International course on Geometric Morphometrics and Ontogeny, May 30-June 1, Barcelona (Spain).

[Melanie Colón]

Dear Colleagues,

Registration is open for the course “Studying Ontogeny at Different Levels Using
Geometric Morphometrics - 3rd Edition”.

Dates: May 30-June 1, 2016.

Instructor: Dr. Kieran McNulty (University of Minnesota, United States of
America).

This course will provide a basic introduction to geometric morphometric
analyses, with an emphasis on using this tool kit to address questions related
to growth, development, and evolution. Simple characterizations of multivariate
ontogeny will give way to more complicated methods for visualizing and comparing
different patterns of growth and development. From here, we will take up the
idea of changes in ontogeny as a mechanism for producing evolutionary change.
Using landmark data, it is possible to address many of the issues related to
evolutionary development, but it will also become clear that the basic
formulation of traditional evo-devo models lose relevance in the complex
datasets available through modern digitisation and morphometric analysis. We
will end by discussing the difficulties and misconceptions in interpreting
morphometric analyses of ontogeny, and introduce some of the advanced topics in
ontogeny that morphometricians are beginning to address.

A basic knowledge in statistics, Geometric Morphometrics and personal computers
is required. All participants must bring their own personal laptop with some
software installed.

More information and registration:
http://www.transmittingscience.org/courses/gm/ontogeny-and-gm/).

The course will be held in the Sabadell facilities of the Institut Català de
Paleontologia Miquel Crusafont (Barcelona, Spain) and is co-organized by
Transmitting Science and the Institut Català de Paleontologia M. Crusafont.
Places are limited and will be covered by strict registration order.

Please feel free to distribute this information between your colleagues if you
consider it appropriate.

With best regards,

Soledad De Esteban-Trivigno, PhD.
Scientific Director
Transmitting Science
www.transmittingscience.org