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In this Issue...
31st Annual IBNS Conference and Upcoming Deadlines
We are finally going to Glasgow!
Save the dates and plan to join us in Glasgow, Scotland.
Upcoming dates and deadlines:
October 14, 2021: Symposium Submissions Due
June 07-11, 2022: Conference Dates
After having our initial meeting in Scotland postponed, we are pleased to say that we will be able to meet in the beautiful city of Glasgow for the 2022 Annual Meeting (June 7-11, 2022). Situated on the River Clyde in the country’s West Central lowlands, Glasgow has many cultural attractions that make it one of the top tourist destinations in the United Kingdom. As always, in addition to the local attractions, we have an incredible line-up of keynote speakers (more details coming soon). We hope that you will be able to join us in Scotland for this opportunity to network, engage with leading scientists, and learn about the latest research in behavioral neuroscience. We also need your help to round out the scientific programming, so please submit your symposium proposals. The deadline is October 14th. Dates for travel award applications and poster submissions will be announced soon.
Perhaps you are still uncomfortable with the idea of travelling or you have travel restrictions in place? Not to worry! After the success of our hybrid meeting in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico in 2021, we will be keeping virtual options in place. It is our sincere hope that this will increase access and attendance to the meeting. Even if you are not sure if you will be able to attend in person or virtually, you can still submit your symposium proposal and wait to make your travel decisions. In these uncertain times, we want to give all IBNS members and guests something to look forward to with appropriate flexibility in arrangements. So, get your symposia proposals submitted by October 14th, and get ready for a great conference.
Greg Carr
Chair, 2022 IBNS Program Committee
Fair Vassoler
Co-Chair, 2022 IBNS Program Committee
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Recap: Women in Learning at IBNS 2021
Janine Kwapis, PhD
Assistant Professor of Biology
Pennsylvania State University
Sydney Trask, PhD
Assistant Professor of Neuroscience
and Behavior
Purdue University
Thank you to the IBNS community for making our first-ever Women in Learning (WIL)-IBNS event a huge success! We were delighted to see both old friends and new faces at the event and we hope those of you who attended learned something and enjoyed yourselves.
WIL is a group of young scientists who share a common goal: promoting and supporting women in science. WIL was started by Dr. Moriel Zelikowsky in 2011 as an offshoot of the Pavlovian Society. For years, the group organized a luncheon in conjunction with the Pavlovian Society meeting to provide a forum for young scientist to find support, advice, and guidance as they move through their careers. As the group has expanded, we have developed new opportunities to support women in science, including our annual “WIL Outstanding Woman in Learning” award, our ongoing “Women to Watch” virtual research seminar, our 2020 Coronavirus Relief Fund, and our recent “Where there’s a WIL, there’s a way” research grant.
At IBNS 2021, WIL hosted a virtual panelist discussion, which invited four outstanding women scientists and IBNS keynote speakers to answer questions about their research, career paths, and personal lives. Drs. Marina Picciotto, Tracey Shors, Kay Tye, and Gina Quirarte described how they found their paths in science, discussed work-life balance, talked about what they’ve learned about mentoring styles, and explained how men and women alike can advocate for women in science. The audience actively participated through the chat function, asking questions, making suggestions, and laughing along with the panelists. We hope that everyone who came learned something new!
As part of this event, WIL also announced the winners of our brand-new award, the WIL-IBNS Outstanding Graduate Women in Learning Award. To mark this special event, with the help of IBNS, WIL was able to support two woman graduate students attending the meeting, covering the cost of both students’ registration fees. Out of a group of outstanding applications, WIL selected Angélica Minier-Toribio, an MD/PhD student in Dr. Eric Nestler’s lab at Mount Sinai, and Niko Rigney, a PhD student in Drs. Aras Petrulis and Greet J. de Vries lab at Georgia State. Both students had impressive applications, demonstrating outstanding research in the study of learning, behavior, and memory. Both Niko and Angélica are rising stars – keep your eye on these two!
