In 1999, 600 students excited Boyd’s auditorium to hear that Professor Tim Rowe presented a daring hypothesis: dinosaurs are never really extinguished – they are walking now, or rather, fly, among us as birds. Tonight marked the start of “Hot science – Cool talks», A monthly podcast in series and Spotify where Jay Banner, professor and director of the Institut des Sciences de l’Environnement d’UT welcomes leading scientists sharing their research in a talk show format.
Each month during the school year since 1999, Banner has completed the Welch Hall auditorium with auditors for talks. On February 28 at Welch Hall, Professor Ut Aaron Sandel will take the spotlight to explore the behavior of the chimpanzee and what humans can learn.
“It is eight minutes of a conversation with the speakers, by sharing them what they are excited in their research, how they came to do their research (and) what inspired them to do what they have ends up doing it, “said Banner.
Sandel and Isabelle Clark, a sixth year biological anthropology doctorate. The candidate working with Sandel, spent years in Uganda studying chimpanzees with the NGOGO Chimpanzee project. Meanwhile, Clark said he witnessed a rare event in the primates: a series of conflicts that led to the split of a tribe. They will present this story on chimpanzees and what it reveals about social dynamics.
Sandel said he wanted to highlight the remarkable nature of this behavior.
“It is rare that the groups (chimpanzees) of fission definitively,” said Sandel. “These links that maintained the community broke up, and relations were efforated, then they became two groups: (an) in group and in deployment, (and) distinctions appeared.”
Although they do not have the same societal constraints as humans, conflicts always occur within primates.
“(The Chimpanzees) live without political institutions, ethnicity and religion, and yet, they always have these relationships, such as friendships (and) alliances,” said Sandel. “This suggests that to a certain extent … language and culture may not be what motivates a lot of (our) dynamic.”
Despite the current conflict and war, Clark said she wanted to concentrate positive during the presentation.
“When I was there, I started to feel cynical (because) it is so deeply rooted in us to commit violence against foreigners,” said Clark. “At the same time, we also have the ability to be cooperative, empathetic and kind.”
She said that she also thought that undergraduate students would find their speech engaging because it naturally follows a convincing story.
“Our research is intrinsically accessible and relatable (because) it follows this clear story,” said Clark.
Banner said he thought that inviting him scientists like Sandel and Clark on such platforms play a crucial role in carrying out information accessible to a large audience. Banner said he had struggled to communicate with communication in his young years, but his passion prompted him to share his discoveries, which he now encourages future generations to embrace too.
“I would say to young people who hesitate not to be a good communicator,” waste “”, said Banner. “You can become a good communicator, it is simply a question of understanding how important it is and working in a thoughtful way to become good in this area.”