First Lab Retreat
By Ehouarn Le Faou on October 3, 2023
On the first day of the week, the group embarked on a brief day-long retreat to the rural region of Switzerland, located to the north of Lausanne.
According to the predetermined schedule established by the group, the day was partitioned into two distinct sessions: one in the morning and another in the afternoon. During these sessions, a designated member of the group assumed the responsibility of delivering a presentation on a topic of their choosing. During the morning session, Shengman gave a presentation on the ecological theory of coexistence, which was further enhanced by stimulating discussions regarding the interconnections among ecology, population genetics, and evolution.
Following a duration of two and a half hours, we partook in a delicious lunch orchestrated by the skilled culinary expertise of John, who utilised herbs and salad sourced from his personal garden.
During the afternoon session, we reconvened for a presentation that was followed by extensive discussions on the topic of quantitative genetics, hosted by Ehouarn. The focus of the discussions was on the application of the animal model to the ongoing monoecy selection experiment, which has been conducted by the group for a duration exceeding 10 years.
Ultimately, all participants derived immense satisfaction from the experience. A recent decision has been made to conduct this type of lab retreats on a bi-monthly basis. This event will provide an occasion for laboratory members to engage in discussions pertaining to scientific topics, as well as other subjects of interest. Additionally, it will serve as a platform to extend a warm reception to incoming members, with two such individuals expected to join within the upcoming months.