Although this was WIL’s first event at IBNS, it certainly won’t be our last. We plan to hold a similar networking event (hopefully in person!) at the 2022 meeting in Scotland and hopefully for years to come. Thanks for welcoming WIL into your IBNS community and we look forward to many years of partnership ahead!
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1st impressions of IBNS
 Niko Rigney
Neuroscience Institute
Center for Behavioral Neuroscience
Georgia State University
It has been a few months since my first IBNS meeting in 2021 and I am still booming from the knowledge, energy, networking, and amazing talks that took place in the beautiful Puerto Vallarta, Mexico! It was a memorable and emotional moment to be back at an in-person conference since late 2019 and I am happy it was at IBNS. This year’s conference had many well put together panels/workshops such as: Animal Models in Behavioral Neuroscience, Black in Neuro, and Women in Learning, which gave invaluable advice and perspectives from some of the top behavioral neuroscientists. I am now excited to become more active within the IBNS community since it offers a unique understanding of behavioral neuroscience. That is, annually, I usually attend the massive Society for Neuroscience or the focused Society for Behavioral Neuroendocrinology. IBNS offers a happy medium between the two, where I learned about innovative behavioral research outside the scope of hormones and behavior. For example, Dr. Nicole Ferrara gave a thoughtful talk on how the basolateral amygdala GluN2B NMDA receptors regulate isolation-related changes in social behavior. Additionally, IBNS discussed the importance of studying sex differences in behavioral neuroscience and this message was loud and clear throughout the conference. As someone who studies sex differences, I was overwhelmed with pride.
A highlight for me was watching the fascinating keynote, Dr. Kay M Tye. She is using cutting-edge technology to study social homeostasis, social hierarchies, and internal states. I started asking questions of my own research: How can I improve studying social dynamics and what techniques are best to use?
Another cool thing about IBNS is that they support undergraduate travel awards, which, is important for encouraging early career scientists. Overall, I learned a lot and connected with some great colleagues. I look forward to attending the next meeting in Glasgow, Scotland!
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The Benefits of Experiencing IBNS Through a Screen
 Johnny A. Kenton, PhD
Postdoctoral Researcher
University of California San Diego
As I think back on my experience at the 2019 IBNS Annual Meeting, I remember wandering around the streets of Cairns, Australia – the heat of the sun beating on my head – staving off jet-lag. Such experiences have been rare recently, however, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Scientific societies continue to adapt to this new normal, with some holding meetings via the severe familiarity of computer screens, while others attempt new hybrid formats in this age of vaccination availability. The 2021 IBNS Annual Meeting was one of the first to hold a hybrid meeting, with both virtual and in-person options. As did many members around the globe, I chose to stick with the “severe familiarity.” While I had attended several virtual conferences throughout the preceding year, the IBNS meeting was particularly memorable since my participation was more hands-off.
Owing to the COVID-19-associated lockdowns, along with an abundance of unlucky circumstances, I was unable to collect a sufficient data during my first year as a postdoc. Subsequently, I was unable to submit an IBNS abstract with new and interesting (and not previously presented) data. Instead, I took up the role of spectator, which I had not done since I began in graduate school. Out of the monotony of the (mostly) work-from-home lifestyle effectuated by the pandemic, I have identified several benefits, including participating in more conferences throughout the year and attending presentations while also working in the lab. While presenting a poster at conferences has been commonplace for me, I used the available time to run experiments while simultaneously learning about the latest work from fellow IBNS members. From listening to the newest findings in cannabinoid research while running operant tasks, to attending the Presidential Lecture while performing stereotactic surgeries, virtual attendance made my daily routine far more interesting. To top it off, I could end the day by having a drink and socializing/networking, all from the comfort of my apartment. For me, there were clear benefits in the online accessibility.
