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Sex-role evolution: integrating neural, behavioural and phylogenetic approaches

The Workshop will take place between 6th and 9th April 2017 in Tihany, Hungary. The event will start with wine-tasting on Thursday 6 April, will include 2 full days for research talks by top scientists, post-docs and students, and an optional excursion on Sunday to a hot spa (Hévíz) and the historic Festetics Palace in Keszthely.

Theoretical, experimental, phylogenetic and neuro-genomic studies of sexual selection, mating systems, pair-bonding, parenting and reproductive behaviours are rapidly advancing. The objectives of the workshop are to overview recent developments in sex roles and associated behaviours, and allow scientists and students to develop new ideas. The Workshop will take place at the guesthouse of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences at Lake Balaton.

Balaton is a major tourist destination in Central Europe (see http://balaton.gotohungary.com/), and the Workshop will be before the peak tourist season; so we’ll have all the scenery, folklore and tradition without the crowd. Balaton is one of the best wine-growing regions in Hungary famous for white wines including the Szürkebarát and Juhfark.

The Workshop will focus on three main themes: (i) behavioural variations in sex roles and their ecological and demographic causes, (ii) phylogenetic analyses of sex role variations, and (iii) neuro-genomic regulation of sex roles. In each theme there will be seminars by invited speakers and contributions by young scientists, post-docs and PhD students. We will also discuss the future of sex role research: what are the outstanding questions, what techniques will need to be developed, and how should the field as such develop. The combination of different research skills and variety of model organisms will provide outstanding opportunities to synthesize major research directions.