"How a socially flexible mammal can help biologists to understand personality"
PD Dr. Carsten Schradin University Zurich CHF 30'000.-

The personality of an individual predicts its behavior in specific situations, and this behavioral response differs consistently between individuals. Personality has been studied by psychologists for more than a century, with the surprising result that under natural conditions humans show low consistency in behavior, such that for example in schools they may be punctual, whereas in private life they are not. In biology, personality research only emerged over the last 10 years. This is surprising, as anybody living with animals knows that specific dogs or cats will behave predictably in specific situations and differ in their behavior from other animals of the same species. Personality research in the field of animal behavior is so far restricted to artificial conditions in field arenas, while – in contrast to psychology – no studies were done under natural conditions. Furthermore, even though the evolution of personality has been regarded as one of the most demanding challenges in the study of animal behavior, few long-term field studies exist. We want to study personality traits in the field in African striped mice (Rhabdomys pumilio), a species that is known for high social flexibility. In this research project we will test:

1. Whether personality traits measured in field observations are consistent over time and do correlate with measurements obtained under standardized conditions. This will be the first time that personality traits will be measured repeatedly under natural conditions in an animal species other than humans.
2. Whether "personality" traits remain consistent when individuals switch from one social tactic to another, such as from social to solitary life.
3. Whether fitness consequences of different "personalities" differ between years with different ecological conditions, which could explain why variation in personality traits is maintained in natural populations.
4. In how far the hormones testosterone and corticosterone (stress) correlate with differences in personality traits.

Conference "Application of Social Network Analysis"
Dr. Karin Ingold, ETH, Zurich CHF 2'000.-

The 7th Conference on Applications of Social Network Analysis (ASNA) has the goal to assess the state of the field and discuss current developments and innovations in social network research. It will take place at the ETH Zurich, September 15.-17, 2010. As for the previous years, ASNA 2010 will primarily provide an interdisciplinary venue with focus on applications of social net­work analysis. However, submissions on theoretical and methodological issues are also welcome. There are no limitations with respect of scientific disciplines and research questions. However, contributors are especially encouraged to address the conference topic of "dynamics of social networks".
Social network analysis (SNA) suggests broadening the focus from individual actors to a set of actors and the relations among them. Hence, the characteristic paradigm of SNA is to include "the context" to understand phenomena’s in various scientific disciplines like sociology, political science, communication science, social psychology, anthropology, economics, biology, physics, and others. In recent years increasing awareness arises that "the context" also includes a temporal dimension. Hence, it is of interest whether and how the structure of a network is dependent on previous structures or which future dynamics can be assumed to happen based on a given network. Also most cross sectional research include implicit assumptions about dynamic processes of networks.
The cogito foundation finances the travel costs of Professor Thomas W. Valente, University of Southern California, Los Angeles.

http://www.asna.ch

"10th International Summer School on Humour and Laughter: Theory, Research and Applications"
Professor Willibald Ruch, University of Zurich Fr. 2'500.-

In 2001 the International Summer School on Humour and Laughter was founded. It will be held for the 2nd time in Switzerland at the Boldern Conference Centre, from July 5 – 10, 2010. The Summer School is designed to benefit both research students and more experienced researchers who are considering conducting research in the field of humour and laughter. Twentytwo lectures and four workshops are offered over the course of six days. The teaching faculty comprises eleven speakers, allowing greater diversity in the topics covered. The participants represent many different cultures, ranging from, as far south as Australia to as north as Finland, and from Russia to United States of America, with many countries in between.
The programme aims to provide an overview of the interdisciplinary nature of humour research, by considering theory and empirical evidence, addressing special research issues, discussing methodo­logy and evaluation of research findings to date, and considering some of the applications of humour and laughter. Meet the Lecturer sessions are offered daily so participants can have discussion hopefully optimising their experience by allowing one to one conversations.

The cogito foundation covers the travelling costs of Professors Rod R. Martin, University of Western Ontario (Fr. 1'800.-) und Christie Davies, University Reading (Fr. 700.-) total CHF 2'500.-.

http://www.humoursummerschool.org/10/

"Maya and contemporary scientific perceptions of cancer: cultural information of environmental literacy"
Prof. Roland W. Scholz, ETHZ Fr. 50'000.-

Cancer has an evolutionary legacy that goes back to the age before the human species. The first scientific classification was provided in the industrial emergent society by Percivel Pott (1775) and others. A cellular view on cancer was opened by Virchow (1862), considered the father of cellular pathology. Today science focuses mostly on understanding mutant genes and molecular processes related to cancer cells. However, other cultures such as the Maya of Guatemala, also have an understanding of physiological, as well as spiritual/cognitive, aspects of cancer.
The goal of this project is to develop a systemic description and analysis of human cancer and the immune system which allows to describe and to relate (a) the current scientific approaches to cancer and the immune system and (b) the indigenous Mayan concept of cancer. The project takes an epistemological perspective and provides a better understanding of various processes involved in different types of cancer treatments. This becomes possible by a transdisciplinary process that is organized and conducted by the Guatemala Maya Council of Elders, an academic leader (Roland Scholz, ETH), and a leading oncologist (Christoph Renner, University Hospital Zurich).

A key part of the project consists of in depth interviews and workshops with the wisdom keepers of six ethno-linguistic groups to facilitate a comprehensive representation of Maya epistemology. One outcome of the project is the documentation of this knowledge in a book. The project also reviews the cellular and molecular processes involved in immune and cancer defense activities according to modern scientific research (Cohen, Matzinger, etc), which will be reconsidered from the Human Environment System (HES) framework perspective.
The two theoretical reconstructions should serve to (i) identify commonalities and differences between the 'current scientific' and the Mayan reconstruction of cancer processes, (ii) integrate, systematize and document the historically fragmented knowledge of Maya Elders in both the mental-cognitive (spiritual) and physiological perspective, and (iii) design a potential field study to evaluate the effectiveness of Mayan cancer treatment in a long-term survey.