Like many others, I have anxiety about COVID-19; I prefer the comfort of my desk chair over the distress of an airline seat. In addition to the ease of joining the IBNS meeting virtually, I also appreciated having the option to attend the conference without the planning usually required for an international trip: gathering funds for travel/lodging prior to reimbursement, coordinating with a partner, acquiring a pet sitter, etc. This time, however, I was afforded a sufficient amount of fun and knowledge for a fraction of the overall stress – not to mention all recorded presentations being available over the succeeding 6-months! I sacrificed nothing choosing one talk over another.
Make no mistake! My satisfaction with the virtual conference does not mean I plan to board up my doors and windows to never again interact physically with humanity. On the contrary, I look forward to grabbing a drink with friends without worrying about the infrequent cough of a nearby patron. For the time being, however, I have no problem “conferencing” remotely.
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REMINDER- IBNS 2022 Call for Symposia!
The International Behavioral Neuroscience Society (IBNS) was formed to encourage research and education in the field of behavioral neuroscience. Founded in 1992, IBNS has members from 34 different countries and consists of scientists, clinicians, teachers, and others with a background and interest in the relationship between brain and behavior. Annual meetings include renowned keynote speakers and multiple symposia.
We are pleased to announce that the IBNS Program Committee is now accepting proposals to develop an exciting program for the 2022 Annual Meeting, to be held June 7 - June 11, 2022, at Caledonian University in the heart of the energetic and historic city of Glasgow, Scotland. Symposia play a major role in shaping the IBNS annual meeting by focusing on timely, relevant and innovative research in the field of Behavioral Neuroscience. More information is provided below, so please share the Call with your friends and colleagues.
October 14, 2021 is the deadline for priority consideration of symposium.
A symposium includes four (4) speakers and is scheduled for two (2) hours. The time and date of symposia are set by the Program Committee. All symposium proposals should be submitted online and include:
- Title
- Name of the chairperson(s)
- Substantive but succinct description of the topic and proposed talks (Limited to 4,400 characters, including spaces.)
- List of four (4) speakers with affiliations and email addresses
- Tentative talk titles
We welcome proposals using innovative formats (debate style, hands-on demonstration or workshop), for which the same 2-hour format will also be available
at: https://ibnsconnect.org/2022symposia
All proposals will be reviewed by the Program Committee and then submitted to the IBNS Council for consideration. Proposals that are not accommodated one year may be re-submitted the following year and will receive the same consideration as all other proposals.
Members and non-members of IBNS are invited to submit symposium proposals online
More information about the meeting and location can be found at https://www.ibnsconnect.org/ibns-2022-glasgow-scotland. Thank you for your support of, and participation in, IBNS!
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Looking for a New Employment Opportunity or Struggling to Find the Right Candidate? Meet the IBNS Career Center!
One of the biggest challenges for any international scientific society is to provide quality and informative support to its members, whether it's for a new employment opportunity or finding the right candidate for a newly opened position. The IBNS online Career Center portal (http://jobs.ibnsconnect.org) provides the right tools for both job seekers and employers.
The IBNS Career Center portal offers all the standard operational features; such as a thorough search engine by keyword and location, as well as a free review of your resume for feedback, and a job-posting service for employers. However, what makes the IBNS Career Center stand out in terms of support is two additional quality features: resources for job seekers & access to a resume bank for employers.
In the Resources section, you have access to a number of articles with valuable tips in building a resume, job seeking, and communication. These tips come from experienced scientists in the field -- not only for searching or applying for a position, but also for the interview process. Interested in 'building your brand’ or strengthening your social media presence? You will find plenty of advice and tips to do so, which will help strengthen your image and move your career to the direction you want!
In the Resume Bank, potential employers have free access to a large bank of resumes and profiles. You can customize the filters that apply to your search and create lists of candidates that fulfill your own criteria.
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IBNS Link for Contributing to the IBNS Newsletter
https://ibnsconnect.org/ibns-newsletter-content-submission
We look forward to hearing from you and including your news in the IBNS Newsletter!
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