Elisa Frasnelli

2010      PhD in Cognitive and Brain Sciences, University of Trento, IT

2007      MSc in Physics and Biomedical Technologies, University of Trento, IT

2004      BSc in Applied Physics, University of Trento, IT

ACADEMIC CAREER

From 2021   Assistant Professor, Center for Mind/Brain Sciences, University of Trento, IT

2017-21       Lecturer/Senior Lecturer, School of Life Sciences, University of Lincoln, UK

2017            Assistant Professor (JSPS Awarded Fellowship), School for Advance Studies, The Graduate University for Advance Sciences SOKENDAI, JP

2015-16       Post-Doctoral Researcher, Department of Psychology, University of Exeter, UK

2013-15       Post-Doctoral Researcher, Center for Mind/Brain Sciences, University of Trento, IT

2011-13       Post-Doctoral Researcher (Awarded Fellowship), Konrad Lorenz Institute for Evolution and Cognition Research, Altenberg, AT

TEACHING ACTIVITY

Master in Cognitive Science. Center for Mind/Brain Sciences (CIMeC), University of Trento, IT.

Module Coordinator: “Invertebrate Neurosciences”. 

Module Coordinator: “Mathematical Basics for Cognitive Science”. 

Animal behaviour and cognition, their neural basis, development and evolution. Behavioural and brain lateralization.  Navigation, spatial cognition and the underlying visuomotor mechanisms. Sentience and consciousness in invertebrates. Microbiota and cognition. Environmental stress, behaviour and cognition in bees. Invertebrate animal models. 

BOARD MEMBER

From 2021          Founding Member of the Supporting Outstanding Female Academics and Researchers (SOFAR) Network, UK

2020-2022          Council Member of Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour (ASAB), UK

MEMBERSHIP OF PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS

From 2016          International Society for Neuroethology (ISN)

From 2015          Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour (ASAB), UK

EDITORIAL BOARD MEMBER

From 2024          Animal Behaviour (Consulting Editor)

2021-2023          Frontiers in Psychology (Review Editor on the Editorial Board of Cognition)

                           Symmetry (Editorial Board of Biology and Symmetry)

                           Frontiers in Psychology (Review Editor on the Editorial Board of Comparative Psychology)

From 2020          Laterality: Asymmetries of Body, Brain, and Cognition (Consulting Editor)

                           Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience (Review Editor on the Editorial Board of Learning and Memory) 

From 2016          Scientific Reports – Nature (Neuroscience Panel)

GRANT REFEREEING

Horizon (EU); BBSRC (UK); Fondation Maison des Sciences de l’Homme (FR); JSPS (JP); Polish Academy of Sciences (PL); Dutch Research Council NWO (NL); Alexander von Humboldt Foundation (GE); Israel Science Foundation (IL)

JOURNAL REFEREEING

Animal Behaviour; Animal Cognition; Austral Entomology; Behaviour; Behavioural Brain Research; Biology Letters; Biology Open; Brain and Cognition; Ecological Modelling; Ecology and Evolution; Ethology; European Journal of Neuroscience; Invertebrate Biology; Journal of Comparative Psychology; Journal of Evolutionary Biology; Laterality; Learning & Behavior; Molecular Biology; Neuroscience; Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews; PeerJ; Physiology & Behavior; PLOS ONE, Royal Society Open Science; Scientific Reports; Symmetry

GRANTS

2023                  Project "LAterality DIstribution across the two SEXes (LADISEX): Comparative data for theoretical models", PRIN 2022, identification code 202222EJZE, CUP E53D23008620001

2023                  Project IBC: Impollinatori, Biodiversità e Cambiamento climatico, 5x1000 Università degli Studi di Trento 2023 (con Albrecht Haase)

FELLOWSHIPS

2017                   Awarded JSPS (Japan Society for the Promotion of Science) London Short Term Fellowship (£ 28,500), SOKENDAI, JP

2011-2013          Awarded Postdoctoral Research Fellowship (€ 79,200), Konrad Lorenz Institute for Evolution and Cognition Research, Altenberg, AT 

SCHOLARSHIPS

2007-2010           Doctoral Research Scholarship, University of Trento, IT (€ 41,000)

2005-2006           MSc Scholarship for excellence, University of Trento, IT (€ 5,000)

2001-2004           BSc Scholarship for excellence, University of Trento, IT (€ 7,500)

AWARDS

2018                    Panel score 'A' at the ERC Starting grant call

2016                    Travel & Accommodation Funding for North Sea Laterality Conference, University of Groningen, NL (€ 500)

2016                    Above & Beyond Award, University of Exeter, UK (£ 500)

2010                    Travel & Research Grant for field work in Australia, University of Trento, IT (€ 2,000)

2009                    Travel & Research Grant to work at the University of New England, Australia, University of Trento, IT (€ 2,500)

2007                    J-1 Exchange Visitor Program, University of California, Irvine, US ($ 8,400)

2006                    J-1 Exchange Visitor Program, University of California, Irvine, US ($ 11,200)

2006                    Travel & Research Grant to work at the University of California in Irvine, USA, by Trentino University Foundation, IT (€ 8,000)

