Meeting: Predator-Prey Interactions Evolution of Form and Function (GRC January 29-February 4th, 2022 in Lucca Italy)

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This award will broaden participation at the 2022 Gordon Research Conference (GRC) on Predator-Prey Interactions by directly supporting the attendance of members of historically excluded groups, those serving in undergraduate or minority-serving institutions, and early career researchers. At the conference, attendees will participate in numerous formal and informal mentoring events, including a two-day Gordon Research Seminar (GRS) open to graduate students and postdoctoral researchers. These events are designed to enhance the exposure of supported attendees’ research and promote interaction and collaboration with more senior established researchers. In addition to requiring all attendees to present research at the GRS, there are 8 presentation opportunities at the main GRC that have been set aside for attendees that are supported by this award. Lastly, attendees will be invited to lead manuscripts in a Special Issue publication with topics derived from the conference discussion groups, formalizing the process through which collaborations can continue post-conference. As such, this award enhances the scientific and professional development of a more diverse group of early-career researchers who would otherwise most likely not be able to attend. The Gordon Research Conference on Predator-Prey Interactions has occurred bi-annually since 2014 and the insights and novel research papers produced from these conferences have advanced the field of predator-prey interactions. Given the pervasive and critical importance of predation across animal species and ecosystems, the goal of this conference is to foster cross-pollination of ideas among disciplines from evolution and ecology to wildlife management to neurobiology and biomedicine. This interdisciplinary meeting has resulted in a variety of novel approaches, perspectives, and publications. The 2022 meeting will focus on understanding the relationship between phenotype and fitness from a functionally integrative, evolutionary perspective. As such, it will entail path-breaking advances in our understanding of animal forms, designs, and strategies that represent optimal solutions in a variety of environments.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.