Jeffrey R. Alberts (Psychological and Brain Sciences)

Dr. Alberts studies behavioral development and parental care in rodents. Currently, he is studying sensory capabilities of young rats, the transition from suckling to independent feeding, and parent/offspring interactions.

Colin Allen (History & Philosophy of Science, Cognitive Science)

Dr. Allen applies philosophical approaches to the evolutionary study of animal behavior and cognition (cognitive ethology). His research focuses on the design and interpretation of experiments testing mental processes.

Gregory E. Demas (Biology, Neural Science)

Dr. Demas studies the neuroendocrine and immune mechanisms underlying behavior, including the role of the nervous system and the hormone leptin in mediating immune responses, the effects of sickness on food-related behavior, and the neuroendocrine bases of aggression in Siberian hamsters.

Preston E. Garraghty ( Psych & Brain Sciences , Neural Science)

Dr. Garraghty studies the neural basis of behavioural plasticity both during development and in adult rats. His research focuses on the effects of antiepileptic drugs, gonadal and stress hormones on learning and memory.

Kevin D. Hunt (Anthropology)

Dr. Hunt studies social organization, feeding behavior and functional anatomy of chimpanzees. His lab attempts to understand how these factors impact early human evolution, including the origins of bipedalism.

Laura Hurley (Biology, Neural Science)

Dr. Hurley is interested in the interaction between behavior and brain function. Her lab studies the effects of serotonin, a neuromodulator which varies with mood (depression, appetite), on the auditory abilities of echolocating bats.

Ellen D. Ketterson (Biology, Gender Studies)

Dr. Ketterson studies the physiological underpinnings of evolutionary trade-offs in reproductive behavior and migration in birds. She uses hormonal manipulations in field and lab to understand the adaptive significance and ramifications of courtship, aggression and parental care.

Curtis M. Lively (Biology)

Dr. Lively studies the ecological, genetic and behavioral factors underlying the evolution and maintenance of sexual reproduction. His lab focuses on a NewZealand snail which has both asexual and sexual females.

Emília P. Martins (Biology)

Dr. Martins studies the evolution of communication, and how short-term forces (e.g., genetics, learning, social context) lead to species differences. In addition to field and lab research on lizards and fish, her lab develops mathematical and computer approaches to studying behavior and evolution.

Milos Novotny (Chemistry)

Dr. Novotny studies the biochemistry and protoeomics of pheromones – chemical signals used in animal communication. His lab develops ultra-sensitive bioanalytical techniques and conducts empirical tests of olfaction.

George V. Rebec ( Psychological & Brain Sciences , Neural Science)

Dr. Rebec studies neurochemical correlates of behavior. His research explores the neural mechanisms underlying drug abuse, including the behavioral effects of stimulants and neuroleptic drugs and the neural dysfunction associated with Parkinson’s and Huntington’s diseases.

Troy G. Smith (Biology, Neural Science)

Dr. Smith studies the neuroendocrine control of sex differences. His lab elucidates the mechanisms underlying sexual differentiation and the production of sexually-dimorphic communication signals by weakly electric fish.

Roderick A. Suthers (Medical Sciences, Neural Science)

Dr. Suthers studies the motor control of birdsong in mockingbirds and cardinals. His lab focuses on the functional lateralization of both nervous system and motor anatomy and their association with vocal learning.

William D. Timberlake ( Psychological & Brain Sciences )

Dr. Timberlake studies animal behavior and learning theory, including the ethological analysis of learning; circadian and ultradian rhythms; time horizons and regulatory processes in operant responding and ingestion.

Michael J. Wade (Biology)

Dr. Wade studies the evolution of mating systems, social behavior and parental care in the context of genetically structured populations. His lab develops and conducts empirical tests of mathematical theories arising from evolutionary genetic theories of kin selection and maternal effects.

Meredith West (Psychology and Brain Sciences/Biology)

Dr. West studies the development of avian vocal communication and social competence as well as prelinguistic behavior in human infants.