This local nerd just got to fill out her long form!

‘Uplift all people’: We must protect Nova Scotian universities by Cathy Conrad @cathyconrad.bsky.social

Currently at the stage of planning trial where we have to figure out what kind of trouble young cattle might get into in a new space... including risk of them pulling the fire alarm!

New paper! Review of how social factors might influence hens' use of enrichment. Jessica Gill led this paper while she was working on her MSc in our department. doi.org/10.1016/j.ap...

Aesop: I TOLD YOU

This is the kind of news I needed today.

"While this hippo-centric challenge is unique to our university, we have long prided ourselves on being trailblazers in academia, and I hope you will join me in applauding our incredible institution and its recent stewardship of the world’s third-largest land mammal."

Don’t let them take silly away from you

When academia's stars mistreat people, they're "punished" with relief from teaching, mentoring, and service responsibilities. This frees them to spend more time on the more valued work of research. And dumps less valued responsibilities onto colleagues, making it harder for them to become stars.

Highly recommend all Nova Scotians read this article by @timbousquet.bsky.social @halifaxexaminer.ca for a clear-eyed analysis of what’s happening here. Link in next post.

I've been a wildlife biologist for more than 4 decades and I can't tell the difference between tundra and trumpeter swans (with confidence) on the wing. We brought back trumpeter swans from the brink: this could put all that work at risk. I too oppose a swan hunt in MB. 🪶🦢 www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...

Deadline extended to April 30!

It has been a really stressful few days to care about Canadian sports.

Great scientists are people too.

On this day that supports inclusive futures for women and girls in science, let's not forget all the women that were sidelined, ignored, or forced out of science because they: - had children - prioritised family/caring - did science differently - questioned boundaries & norms - fought the patriarchy

Is it possible to experience disgust fatigue? Because I feel like I'm there.

The absolute state of academic spam

Applications are now open for Mahouts Elephant Foundation's Asian Elephant Behavior and Community-Driven Conservation field-course! Join PAN Works' own Dr. Liv Baker in Thailand to explore the science of animal behaviour and well-being in conservation. #animals #wellbeing #conservation #elephants

😂

Really nice clear explanations of why boredom is still a problem in our times and why a one-time "do nothing for 8 hours" isn't going to fix it from @jamesdanckert.bsky.social here: nautil.us/why-the-do-n... (Thanks for the shout out, as always!)

A big opportunity for researchers thinking about what’s next. Dalhousie University is recruiting up to 30 tenure and tenure-track faculty supported by the Canada Global Impact+ Research Talent Initiative. Strong support, big ambition. Apply by Jan 23: buff.ly/tfhDaUS

Personally, I think a country having a history of harming people doesn't mean they should not try to be humane and kind in the present. Growth and learning is also part of being human. www.saltwire.com/nova-scotia/...

This is one of the most beautiful things I have witnessed, the craft here is impeccable.

You are ABSOLUTELY NOT going to regret listening to this bird:

This article suggests the possibility of training AI on pre-existing proposals and their review reports, scores and related decisions. I.e. training them on a system which is known to preferentially award larger amounts of money to white men. What could possibly go wrong?

New research reports that cats meow more frequently when greeting male owners. It’s hypothesized that men “require more explicit vocalizations to notice and respond to the needs of their cats.” In other words, the researchers are suggesting that many cats have concluded that men don’t always listen

Fund the scientists who are already here. Fund basic science. Fund the scientists who are already here. Fund basic science. Fund the scientists who are already here. Fund basic science. Fund the scientists who are already here. Fund basic science. www.theglobeandmail.com/business/art...

I just love science people.

While I wouldn't go as far as calling this tool use, it's certainly a clever way of acquiring food (check out the video in the article) 🐺 #wolf

Yes please, Outlook, could you cancel some meetings for me?

The Canadian Parliamentary Standing Committee on Science and Research is launching a US-style attack on EDI in Tri-Council funding. As part of this attack, they are demanding disclosure of confidential demographic info + reviewer comments of all Canadian researchers who have applied b/w 2000-2025.

Birds but they get spookier each time. 🎃👻 Enter if you dare...🚪

This particular part of the article is my current life. (And yes I teach about cat behaviour.)

How your email finds me. Photo from my collection, no date/info.

Really hope no dairy calves ever get loose in this airport.

📣 Are you interested in applied animal ethology and perceptual abilities of animals? Do you want to help us disentangle how animal emotions are modulated by their sensory environment? Then, you might be the postdoc we are looking for🌠 More info: www.slu.se/en/about-slu... #appliedethology #postcoc

Opportunity in animal welfare with a great supervisor:

Everybody makes money out of academic authors except the authors...News. Wiley is the latest academic publisher to reach a multi-million deal to allow access to its content to AI developers, with no opt out, let alone payment, for the authors who created that content.

📢Applications are now open for the UFAW Animal Welfare Student Scholarships! Are you a student with an idea to improve #animalwelfare? UFAW scholarships offer the chance to bring your research to life and gain hands-on experience. 🔗 Apply here: ufaw.org.uk/awss#animalwelfare?📅 Closing date: 28 February 2026

The naturalist Jane Goodall died today at 91. Hope, she argued, is not merely “passive wishful thinking” but a “crucial survival trait.” Revisit a conversation with Goodall, from 2021: nyer.cm/F55JtsS

Research is the key to unlocking Canada’s future and it needs proper funding. The federal government must uphold its Budget 2024 commitment to Canadian researchers. Read the Coalition for Canadian Research’s open letter: www.caut.ca/news/coaliti...

Sitting alone in my office during my first office hours of the term, as usual. 🥲

The feeling of every cat owner.

First day back at work, and I have a new paper out! authors.elsevier.com/a/1lnmV2gKRh... A review of what we know and the many things we don't know about environmental enrichment for ruminants, with @drmariarorvang.bsky.social and two other lovely colleagues who are not on BlueSky. 🐐🐑🐄

I would like to thank all the @dalhousie.bsky.social students (& their families), with special acknowledgment to the leaders in the #DalStudentUnion, for supporting us at @dalfaculty.bsky.social to #KeepDalStrong. It meant a great deal - we will work to ensure the semester is successful for you!

Elsewhere in universities' core purposes in danger of being compromised by leaders and politicians who don't seem to understand them...

Leo had a good #caturday

An example of how this fight is not just about wages and not just about professors.