The Young Cephalopod Researchers (YCR) group: Origin, activities, and expectations for the future

RITA FRANCO-SANTOS; FELIPE BRICEÑO; SILVIA LOURENÇO; AUGUSTO CÉSAR CRESPI ABRIL; STEFANIE KELLER; LUIS RIGOBERTO ROSAS

Congreso; Cephalopod International Advisory council symposium; 2015

The Young Cephalopod Researchers (YCR) group was created during the 2012 CIAC in Florianópolis, Brazil. Its main goal is to improve communication between early career cephalopod scientists by establishing a network and collaborations between its members. It is currently composed by young scientists conducting cephalopod research in the fields of population ecology, molecular ecology, biological oceanography, physiology, modelling, fisheries, ecotoxicology, environmental pollution and climate change. YCR is a young group with yet many members to attract and strategies to define, but it has been active in a few international events. During the YOUMARES (Convention for Young Scientists and Engineers) held in Oldenburg, Germany, in September 2013, YCR organized a session entitled ?Cephalopods and jellyfish as key species in marine ecosystems: a spatio-temporal multi-scale approach?. For this year?s YOUMARES in Bremen, Germany, another cephalopod session is being organized, entitled ?Cephalopods and society: Scientific applications using cephalopods as models?, which will entail presentations by young scientists and keynote talks from professionals. Members of the group were also able to publicize YCR during the World Congress of Malacology in the Azores in 2013 and during the Mollusca in Mexico in 2014. Currently, YCR has 25 registered members from several countries in Latin America, Europe and from Australia, but with this presentation we hope to reach out to a greater audience and increase both the number of members and countries represented in the group, broadening also the range of research interests/skills within our network.