Yuchen Chen
@yuchenchen0531.bsky.social
Junior at Duke University💙😈 | Major in Biology, Minors in Visual& Media Studies and Religious Studies | communication and cognition | social-sexual selection | 🧗♀️🏳️🌈🎬🖼️ she/her
I will be studying away in Copenhagen 2026 spring!!!
I will be studying away in Copenhagen 2026 spring!!!
Reposted by Yuchen Chen
If you’re sad #ASABWinter2025 is over, have no fear! #ASABSpring2025 🌼 is coming soon, from March 23-25 at Bristol University. It’s an especially fantastic meeting for students and ECRs 🤠
Don’t forget travel grants are due Feb 1!
www.asab.org/conferences-...
Don’t forget travel grants are due Feb 1!
www.asab.org/conferences-...
December 16, 2025 at 5:08 PM
If you’re sad #ASABWinter2025 is over, have no fear! #ASABSpring2025 🌼 is coming soon, from March 23-25 at Bristol University. It’s an especially fantastic meeting for students and ECRs 🤠
Don’t forget travel grants are due Feb 1!
www.asab.org/conferences-...
Don’t forget travel grants are due Feb 1!
www.asab.org/conferences-...
Reposted by Yuchen Chen
I'm teaching Statistical Rethinking again starting Jan 2026. This time with live lectures, divided into Beginner and Experienced sections. Will be a lot more work for me, but I hope much better for students.
I will record lectures & all will be found at this link: github.com/rmcelreath/s...
I will record lectures & all will be found at this link: github.com/rmcelreath/s...
December 9, 2025 at 1:58 PM
I'm teaching Statistical Rethinking again starting Jan 2026. This time with live lectures, divided into Beginner and Experienced sections. Will be a lot more work for me, but I hope much better for students.
I will record lectures & all will be found at this link: github.com/rmcelreath/s...
I will record lectures & all will be found at this link: github.com/rmcelreath/s...
Reposted by Yuchen Chen
Preprint!
Ever wondered why individuals within the same species migrate differently? Or what drives some animals to become partial migrants? Then, this paper is for you!
Our new paper synthesizes the ecological and evolutionary mechanisms that shape partial migration.
Link: doi.org/10.22541/au....
Ever wondered why individuals within the same species migrate differently? Or what drives some animals to become partial migrants? Then, this paper is for you!
Our new paper synthesizes the ecological and evolutionary mechanisms that shape partial migration.
Link: doi.org/10.22541/au....
Understanding partial migration: linking genetic, developmental, and environmental drivers
Partial migration, where some individuals in a population migrate while others remain resident, arises from the dynamic interplay of multiple non-exclusive eco-evolutionary mechanisms. These mechanism...
doi.org
December 2, 2025 at 2:43 PM
Preprint!
Ever wondered why individuals within the same species migrate differently? Or what drives some animals to become partial migrants? Then, this paper is for you!
Our new paper synthesizes the ecological and evolutionary mechanisms that shape partial migration.
Link: doi.org/10.22541/au....
Ever wondered why individuals within the same species migrate differently? Or what drives some animals to become partial migrants? Then, this paper is for you!
Our new paper synthesizes the ecological and evolutionary mechanisms that shape partial migration.
Link: doi.org/10.22541/au....
Reposted by Yuchen Chen
Excited to share our methods preprint on CapuchinAI! 🐒💻
We built a field touchscreen + real-time facial recognition system (YOLOv7) that lets wild capuchins “log in” and complete individualized cognitive tasks.
@emoryuniversity.bsky.social @gatechengineers.bsky.social
#PrimateCognition #AI
We built a field touchscreen + real-time facial recognition system (YOLOv7) that lets wild capuchins “log in” and complete individualized cognitive tasks.
