John Phillips
Affiliated Scientist, CISAB, Indiana University and
Professor, Department of Biology, Virginia Polytechnic Insitute & State University
Areas of Expertise: ANIMAL NAVIGATION / MIGRATION BY SENSING THE EARTH'S MAGNETIC FIELD
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Dr. Phillips is interested in how sensory specializations involving vision and magnetoreception become adapted to function in particular behavioral contexts. For instance, some birds can integrate visual and non-visual cues for compass (directional) orientation necessary for migration. Dr. Phillips has described how specialization in visual neural receptors can detect the earth's magnetic field, how the navigational map of vertebrates have a sensory basis, and how visual mechanisms are involved in mate choice, foraging behavior, and microhabitat selection. Insects, fish, amphibians, and birds are among the organisms studied. Dr. Phillips work has been featured in National Geographic magazine.
For additional information, see:
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WEB PAGE
CURRICULUM VITAE
ABSTRACTS
E-MAIL
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http://www.indiana.edu/~animal/research/phillips.html
http://www.indiana.edu/~animal/research/phillips_cv.html
http://www.indiana.edu/~animal/research/phillips_abstracts.html
jphillip@vt.edu
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Ellen Ketterson
Professor, Department of Biology & Co-Director of CISAB, Indiana University
Areas of Expertise: BIRD MATING SYSTEMS & PARENTAL BEHAVIOR / HORMONES & BEHAVIOR / BIRD MIGRATION
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Dr. Ketterson is Co-Director of the Center for the Integrative Study of Animal Behavior at Indiana University (established in 1991). She studies migration and reproductive behavior in birds. Her work on reproduction focuses on the adaptive significance of male parental care, and on how hormones affect parental behavior. Her studies of bird migration address how experience can regulate the onset and termination of migration, and what specific factors determine the distance an individual bird migrates. Dr. Ketterson's work combines the study of free-living birds with sophisticated laboratory techniques such as DNA fingerprinting. Current research focuses on clarifying the relationship between hormones and life histories (for example, looking at the physiological basis for the trade-off between energy spent on parenting and energy spent on mating).
For additional information, see:
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WEB PAGE
CURRICULUM VITAE
ABSTRACTS
E-MAIL
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http://www.indiana.edu/~animal/research/ketterson.html
http://www.indiana.edu/~animal/research/ketterson_cv.html
http://www.indiana.edu/~animal/research/ketterson_abstracts.html
ketterso@indiana.edu
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Rod Suthers
Professor, Program in Medical Sciences & CISAB, Indiana University
Areas of Expertise: HOW BIRDS PRODUCE SONG / SONAR IN ECHO-LOCATING BATS
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Dr. Suthers studies the neural and physiological bases of acoustic behavior. With songbirds he investigates the motor control of song production, the nature of neural lateralization in the control of song, and the development of song acquisition and vocal learning. His research with echolocating bats looks at how bats use acoustic information to track moving targets, and the mechanisms that control ultrasonic sonar cries.
For additional information, see:
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WEB PAGE
CURRICULUM VITAE
ABSTRACTS
E-MAIL
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http://www.indiana.edu/~animal/research/suthers.html
http://www.indiana.edu/~animal/research/suthers_cv.html
http://www.indiana.edu/~animal/research/suthers_abstracts.html
suthers@indiana.edu
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Jeff Alberts
Professor, Department of Psychology & CISAB, Indiana University
Areas of Expertise: PARENTAL CARE IN ANIMALS / FETAL DEVELOPMENT / RATS IN SPACE
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Dr. Alberts is concerned with the development of species-typical behaviors, such as the transition from suckling to independent feeding, which is a universal mammalian developmental process. Aspects of parental behavior, such as biparental care and parent-offspring interactions, are also studied. He is currently investigating the sensory and motor abilities of fetal rats as a way of understanding adaptation to prenatal life as well as anticipating the postnatal environment. For example, the ultrasonic vocalizations of infant rodents, in addition to being a form of acoustic communication with the parent, also play a role in early thermal and oxygen homeostasis. Dr. Alberts has a long association with NASA, and his research projects have been among those included on space shuttle missions.
