Research Seminar: Prof Olga van den Akker (Middlesex University)

*** Everyone Welcome! No need to book in advance ***

Date: Thursday 2^nd March
Time: 15:00-16:00
Room: College Building C133

Prof Olga van den Akker (Middlesex University) 
‘Unusual Reproduction' 


Abstract:
Hundreds of thousands of babies are born across the world each year via assisted conception techniques, many of these with a genetic link only to one of the parents, and some with no genetic and no gestational link. Assisted conception treatments are in huge demand for social and medical reasons. Despite the opportunities and demand, inequality in access to these services is evident at home and abroad. With the increasing international commercialisation of gamete, embryo and surrogate services, further amplification of inequalities develop. Many treatments also mimic as closely as possible traditional conception, but the resultant conceptions, pregnancies and babies are non-traditional, despite frequent attempts by the parent(s) to deny difference. Similarly, some offspring who know they were conceived in non-traditional ways report identity conflict and require knowledge about their origins. These conflicts are not sufficiently addressed in research, policy and practice. Human rights and psychosocial welfare issues in building families using third party assisted conception, in addition to allowing for equality in access, also demand accuracy of birth and genetic information. Psychosocial research can do much to contribute to the evidence and to debates.

Biography:
Olga B.A. van den Akker is Professor of Health Psychology. She completed her BSc in Psychology at the University of East London, and was subsequently awarded an MRC studentship at St George’s Hospital Medical School, University of London to carry out a PhD investigating the Psychophysiology of the menstrual cycle. This was followed by post-doctoral research at the Institute of Psychiatry and St. Mary’s hospitals London, and senior academic posts at the University of East London, University of Birmingham and Aston University. She has been funded for research into chronic diseases and aspects relating to sexual and reproductive health by the British Academy, Charitable organisations, regional health authorities and the NHS Research and Development. In 2007 she became Head of Department of Psychology at Middlesex University, London.

Research Seminar: Prof Tom Dickins (Middlesex University)

*** Everyone Welcome! No need to book in advance ***

Date: Thursday 16th February
Time: 12:00-13:00
Room: College Building C133

Prof Tom Dickins (Middlesex University) 

'Life on the Edge: The First Two Years of a Long-Term Study of Kittiwakes (Rissa Tridactyla)' 


Abstract:
 
The Black-legged Kittiwake (Rissa tridactyla) is a much studied colonial cliff-nesting seabird.  Kittiwakes are of interest due to their behavioural adaptations to cliff nesting but also due to their canary status.  Kittiwake populations have been in marked decline for the last 25 years and are now red-listed.  This is thought to be due to climate induced food stress.  The majority of studies have focused upon northern colonies.  In the U.K. these have predominantly been around the north east coast off North and South Shields, and the north west coast of Scotland.  The status of southern Kittiwakes, especially on the Atlantic fringe, has been less well studied.  In 2015, after some years of initial scoping, we began a formal study of a focal colony on Lundy, an Atlantic island off the north Devon coast.  Kittiwakes colonies on this island have been in decline for many years, and a number of colonies have failed.  It is not clear whether or not this failure is due to food stress.  Other issues, including predation, seem to play a role in reducing the population; especially the predation of eggs and chicks.  In this talk I will discuss the pressures faced by Kittiwakes, and some of what is known about their behavioural adaptations.  I will also overview two years of what we plan as a very long term study.  Thus far we have been developing our methods for estimating average clutch size at the colony, as this is a key index of investment by breeding adults.  Typically, colonies are only monitored by counting apparently occupied nests, but this measure introduces a number of inaccuracies and fails to fully capture Kittiwake decisions.  Finally, I will broaden the discussion with some speculations about the broader food web dynamics on the island, and how predator decisions may be influenced by human actions.

Biography:

Tom Dickins is professor of behavioural science at Middlesex University.  His background is in psychological sciences (BSc; CNAA), philosophy of science (MSc; London) and evolutionary psychology (PhD; Sheffield); and much more recently, ecology (PG Cert; Oxford).  His research interests fall into behavioural ecology and theoretical concerns within evolutionary biology.  Previously Tom has worked on reproductive scheduling in humans, evolution and development, and concepts of causation in evolution.  Presently he is working on gull species; the Kittiwakes of this talk and urban gulls (Laridae) in London and Bath.

http://www.mdx.ac.uk/about-us/our-people/staff-directory/profile/dickins-tom