@emoryuniversity.bsky.social @gatechengineers.bsky.social
#PrimateCognition #AI
December 1, 2025 at 9:03 PM
Excited to share our methods preprint on CapuchinAI! 🐒💻
We built a field touchscreen + real-time facial recognition system (YOLOv7) that lets wild capuchins “log in” and complete individualized cognitive tasks.
@emoryuniversity.bsky.social @gatechengineers.bsky.social
#PrimateCognition #AI
We built a field touchscreen + real-time facial recognition system (YOLOv7) that lets wild capuchins “log in” and complete individualized cognitive tasks.
@emoryuniversity.bsky.social @gatechengineers.bsky.social
#PrimateCognition #AI
Reposted by Yuchen Chen
Excited to introduce the Latent Layers Framework – now out in @behavecol.bsky.social – to help think through when and why network differences confound inference in (comparative) social network analysis! 🧵
tinyurl.com/3k3yahwy
tinyurl.com/3k3yahwy
November 24, 2025 at 4:07 PM
Excited to introduce the Latent Layers Framework – now out in @behavecol.bsky.social – to help think through when and why network differences confound inference in (comparative) social network analysis! 🧵
tinyurl.com/3k3yahwy
tinyurl.com/3k3yahwy
Reposted by Yuchen Chen
@asab.org Spring, aimed at ECRs, is coming to Bristol!
Conference grant DEADLINE for Developing Country Applicants (<£2500) or anyone needing an early decision for visas (<£750) is in ONE WEEK, 1st December.
www.asab.org/conference-g...
Referee statement also needed by then! 🐝🐜🦟🦂🐠🐟🐬🦎🐸🦆🐿️🦓
Conference grant DEADLINE for Developing Country Applicants (<£2500) or anyone needing an early decision for visas (<£750) is in ONE WEEK, 1st December.
www.asab.org/conference-g...
Referee statement also needed by then! 🐝🐜🦟🦂🐠🐟🐬🦎🐸🦆🐿️🦓
November 24, 2025 at 9:14 PM
@asab.org Spring, aimed at ECRs, is coming to Bristol!
Conference grant DEADLINE for Developing Country Applicants (<£2500) or anyone needing an early decision for visas (<£750) is in ONE WEEK, 1st December.
www.asab.org/conference-g...
Referee statement also needed by then! 🐝🐜🦟🦂🐠🐟🐬🦎🐸🦆🐿️🦓
Conference grant DEADLINE for Developing Country Applicants (<£2500) or anyone needing an early decision for visas (<£750) is in ONE WEEK, 1st December.
www.asab.org/conference-g...
Referee statement also needed by then! 🐝🐜🦟🦂🐠🐟🐬🦎🐸🦆🐿️🦓
Reposted by Yuchen Chen
Lifetime fitness and annual survival are heritable and highly genetically correlated in a wild primate population https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.11.13.688343v1
November 14, 2025 at 8:31 AM
Lifetime fitness and annual survival are heritable and highly genetically correlated in a wild primate population https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.11.13.688343v1
Reposted by Yuchen Chen
🚨Good news, everyone!
1) I'm thrilled to be joining the behavior powerhouse that is Indiana University!! So stoked, starting Jan 2026.
2) I'm recruiting grad students! Are you (or your trainee) interested in sensory ecology? behavior? evolution? fieldwork? spiders? Drop me a line Jstafstr(at)iu.edu
1) I'm thrilled to be joining the behavior powerhouse that is Indiana University!! So stoked, starting Jan 2026.
2) I'm recruiting grad students! Are you (or your trainee) interested in sensory ecology? behavior? evolution? fieldwork? spiders? Drop me a line Jstafstr(at)iu.edu
November 22, 2025 at 4:53 PM
🚨Good news, everyone!
1) I'm thrilled to be joining the behavior powerhouse that is Indiana University!! So stoked, starting Jan 2026.
2) I'm recruiting grad students! Are you (or your trainee) interested in sensory ecology? behavior? evolution? fieldwork? spiders? Drop me a line Jstafstr(at)iu.edu
1) I'm thrilled to be joining the behavior powerhouse that is Indiana University!! So stoked, starting Jan 2026.