For additional information, see:
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WEB PAGE
CURRICULUM VITAE
ABSTRACTS
E-MAIL
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http://www.indiana.edu/~animal/research/alberts.html
http://www.indiana.edu/~animal/research/alberts_cv.html
http://www.indiana.edu/~animal/research/alberts_abstracts.html
alberts@indiana.edu
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Meredith West
Professor, Department of Psychology & CISAB, Indiana University
Areas of Expertise: COMMUNCIATION IN BIRDS / PLAY BEHAVIOR
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Dr. West studies the development of communicative behavior. Her objective is to study the psychological capacities that animals have evolved to deal with the predictable and unpredictable features of their ecology. Her work includes the study of naturally-occurring forms of early experience (such as play, exploration, and social dynamics), the development of communication and social behavior, and the development of parental behavior. In this way Dr. West responds to the old "nature vs. nurture" debate by emphasizing how behavior is formed within a complex of interacting developmental dynamics. She and her collaborator/husband Dr. Andrew King published a popular article in American Scientist (1990, Volume 78, pages 106-114) called "Mozart's Starling" (reprint available upon request).
For additional information, see:
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WEB PAGE
CURRICULUM VITAE
ABSTRACTS
E-MAIL
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http://www.indiana.edu/~animal/research/west.html
http://www.indiana.edu/~animal/research/x_cv.html
http://www.indiana.edu/~animal/research/x_abstracts.html
mewest@indiana.edu
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Curt Lively
Professor, Department of Biology & CISAB, Indiana University
Areas of Expertise: ASEXUAL REPRODUCTION / PARASITE-HOST RELATIONSHIPS / EVOLUTIONARY PROCESSES
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Dr. Lively studies host-parasite interactions from an ecological and evolutionary perspective. He is conducting detailed studies of the interaction between a parasitic trematode and a freshwater New Zealand snail. In this species of snail, both sexual and asexual females exist (that is, some females mate with male snails to reproduce, while other female snails reproduce by cloning). Dr. Lively is finding that parasites may play important roles in sexual selection and the maintenance of genetic diversity of their hosts.
For additional information, see:
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WEB PAGES
CURRICULUM VITAE
ABSTRACTS
E-MAIL
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http://www.indiana.edu/~animal/research/lively.html
http://sunflower.bio.indiana.edu/~clively/Lively.html
http://www.indiana.edu/~animal/research/lively_cv.html
http://www.indiana.edu/~animal/research/lively_abstracts.html
clively@indiana.edu
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William Rowland
Professor, Department of Biology & CISAB, Indiana University
Areas of Expertise: VISUAL SIGNALS & AGGRESSION / VISUAL SIGNALS & MATE CHOICE / LEARNING IN FISH
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Dr. Rowland's current research agenda investigates visual signals and the mechanisms by which they control and mediate courtship, aggression, and other social behavior in fishes. He also studies mate choice and sexual selection, and what role learning plays in the social behavior of fishes. (In one project he manipulated computer animated fish as visual stimuli for experiments with real fish.)
Dr. Rowland is the Director of CISAB's Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) Program. Each summer, CISAB faculty, post-docs, and graduate students serve as mentors to 10 undergraduate interns selected from universities throughout the U.S. The goal is to offer promising science undergraduates at small schools, or from groups underrepresented in science, the opportunity to broaden their professional training by conducting their own research projects in cutting-edge research facilities. For information regarding CISAB's REU Program, see:
http://www.indiana.edu/~animal/academics/reu.html
For additional information, see:
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WEB PAGE
CURRICULUM VITAE
ABSTRACTS
E-MAIL
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http://www.indiana.edu/~animal/research/rowland.html
http://www.indiana.edu/~animal/research/rowland_cv.html
http://www.indiana.edu/~animal/research/rowland_abstracts.html
rowland@indiana.edu
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William Timberlake
Professor, Department of Psychology & Co-Director of CISAB, Indiana University
Areas of Expertise: CIRCADIAN RHYTHMS / ANIMAL BEHAVIOR / APPETITIVE-CONSUMMATORY BEHAVIOR
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Dr. Timberlake is Co-Director of the Center for the Integrative Study of Animal Behavior at Indiana University (established in 1991). His research agendas investigate broad areas of animal learning and behavior, including the regulation of feeding and drinking, and circadian and ultradian behavioral rhythms.
