RCN: EDEN (Evo-Devo-Eco Network): A research coordination network to promote technique and community development across the Evo-Devo-Eco field

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Over the last several decades, the traditional fields of evolutionary biology, developmental biology and ecology have moved closer together both conceptually and technically. The newly synthetic field of modern Evolutionary and Ecological Developmental Biology, or Evo-Devo-Eco, is the result. Advances in Evo-Devo-Eco rely heavily on transferring and adapting technologies originally developed for use with traditional laboratory model organisms, in order to apply them to new and emerging model organisms. Presently, insufficient networking often leads laboratories working on non-traditional, yet promising, model organisms, to inefficiently and inadvertently duplicate effort when developing new protocols for use in their systems. Moreover, there is enormous untapped potential for the exchange of techniques, ideas, and knowledge to flow not just from established models to lesser-known systems, but also from the unique biology exposed by lesser-known systems to traditional models. This project will create a new research coordination network called EDEN (Evo-Devo-Eco Network). EDEN will facilitate new support networks and collaborations among laboratories that do not currently enjoy the large community resources of traditional model species. The four major activities of EDEN will be: (1) fostering active interchange of tools and techniques among labs working on emerging model systems; (2) training undergraduates in the field of Evo-Devo-Eco with a focus on emerging model systems; (3) documenting the tools and techniques used and developed in these organisms, and making them publicly available online for future users; and (4) promoting interactions across the Evo-Devo-Eco community through conference funding and the sponsoring of workshops. The advertising strategies and funding priorities of the network are designed to maximize accessibility by participants of underrepresented groups. The gender, ethnic, and career stage diversity of the EDEN core network group will serve as a visibly positive starting point for further increasing the diversity of the next generation of researchers.