2) I'm recruiting grad students! Are you (or your trainee) interested in sensory ecology? behavior? evolution? fieldwork? spiders? Drop me a line Jstafstr(at)iu.edu
Reposted by Yuchen Chen
Calling all rising juniors & seniors: Interested in biological or biomedical research? Applications for our ’26 Summer Undergraduate Research Experience Program are now open! Nine weeks, hands-on research, & mentorship from some of the nation’s top scientists — learn more: bit.ly/CechFellows
Summer Undergraduate Research Experience | HHMI
The Cech Fellows Program is a paid, nine-week summer research experience empowering the next generation of scientific leaders.
bit.ly
November 18, 2025 at 2:44 PM
Calling all rising juniors & seniors: Interested in biological or biomedical research? Applications for our ’26 Summer Undergraduate Research Experience Program are now open! Nine weeks, hands-on research, & mentorship from some of the nation’s top scientists — learn more: bit.ly/CechFellows
Reposted by Yuchen Chen
Transmitting Science offers a course on "Introduction to Machine Learning in R" starting January 9, 2026. Learn to implement ML using {tidymodels}. Learn more: https://www.transmittingscience.com/courses/statistics-and-bioinformatics/introduction-to-machine-learning-in-r/ #course
Introduction to Machine Learning in R
Join our Live Online Course to explore the key components of Machine Learning and enhance your skills in R.
www.transmittingscience.com
November 22, 2025 at 9:53 AM
Transmitting Science offers a course on "Introduction to Machine Learning in R" starting January 9, 2026. Learn to implement ML using {tidymodels}. Learn more: https://www.transmittingscience.com/courses/statistics-and-bioinformatics/introduction-to-machine-learning-in-r/ #course
Reposted by Yuchen Chen
After the Ngogo chimpanzee group killed 21 members of neighboring groups and expanded their territory by 22%, female birth rates more than doubled and infant survival increased sharply—showing clear fitness benefits from intergroup killing. In PNAS: https://ow.ly/TKmf50XuPjY
November 22, 2025 at 12:00 AM
After the Ngogo chimpanzee group killed 21 members of neighboring groups and expanded their territory by 22%, female birth rates more than doubled and infant survival increased sharply—showing clear fitness benefits from intergroup killing. In PNAS: https://ow.ly/TKmf50XuPjY
Reposted by Yuchen Chen
📢Two fully-funded #PhD opportunities to work with us:
Topic: Social monitoring & manipulation
UK-domiciled black-heritage scheme: tinyurl.com/aja54nr6
NERC DLTP: tinyurl.com/4jfy47pp
Cosupervisors: #PatrickKennedy @ljnbrent.bsky.social
@bristolbiosci.bsky.social
#bioacoustics #mammals #fieldwork
Topic: Social monitoring & manipulation
UK-domiciled black-heritage scheme: tinyurl.com/aja54nr6
NERC DLTP: tinyurl.com/4jfy47pp
Cosupervisors: #PatrickKennedy @ljnbrent.bsky.social
@bristolbiosci.bsky.social
#bioacoustics #mammals #fieldwork
November 21, 2025 at 4:48 PM
📢Two fully-funded #PhD opportunities to work with us:
Topic: Social monitoring & manipulation
UK-domiciled black-heritage scheme: tinyurl.com/aja54nr6
NERC DLTP: tinyurl.com/4jfy47pp
Cosupervisors: #PatrickKennedy @ljnbrent.bsky.social
@bristolbiosci.bsky.social
#bioacoustics #mammals #fieldwork
Topic: Social monitoring & manipulation
UK-domiciled black-heritage scheme: tinyurl.com/aja54nr6
NERC DLTP: tinyurl.com/4jfy47pp
Cosupervisors: #PatrickKennedy @ljnbrent.bsky.social
@bristolbiosci.bsky.social
#bioacoustics #mammals #fieldwork
Reposted by Yuchen Chen
Reposted by Yuchen Chen
The earliest mature debate about animal consciousness occurred around 1900 and centred on the insects. We cover this rich history in this new article, as well as some more recent developments on the topic: royalsocietypublishing.org/.../10.../rs...
