Event

The University of the West Indies will host a Professorial Inaugural Lecture presented by Professor Christopher Starr entitled, "Growing Points in the Biology of Social Insects".

The lecture will be held at Lecture Theatre 1, Block 13, Faculty of Engineering from 5:30pm. All are invited.

Abstract:

Social insects stand out for their habit of living in durable, structured groups, known as "colonies".  They comprise four great groups, all well represented in the West Indies: termites, social wasps, social bees and ants.The scientific study of social insects today is a vigorous and very productive discipline.  What are its most promising major research questions for the coming period? Professor Starr identifies four such "growing points".

1. How did sociality evolve? 

2. How are within-colony conflicts resolved?

3. What shapes the colony cycle? 

4. What does sociality have to do with ecological impact?