INVITED TALKS

June 2023            Invited Speaker, PhD Summer School of Heidelberg University, Molveno (IT)

June 2022            Invited Speaker, Symmetry Webinar, Online

June 2021            Invited Speaker, Laterality Friday Seminar Series, Online

Jan 2021              Invited Speaker, Doctoral Student Day 2021, Online

June 2020            Invited Speaker, Animal Cognition Conference, Online

Dec 2019             Invited Speaker, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK

Nov 2018             Invited Speaker, Research Center on Animal Cognition, CNRS, Toulouse, FR

Nov 2015             Invited Speaker, Workshop on Hemispheric Asymmetries, HWK, Delmenhorst, DE

Nov 2015             Invited Speaker, Seminar series for the Evolution, Behaviour and Environment group (EBE), University of Sussex, UK

June 2014            Invited Speaker for Public Engagement, Science & Society Symposium, Stazione Zoologica ‘Anton Dohrn’, Napoli, IT

Aug 2013             Invited Speaker, V Congress Italian Society for Evolutionary Biology, Trento, IT

May 2013            Invited Speaker, Seminar, Stazione Zoologica ‘Anton Dohrn’, Napoli, IT

Sept 2012            Invited Speaker, X East European Conference of the International Society for Invertebrate Neurobiology, Moscow, RU

Nov 2011             Invited Speaker, Departmental Seminar, Department of Biology, McGill University, Montreal, CA

Oct 2011              Invited Speaker, Departmental Seminar, Department of Psychology, Brooklyn College, New York, US

Apr 2009              Invited Speaker, Mandyam Srinivasan Lab, Queensland Brain Institute, Brisbane, AU

Jan 2009              Invited Speaker, Onur Güntürkün Lab, Institute for Cognitive Neuroscience, Ruhr-University Bochum, DE

CONTRIBUTIONS AT CONFERENCES (selection)

April 2023           Comparative Cognition Conference, Melbourne Beach, USA

Dec 2022             AISC Conference, Rovereto, IT

Aug 2022             Northsea Laterality Conference, Bergen, NO

July 2018             International Congress of Neuroethology, Brisbane, AU

Dec 2016             Winter meeting of the Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour, London, UK

Sept 2016            5th North Sea Laterality Meeting, Groningen, NL

Aug 2016             16th congress of the International Society for Behavioral Ecology, Exeter, UK

Apr 2016              International Congress of Neuroethology, Montevideo, UY

July 2014             4th Workshop on Cognition and Evolution, Rovereto, IT

July 2013             3rd ToK conference of Comparative Cognition, Vienna, AT

July 2013             Congress of the International Society for the History, Philosophy and Social Studies of Biology, Montpellier, FR

July 2012             4th meeting of the European Society for Evolutionary Developmental Biology, Lisbon, PT

June 2012            International Symposium on Olfaction and Taste, Stockholm, SE

Sept 2011            43rd European Brain and Behaviour Society Meeting, Seville, SP

May 2011            2nd ToK conference of Comparative Cognition, Prague, CZ

ADMINISTRATION AND CONFERENCE ORGANIZATION EXPERIENCE

2023                    Scientific Organiser, 2023 ASAB Winter meeting, Edinburgh, UK

                            Scientific Organiser, 2023 CogEvo workshop, University of Trento, IT

Since 2021          Internationalization Delegate, Centre for Mind/Brain Sciences, University of Trento, IT

2020                    Scientific Organizer, 2020 Virtual ASAB Winter meeting, online

2019-2021           Deputy Program Lead, BSc (Hons) Animal Behaviour and Welfare, School of Life Sciences, University of Lincoln, UK

2018-2021           Schools Liaison Lead, School of Life Sciences, University of Lincoln, UK

2018-2019           Deputy Research Lead, Animal Behaviour, Cognition and Welfare Research Group, School of Life Sciences, University of Lincoln, UK

2017-2021           Student Engagement Lead, School of Life Sciences, University of Lincoln, UK

2016                    Organizer of the Symposium “Cerebral and motor lateralization”, 16th congress of the International Society for Behavioural Ecology, University of Exeter, UK

2015-2016           Coordinator of Seminar Series, CRAB, University of Exeter, UK

2015-2016           Coordinator of Group Meetings, CRAB, University of Exeter, UK

PUBLIC ENGAGMENT

Co-organizer of ‘Giovedì dell’etologia’ (2023) at Museo Civico di Rovereto, IT

‘I gatti lo sanno’, dialog with Giulia Bignami on her book published for Giunti and inspired by research on animal behaviour and cognition conducted at CIMeC, at the Museo Civico of Rovereto, IT

Interviews with radio channels (BBC, UK and Rai Radio 1, IT); with newspapers (The Telegraph, Mail Online, The Times, UK and L’Adige, IT); and with TV (Rai 3, IT and TV Asahi, JP)

Public talks (British Science Week, Climate Change Action Day, Lincolnshire Beekeepers Association Autumn Event in UK; Science & Society Symposium, IT;  20th Anniversary of the Konrad Lorenz Institute for Evolution and Cognition Research, AT)