November 14, 2025 at 12:54 PM
The earliest mature debate about animal consciousness occurred around 1900 and centred on the insects. We cover this rich history in this new article, as well as some more recent developments on the topic: royalsocietypublishing.org/.../10.../rs...
Reposted by Yuchen Chen
Two weeks ago now @jennytung.bsky.social and I published a new review in Current Opinion in Genetics and Development, entitled “Evolutionary genetics meets ecological immunology: insights into the evolution of immune systems.” www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
A thread below...
A thread below...
Evolutionary genetics meets ecological immunology: insights into the evolution of immune systems
Immune genes show remarkably consistent evidence of selection, modification, and diversification across the tree of life. Parasites are a key force in…
www.sciencedirect.com
November 17, 2025 at 10:28 AM
Two weeks ago now @jennytung.bsky.social and I published a new review in Current Opinion in Genetics and Development, entitled “Evolutionary genetics meets ecological immunology: insights into the evolution of immune systems.” www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
A thread below...
A thread below...
Reposted by Yuchen Chen
For undergraduates curious about complex systems research, applications are now open for the 2026 Undergraduate Complexity Research (UCR) program — a fully funded, 10-week summer research experience at the Santa Fe Institute.
Apply by Jan. 14, 2026: santafe.edu/ucr
Apply by Jan. 14, 2026: santafe.edu/ucr
November 17, 2025 at 6:30 PM
For undergraduates curious about complex systems research, applications are now open for the 2026 Undergraduate Complexity Research (UCR) program — a fully funded, 10-week summer research experience at the Santa Fe Institute.
Apply by Jan. 14, 2026: santafe.edu/ucr
Apply by Jan. 14, 2026: santafe.edu/ucr
Reposted by Yuchen Chen
Meet our plenary speaker Felicity Muth!
Assistant professor at the University of California Davis, her lab group are broadly interested in cognition, especially aspects of learning and memory that have a clear function in the natural world, focusing on captive and wild bumblebees.
Assistant professor at the University of California Davis, her lab group are broadly interested in cognition, especially aspects of learning and memory that have a clear function in the natural world, focusing on captive and wild bumblebees.
November 6, 2025 at 9:43 AM
Meet our plenary speaker Felicity Muth!
Assistant professor at the University of California Davis, her lab group are broadly interested in cognition, especially aspects of learning and memory that have a clear function in the natural world, focusing on captive and wild bumblebees.
Assistant professor at the University of California Davis, her lab group are broadly interested in cognition, especially aspects of learning and memory that have a clear function in the natural world, focusing on captive and wild bumblebees.
Reposted by Yuchen Chen
Gut Microbes Can Make Mice Lazy
"Behavioral traits get passed on via an animal’s genetics, but a new study reveals that the microbiome can pass them on too"
@microbiome.bsky.social
#microbiome
"Behavioral traits get passed on via an animal’s genetics, but a new study reveals that the microbiome can pass them on too"
@microbiome.bsky.social
#microbiome
Gut Microbes Can Make Mice Lazy
Behavioral traits get passed on via an animal’s genetics, but a new study reveals that the microbiome can pass them on too, providing insight into animal evolution.
bit.ly
November 15, 2025 at 3:56 PM
Gut Microbes Can Make Mice Lazy
"Behavioral traits get passed on via an animal’s genetics, but a new study reveals that the microbiome can pass them on too"
@microbiome.bsky.social
#microbiome
"Behavioral traits get passed on via an animal’s genetics, but a new study reveals that the microbiome can pass them on too"
@microbiome.bsky.social
#microbiome
Reposted by Yuchen Chen
Vocal convergence during formation of social relationships in vampire bats royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/...
