuwest.bsky.social @reallymccoy.bsky.social @tomwscott.bsky.social @ellenclarke.bsky.social @laurarossevo.bsky.social @philippehune.bsky.social
Very excited that it's finally coming out!
@amyboddy.bsky.social @martijnschenkel.bsky.social @stuwest.bsky.social @reallymccoy.bsky.social @tomwscott.bsky.social @ellenclarke.bsky.social @laurarossevo.bsky.social @philippehune.bsky.social
Very excited that it's finally coming out!
December 3, 2025 at 2:46 PM
The book has so many great contributors. To name a few:
@amyboddy.bsky.social @martijnschenkel.bsky.social @stuwest.bsky.social @reallymccoy.bsky.social @tomwscott.bsky.social @ellenclarke.bsky.social @laurarossevo.bsky.social @philippehune.bsky.social
Very excited that it's finally coming out!
@amyboddy.bsky.social @martijnschenkel.bsky.social @stuwest.bsky.social @reallymccoy.bsky.social @tomwscott.bsky.social @ellenclarke.bsky.social @laurarossevo.bsky.social @philippehune.bsky.social
Very excited that it's finally coming out!
Reposted by Stu West
@natecoevo.nature.com making this free to read in front of the paywall for a month. Thanks guys!
Brings back happy memories of ISBE 2024 where the conversation about this paper began.. great to see it out in @natecoevo.nature.com. Thanks to co-authors and to the organisers of that brilliant conference 🙏🏽. @bbmwong.bsky.social @stuwest.bsky.social, Suzanne Alonzo🫶, Sasha Dall, “Dr Cunningham”
Behavioural ecology in the 21st century..... www.nature.com/articles/s41... @asgriffin.bsky.social
December 2, 2025 at 10:24 AM
@natecoevo.nature.com making this free to read in front of the paywall for a month. Thanks guys!
Reposted by Stu West
Brings back happy memories of ISBE 2024 where the conversation about this paper began.. great to see it out in @natecoevo.nature.com. Thanks to co-authors and to the organisers of that brilliant conference 🙏🏽. @bbmwong.bsky.social @stuwest.bsky.social, Suzanne Alonzo🫶, Sasha Dall, “Dr Cunningham”
Behavioural ecology in the 21st century..... www.nature.com/articles/s41... @asgriffin.bsky.social
Behavioural ecology in the twenty-first century - Nature Ecology & Evolution
This Perspective discusses how the field of behavioural ecology has contributed to fundamental science and tackling global challenges, ranging from understanding how natural selection leads to adaptat...
www.nature.com
November 26, 2025 at 8:16 AM
Brings back happy memories of ISBE 2024 where the conversation about this paper began.. great to see it out in @natecoevo.nature.com. Thanks to co-authors and to the organisers of that brilliant conference 🙏🏽. @bbmwong.bsky.social @stuwest.bsky.social, Suzanne Alonzo🫶, Sasha Dall, “Dr Cunningham”
Reposted by Stu West
I was interviewed by Newsweek about the backlash to my DPhil announcement. You can read it here:
www.newsweek.com/gen-z-woman-...
www.newsweek.com/gen-z-woman-...
November 25, 2025 at 12:14 PM
I was interviewed by Newsweek about the backlash to my DPhil announcement. You can read it here:
www.newsweek.com/gen-z-woman-...
www.newsweek.com/gen-z-woman-...
Behavioural ecology in the 21st century..... www.nature.com/articles/s41... @asgriffin.bsky.social
Behavioural ecology in the twenty-first century - Nature Ecology & Evolution
This Perspective discusses how the field of behavioural ecology has contributed to fundamental science and tackling global challenges, ranging from understanding how natural selection leads to adaptat...
www.nature.com
November 25, 2025 at 11:15 AM
Behavioural ecology in the 21st century..... www.nature.com/articles/s41... @asgriffin.bsky.social
Strong response to the pathetic trolling of Juliet.
www.thepoke.com/2025/11/19/t...
www.thepoke.com/2025/11/19/t...
The sheer volume of women magnificently owning the ‘Alpha male’ dissing this woman’s doctorate makes it one of 2025’s very best things on Twitter
Time to return – briefly – to the world of Twitter, where it turned out the very worst people can sometimes be a spark for the very best of things. It all began when ‘Alpha male’ type Richard Cooper –...
www.thepoke.com
November 19, 2025 at 2:29 PM
Strong response to the pathetic trolling of Juliet.
www.thepoke.com/2025/11/19/t...
www.thepoke.com/2025/11/19/t...
