• Header of Geometric Morphometrics at Transmitting Science

Online course – 4th edition

Geometric Morphometrics for Beginners

January 22nd-26th, 2024

Live sessions will be recorded

Course Geometric Morphometrics for Beginners

Course Overview

The world around us is a space-time mosaic where forms evolve, constantly change and interact with each other. Geometric morphometry is a digital morphological analysis tool that allows addressing biological key questions, such as shape transformation (variation) and the result of its interaction (covariation) with the physical environment, with an unprecedented analytical resolution.

In this course, these concepts will be explained in a simple and practical way. To do this, basic aspects such as the biological and geometric concept of landmark and semi-landmark configurations will be reviewed, the available comparative methodologies will be compared, and basic multivariate statistical methods will be put into practice that allow addressing biological problems at any scale of complexity, making special emphasis on visualization and interpretation of form variation.

This course is introductory, and is aimed at advanced degree students and graduates of all areas related to the biological sciences.

  • Introduction: What is geometric morphometry?
  • Brief history, geometric morphometrics vs “traditional” morphometrics.
  • Applications: What problems can be addressed with geometric morphometrics?
  • Available software, uses and differences.
  • Fundamentals of abstraction from shape geometry to landmarks and semilandmarks configurations.
  • Data acquisition, digitalisation and methodological considerations.
  • Size and shape in geometric morphometrics.
  • Generalized Procrustes Analysis, shape space and its conceptual and practical importance.
  • Alternative superimposing methods:
    • Procrustes: Bookstein Shape Coordinates.
    • Resistant Fit.
    • Others: EDMA.
  • Practical case of application of the methodologies.
  • Semilandmarks digitization practices.
  • Viewing the results:
    • The ‘Thin plate spline’: Transformation and the metaphor of the deformation grid.
    • Deformation of surfaces in 2D and 3D.
  • Variation and covariation: Analysis tools with multivariate statistics; Factor analysis (PCA) and multivariate regression.
  • Association (covariation) between size and shape (allometry).

All participants must have a personal computer (Windows, Macintosh), with webcam if possible, and a good internet connection.

Instructor

Jesus Marugan-Lobon instructor for Transmitting Science

Dr. Jesús Marugán-Lobón
Universidad Autónoma de Madrid
España

Dates & Schedule

January 22nd-26th, 2024

15:00-20:00 (Madrid time zone)

Online live sessions from Monday to Friday from 15:00 to 17:00 and 17:30 to 20:00 (Madrid time zone).

Total course hours: 22.5

This course is equivalent to 1 ECTS (European Credit Transfer System) at the Life Science Zurich Graduate School. The recognition of ECTS by other institutions depends on each university or school.

Language

English

This course will be delivered live online

This course will be taught using a combination of live (synchronous) sessions on Zoom and tasks to be completed in between live sessions on the Slack platform.

Live sessions will be recorded. Recordings will be made available to participants for a limited period of time. However, attendance to the live sessions is required.

Places

Places are limited to 18 participants and will be occupied by strict registration order.

Participants who have completed the course will receive a certificate at the end.

Haris Saslis coordinator for Transmitting Science

Dr. Haris Saslis
Transmitting Science
Greece

Soledad De Esteban-Trivigno Transmitting Science coordinator

Dr. Soledad De Esteban-Trivigno
Transmitting Science
Spain

Fees & Discounts

  • Course Fee
  • Early bird (until November 30th, 2023):
  • 470 €
    (376 € for Ambassador Institutions)
  • Regular (after November 30th, 2023):
  • 565 €
    (452 € for Ambassador Institutions)
  • Prices include VAT.
    After registration you will receive confirmation of your acceptance on the course.
    Payment is not required during registration.

We offer discounts on the Course Fee.

Discounts are not cumulative. Participants receive the highest appropriate discount.

We also offer the possibility of paying in two instalments. Please contact us to request this.

Former participants of Transmitting Science courses receive a 5% discount on the Course Fee.

20% discount on the Course Fee is offered to members of certain organisations (Ambassador Institutions). If you wish to apply for this discount, please indicate it in the Registration form (proof will be asked later). If you would like your institution to become a Transmitting Science Ambassador Institution, please contact us at communication@transmittingscience.com

Unemployed scientists, as well as PhD students without any grant or scholarship to develop their PhD, can benefit from a 40% discount on the Course Fee. This applies only to participants based in Spain. If you wish to ask for this discount, please contact us. The discount may apply for a maximum of 2 places, which will be covered by strict registration order.

Registration

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