For additional information, see:
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WEB PAGE
CURRICULUM VITAE
ABSTRACTS
E-MAIL
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http://www.indiana.edu/~animal/research/timberlake.html
http://www.indiana.edu/~animal/research/timberlake_cv.html
http://www.indiana.edu/~animal/research/timberlake_abstracts.html
timberla@indiana.edu
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Edmund ("Butch") Brodie III
Associate Professor, Department of Biology & CISAB, Indiana University
Areas of Expertise: ANTIPREDATOR ADAPTATIONS of REPTILES & AMPHIBIANS
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Many individual traits either function in conjunction with, are inherited with, or influence the inheritance of other traits. Dr. Brodie's research investigates the evolutionary causes and implications of such integration. His work focuses on the antipredator adaptations of reptiles and amphibians, especially the interaction between behavior and color pattern; species he studies include Costa Rican arrow poison frogs, coral snakes, and garter snakes.
For additional information, see:
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WEB PAGES
CURRICULUM VITAE
ABSTRACTS
E-MAIL
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http://www.indiana.edu/~animal/research/brodie.html
http://sunflower.bio.indiana.edu/~bbrodie/
http://www.indiana.edu/~animal/research/brodie_cv.html
http://www.indiana.edu/~animal/research/brodie_abstracts.html
bbrodie@bio.indiana.edu
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Michael Wade
Professor, Department of Biology & CISAB, Indiana University
Areas of Expertise: POPULATION GENETICS / METAPOPULATIONS / MATERNAL EFFECTS
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Research description forthcoming.
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WEB PAGE
CURRICULUM VITAE
ABSTRACTS
E-MAIL
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http://www.indiana.edu/~animal/research/wade.html
http://www.indiana.edu/~animal/research/wade_cv.html
http://www.indiana.edu/~animal/research/wade_abstracts.html
mjwade@bio.indiana.edu
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M.K. Holder
Affiliated Scientist, Center for the Integrative Study of Animal Behavior, Indiana University
Director, Handedness Research Institute
Areas of Expertise: HANDEDNESS / PRIMATE BEHAVIOR
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Dr. Holder is a biological anthropologist interested in mechanisms underlying primate behavior (both human and non-human). Her primary research investigates the relationship between, and the evolution of, handedness and hemispheric brain specialization. Her work with handedness in human populations includes critiquing psychometric measures currently used to assess hand preference, and offering alternative theoretical frameworks for investigating handedness and brain lateralization. She also studies several species of wild primates in East Africa, including monkeys (red colobus, black-and-white colobus, redtail monkeys, grey-cheeked mangabeys) and apes (chimpanzees in Uganda and mountain gorillas in Rwanda). Dr. Holder provides extensive resources at her web site:
Primate Handedness & Brain Lateralization Research
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WEB SITES
CURRICULUM VITAE
E-MAIL
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http://www.indiana.edu/~primate/index.html
http://handedness.org/
http://www.indiana.edu/~primate/shamba.html#cv
primate@indiana.edu
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delighted when some of our findings are communicated to the public, and so we appreciate your interest in our work. In our experience working with various media formats (newspaper, magazine, radio, television, film, etc.) we've found that we are able to communicate most effectively and clearly to the public when writers / editors are willing to let us proof read that section of copy or script directly pertaining to our research. We understand that this is sometimes against editorial policy or simply inconvienent, however briefly describing complex and/or controversial scientific concepts to a non-specialist audience is always a challenge, even for the best-trained science writer. Thus, prior to giving an interview, we ask that the interviewer agree to (1) give us the opportunity to proof for factual and typographical errors, and (2) provide CISAB with a copy of the result (hard copy of article or tape of audio / video). We understand how deadlines loom, and agree to respond to proof as soon as possible.
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