22.03.07
Animal experts flock to Tremough

Over a hundred of the world's leading experts on animal behaviour will flock to the Tremough Campus, Penryn next week for a major conference organised by the University of Exeter.

From 28 to 30 March, biologists will come from as far as the University of California in Los Angeles, and the University of Western Australia, Perth for the Association of the Study of Animal Behaviour Easter meeting. This prestigious event is organised by the University of Exeter's School of Biosciences and will focus on the latest research in animal behaviour.

Dr Tom Tregenza, biologist at the University of Exeter's Tremough Campus and conference organiser said: "It's really exciting for us to be hosting this prestigious event here in Cornwall. We're looking forward to showing our wonderful facilities to delegates from some of the world's top academic institutions. We're also hoping to have the chance to show some of them around the local area and introduce them to all that Penryn and Falmouth have to offer visitors."

The three-day event will include presentations on animal signals and communication, conflict and the evolution of cooperation and maternal behaviour in birds. Researchers from the University of Exeter's Tremough Campus will present new research ranging from how we can understand why insects mate so frequently, to the significance of the dark breasts of Great Tits.

Dr Ian Tunbridge, Combined Universities in Cornwall (CUC) Executive Director commented: "This conference is a wonderful illustration of the way the University of Exeter and the other CUC partner universities and colleges are marking Cornwall on the world map. The county now boasts many genuinely top class academics and facilities. These are not only drawing in other experts from around the world but also have the potential to act as a magnet for inward investment as businesses seek to take advantage of academic breakthroughs which can have unexpected commercial applications."

The delegates will be staying in two hotels in Falmouth and the conference will finish with a social event at Falmouth's Gylly Beach Café.

The £100 million Tremough campus is a Combined Universities in Cornwall initiative of which the University of Exeter and University College Falmouth are two of the founding partners. It is funded mainly by the European Union (Objective One), the South West Regional Development Agency, and the Higher Education Funding Council for England, with support from Cornwall County Council. Set in 70 acres of countryside, but close to the waterside towns of Penryn and Falmouth, the campus offers a lively student community. Building on the success of its existing degrees at the Cornwall Campus in Mining Engineering, Geology, Biology, Geography, English and Renewable Energy, the University is now able to offer degrees in Politics, Law, History and Cornish Studies.

For further information contact Sarah Hoyle of the University of Exeter on 01392 262062 or email S.Hoyle@exeter.ac.uk.

The Objective One Programme for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly has invested in the Combined Universities in Cornwall (CUC) project, both Phase 1 and Phase 2, through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and the European Social Fund (ESF). University of Exeter is a partner of the CUC.

Editor's notes:

Clare Morgan
Media Relations Manager
Objective One Partnership Office
Castle House
Pydar Street
Truro TR1 2UD
Mobile: 07973 813647
Telephone: 01872 223439

cmorgan@cornwall.gov.uk

back to top