Reposted by Stu West
New research shows that kissing evolved in the common ancestor of humans and other large apes around 21 million years ago, and Neanderthals likely engaged in kissing too 💋
New study from @matildabrindle.bsky.social @stuwest.bsky.social 👇
New study from @matildabrindle.bsky.social @stuwest.bsky.social 👇
Ape ancestors and Neanderthals likely kissed
bit.ly
November 19, 2025 at 9:18 AM
New research shows that kissing evolved in the common ancestor of humans and other large apes around 21 million years ago, and Neanderthals likely engaged in kissing too 💋
New study from @matildabrindle.bsky.social @stuwest.bsky.social 👇
New study from @matildabrindle.bsky.social @stuwest.bsky.social 👇
Kissing evolved at least 21 million years ago. www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti... @matildabrindle.bsky.social
November 19, 2025 at 8:40 AM
Kissing evolved at least 21 million years ago. www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti... @matildabrindle.bsky.social
Reposted by Stu West
So cool to see ಕನ್ನಡ (Kannada) -- my native language in @asn-amnat.bsky.social 😍
This is a reminder that @asn-amnat.bsky.social publishes abstracts in both English and your native language, using your native alphabet. You can see and read those online. Here is a screenshot of a great example. Love seeing this in my favorite journal.
November 14, 2025 at 4:49 PM
So cool to see ಕನ್ನಡ (Kannada) -- my native language in @asn-amnat.bsky.social 😍
Reposted by Stu West
Congratulations Juliet! Very well deserved for a brilliant body of research. Thank you to Shigeto Dobata and @timbarra.bsky.social for their time and being a great examiner team. 🥂 @biology.ox.ac.uk @newcollegeoxf.bsky.social
I passed my viva! 🎊
I’m very happy to share that yesterday, after ~4 years of research, I successfully defended my DPhil thesis and will be awarded the title of doctor 😎
Thank you to my examiners, supervisors, and collaborators for all the advice and support given along the way.
I’m very happy to share that yesterday, after ~4 years of research, I successfully defended my DPhil thesis and will be awarded the title of doctor 😎
Thank you to my examiners, supervisors, and collaborators for all the advice and support given along the way.
November 18, 2025 at 11:49 AM
Congratulations Juliet! Very well deserved for a brilliant body of research. Thank you to Shigeto Dobata and @timbarra.bsky.social for their time and being a great examiner team. 🥂 @biology.ox.ac.uk @newcollegeoxf.bsky.social
Reposted by Stu West
POV: you are a young woman celebrating a recent academic success
November 17, 2025 at 7:20 PM
POV: you are a young woman celebrating a recent academic success
Reposted by Stu West
I passed my viva! 🎊
I’m very happy to share that yesterday, after ~4 years of research, I successfully defended my DPhil thesis and will be awarded the title of doctor 😎
Thank you to my examiners, supervisors, and collaborators for all the advice and support given along the way.
I’m very happy to share that yesterday, after ~4 years of research, I successfully defended my DPhil thesis and will be awarded the title of doctor 😎
Thank you to my examiners, supervisors, and collaborators for all the advice and support given along the way.
November 14, 2025 at 12:43 PM
I passed my viva! 🎊
I’m very happy to share that yesterday, after ~4 years of research, I successfully defended my DPhil thesis and will be awarded the title of doctor 😎
Thank you to my examiners, supervisors, and collaborators for all the advice and support given along the way.
I’m very happy to share that yesterday, after ~4 years of research, I successfully defended my DPhil thesis and will be awarded the title of doctor 😎
Thank you to my examiners, supervisors, and collaborators for all the advice and support given along the way.
Reposted by Stu West
Leaf? 🍃 Or katydid? 🦗
Our new
@plosbiology.org paper sheds light on how these incredible mimics evolved their disguises, and what this reveals about how complex adaptations arise. We find that coordinated evolution between traits might be the answer… plos.io/4oUE741 1/n
Our new
@plosbiology.org paper sheds light on how these incredible mimics evolved their disguises, and what this reveals about how complex adaptations arise. We find that coordinated evolution between traits might be the answer… plos.io/4oUE741 1/n
Functional and evolutionary synergy of trait components can explain the existence of leaf masquerade in katydids
The evolution of complex adaptations often involves synergistic changes in multiple traits that lack standalone function. This study shows that leaf masquerade in katydids evolved through concurrent m...
plos.io
November 4, 2025 at 2:02 PM
Leaf? 🍃 Or katydid? 🦗
Our new
@plosbiology.org paper sheds light on how these incredible mimics evolved their disguises, and what this reveals about how complex adaptations arise. We find that coordinated evolution between traits might be the answer… plos.io/4oUE741 1/n
Our new
@plosbiology.org paper sheds light on how these incredible mimics evolved their disguises, and what this reveals about how complex adaptations arise. We find that coordinated evolution between traits might be the answer… plos.io/4oUE741 1/n
Amazing leaf camouflage experiments paired up with phylogeny showing how they got there. journals.plos.org/plosbiology/... @benitoexplains.bsky.social
November 13, 2025 at 4:56 PM
Amazing leaf camouflage experiments paired up with phylogeny showing how they got there. journals.plos.org/plosbiology/... @benitoexplains.bsky.social