Vocal convergence during formation of social relationships in vampire bats | Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences
In many group-living birds and mammals, the formation of affiliative relationships is hypothesized to cause vocal convergence (an increase in call similarity between individuals). However, testing this causal effect can be difficult, because it requires ...
royalsocietypublishing.org
November 13, 2025 at 6:40 PM
Vocal convergence during formation of social relationships in vampire bats royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/...
Reposted by Yuchen Chen
In an increasingly divided world, how do strangers become friends? Parakeets might have something to teach us! New paper on formation of affiliative relationships, led by Dr. Claire O’Connell doi.org/10.1098/rsbl...
November 12, 2025 at 1:39 PM
In an increasingly divided world, how do strangers become friends? Parakeets might have something to teach us! New paper on formation of affiliative relationships, led by Dr. Claire O’Connell doi.org/10.1098/rsbl...
Reposted by Yuchen Chen
🚨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 🧪
Reposted by Yuchen Chen
Happy to see this out in early view in Evolution! We tested the roles of signaling and camouflage in the evolution of iris color in Tyranni songbirds. Our findings suggest that bright irises are social/sexual signals mostly associated with species less vulnerable to predation
doi.org/10.1093/evol...
doi.org/10.1093/evol...
Evaluating the roles of signaling and camouflage in the evolution of iris color in Tyranni passerines
Abstract. Iris color is a conspicuous and diverse trait across animals, but its evolutionary drivers are poorly understood. In over 1000 species of Tyranni
doi.org
November 10, 2025 at 10:20 PM
Happy to see this out in early view in Evolution! We tested the roles of signaling and camouflage in the evolution of iris color in Tyranni songbirds. Our findings suggest that bright irises are social/sexual signals mostly associated with species less vulnerable to predation
doi.org/10.1093/evol...
doi.org/10.1093/evol...
Reposted by Yuchen Chen
We’re thrilled to announce the ABC's fourth mentorship-matching event!! 📣📣
This is a unique opportunity for you to meet and connect with experienced mentors. The mentorship match event - more of an informal "vibe check" - will be on Nov 6 2025 at 14:00 GMT 🐝🐝
Help us spread the word!! #mentorship
This is a unique opportunity for you to meet and connect with experienced mentors. The mentorship match event - more of an informal "vibe check" - will be on Nov 6 2025 at 14:00 GMT 🐝🐝
Help us spread the word!! #mentorship
October 29, 2025 at 1:50 PM
We’re thrilled to announce the ABC's fourth mentorship-matching event!! 📣📣
This is a unique opportunity for you to meet and connect with experienced mentors. The mentorship match event - more of an informal "vibe check" - will be on Nov 6 2025 at 14:00 GMT 🐝🐝
Help us spread the word!! #mentorship
This is a unique opportunity for you to meet and connect with experienced mentors. The mentorship match event - more of an informal "vibe check" - will be on Nov 6 2025 at 14:00 GMT 🐝🐝
Help us spread the word!! #mentorship
Reposted by Yuchen Chen
Are you studying animal sociality? Confused about the "non-independence" of social network data: what on earth are they? are they threatening your results? should you attempt to get rid of them?
A thread summarising a part of our new paper (ecoevorxiv.org/repository/v...).
A thread summarising a part of our new paper (ecoevorxiv.org/repository/v...).
Five misunderstandings in animal social network analysis
ecoevorxiv.org
September 4, 2025 at 3:23 PM
Are you studying animal sociality? Confused about the "non-independence" of social network data: what on earth are they? are they threatening your results? should you attempt to get rid of them?
A thread summarising a part of our new paper (ecoevorxiv.org/repository/v...).
A thread summarising a part of our new paper (ecoevorxiv.org/repository/v...).