Danielle Whittaker, Directrix of Awesomeness

I am so darn excited to announce that Dr. Danielle Whittaker (Ph.D. in Biological Anthropology from City University of New York, and co-editor of a previously mentioned volume on the gibbons) has accepted a position as Managing Director of the NSF-funded BEACON Center for the Study of Evolution in Action at Michigan State University.

Congratulations, Danielle!

New edited volume on the gibbons

Dr. Susan Lappan, adjunct assistant professor of anthropology at Appalachian State University, and Dr. Danielle Whittaker, postdoctoral research associate at Indiana University, are the editors of a wonderful new volume published by Springer: The Gibbons: New Perspectives on Small Ape Socioecology and Population Biology

"The small apes, or gibbons, are among our closest living relatives, yet they have received little attention from the scientific community and the public in comparison with the other living apes. This oversight is not due to lack of appeal; their physical beauty, graceful acrobatic movements, and thrilling songs make it clear why gibbons are always among the most popular animals in zoos. Rather, the inherent difficulties involved in studying or filming gibbons in their natural habitats and, in some cases, the misconception that among apes, smaller means lesser, have led many researchers and filmmakers to focus their attentions elsewhere. Nonetheless, a growing number of intrepid field and laboratory researchers have made steady progress in the study of gibbon behavior and ecology over the last several decades. This volume is a systematic compilation of recent research on gibbon socioecology and population biology with a focus on understanding gibbons in the context of their natural habitats, and includes contributions on a range of topics, including gibbon biogeography, the ecological roles played by gibbons in their ecosystems, the origins and functions of key gibbon social and ecological adaptations, and the conservation status of wild gibbon populations."

Conservation funding opportunity

Thanks to Dr. Danielle Whittaker (PhD in Biological Anthropology from CUNY in 2005 and currently a postdoctoral research associate at Indiana University) for this tip:

"Here is some information about applying for a grant from the Lindbergh Foundation, which supports work related to conservation - specifically, their mission is to enable a balance of nature and technology. Graduate students, postdocs, and faculty are all eligible for these grants, which are a maximum of $10,580. I received one of these grants for my dissertation work in 2004, and would be happy to advise anyone interested in applying for a Lindbergh Grant."

Thanks Danielle! If any BANDIT readers have questions about the program, I will be happy to pass them on to Danielle.