A meeting of potential interests to Div28 members…
The Winter Conference on Animal Learning and Behavior will convene in Winter Park, Colorado from Saturday, January 29, through Wednesday, February 2, 2011. If you are interested in attending WCALB 2011, we need your small refundable deposit by October 15, 2010 to know how many condominiums to reserve. See instructions under "DEPOSITS" section below. For additional information visit the WCALB website at http://www.american.edu/academic.depts/cas/psych/wcalb.htm.
KEYNOTE SPEAKER
Terry Davidson will be our 2011 Keynote Speaker. His address is titled,
Bi-directional Links Between Obesity and
Learning and Memory Dysfunction
Abstract--Traditionally, investigators have viewed the problems of overeating and obesity, on one hand, and cognitive disorder on the other, as involving dissimilar etiologies that target different underlying behavioral and biological functions which rely on distinct brain structures and circuits. However, evidence is emerging that obesity and cognitive impairment are causally-intertwined. Integrating recent neuroanatomical, physiological, and behavioral findings, this talk will describe how dietary factors may promote obesity by interfering with negative occasion setting--a learning and memory process that may be critically involved with inhibiting conditioned appetitive and consummatory behaviors.
Terry Davidson is Professor in the Department of Psychological Sciences at Purdue University. He received his doctorate at Purdue under the supervision of Betty Capaldi and then went on to do post-doctoral work with Bob Rescorla at Penn. He’s been Convener of Purdue’s Graduate Neuroscience Program and was founding Director of the Ingestive Behavior Research Center (IBRC). The IBRC includes over 50 faculty members from across the University and has been the top research center at Purdue (out of over 100) in terms of extramural funding brought in by its members. His research currently focuses on understanding how learning and memory mechanisms, both associative and neural, are involved in the control of energy regulation.
FOCUS SESSION
Pavlovian Mechanisms of Appetite
This Focus Session related to the Keynote Address is being organized. The format will be presentations followed by discussion among participants. Let Kevin Myers kmyers@bucknell.edu and me (sweiss@american.edu) know if you would like to join that session.
Recent WCALB Focus sessions have been concerned with Economic Demand, Reinforcer Essential Value and Drug Addiction (2009) Remembering and Anticipating Events in Time (2008), Modeling Data: From Description and Significance to Behavior and Theories (2007), The Question of Animal Consciousness and Cognition (2006), Choice in Humans and other Animals (2005), Associative Mechanisms and Drug-Related Behavior (2004) and Learning, Choice and Context Effects (2003). The 2004 Focus Session was published as a Special Issue of the International Journal of Comparative Psychology. Aaron Blaisdell, last year’s Keynote Speaker, is arranging for the publication of presentations from the 2010 Focus Session on The Interface Between Learning and Cognition.
MEETING, WINTER PARK AND ACCOMMODATIONS
The Winter Conference is a friendly and informal meeting that provides an opportunity to combine intensive, scientifically rigorous discussions on a variety of topics related to animal conditioning, behavior and learning with skiing at one of Colorado's premier ski areas, Winter Park. The breadth of WCALB paper sessions that reflect the research interests of participants can be seen in recent programs posted on the website. Currently, we also anticipate session(s) in behavioral pharmacology anchored by research from the laboratories of Rick Bevins and Stan Weiss.
Daily paper sessions begin 3:30 - 4:00pm and end in time for a fashionably late dinner. All participants are invited to make a presentation and suggest topics. Graduate students are welcome, and can make presentations with the written recommendation of their advisor.
There is downhill skiing for all skill levels, up to black diamond, as well as exciting cross-country skiing in the Arapaho National Forest, Devil's Thumb and Snow Mountain Ranch. The majestic snow-covered Rockies in winter are breathtaking.
The all inclusive cost for registration, four nights in a shared Snowblaze condominium, an opening buffet reception, snacks during sessions and a dinner at a fine restaurant in Winter Park is only $350 per person or $700 per couple (couples have their own room, usually with private bath, in a condo). The cost of the Conference is the same as it was in 2001! The Snowblaze is located in Winter Park near restaurants and shops. It has an excellent health club with sauna, steam room, hot tub, pool, weight room and handball courts. All units have complete kitchens.
A family can have an entire 2-bedroom condominium unit for $1,050 plus $100 for each person over three. The 2-bedroom units each sleep up to six people if a convertible sofa in the living room is used. All family members are invited to the opening buffet reception, closing dinner and sessions.
DEPOSITS
We will be in the Colorado Rockies just a week before the prime ski season starts. Therefore, condominiums need to be reserved early. If you think you would like to attend WCALB 2011, please let me (sweiss@american.edu) know ASAP by e-mail and send your refundable (until November 30) deposit ($50 per person, $100 per couple, $200 per family) by October 15, 2010.
Make deposit checks out to Stanley Weiss, WCALB with “WCALB 2011" in the lower left corner. Final payment is due November 30, 2010, when receipts will be sent. Until that date, your deposit can be returned if conditions develop that prevent you from attending the Conference. But timely deposits are very important for appropriate planning and to ensure we reserve enough condominiums.
Please send your deposits to:
Stan Weiss, Convener
Winter Conference on Animal Learning & Behavior
Department of Psychology
American University
Washington, DC 20016
Accommodations at the indicated rates cannot be guaranteed once the reserved condo units are filled. We will do our best to include late registrants in the Conference, but often they have had to pay substantially more for their accommodations because they couldn't be housed in a reserved condominium. Therefore, if you are interested in attending the Conference let me know soon and send your refundable (until November 30) deposit by October 15, 2010. A CALL for presentations will go out to registered participants in mid December. If you have any questions or suggestions, contact me at sweiss@american.edu.
Hope to see you in Winter Park!
Stan
WCALB 2011 Organizing and Program Committee
Stan Weiss (Convener) <sweiss@american.edu>
Rick Bevins <rbevins1@unl.edu>
Cody Brooks <brooksc@denison.edu>
Kevin Myers (Focus Session) < kmyers@bucknell.edu>
Mark Reilly <reill1mp@cmich.ed
Bill Timberlake <timberla@indiana.edu>
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