Bio
I am an Associate Professor in the Biology Department at Swarthmore College where I teach organismal biology courses, mentor students and conduct basic research on vertebrate behavior.
My projects investigate how hormones and the brain generate variation in behavior and connect this variation to fitness consequences in the wild. I am especially interested in the biological basis for differences within- and among-individuals with a focus on sexual behavior, coping behavior and (neuro)endocrine traits as the phenotypic characters of interest. Wild songbirds and frogs serve as tractable, relevant and interesting focal organisms.
When I’m not in the lab or outdoors, you can find me experimenting in the kitchen.
Education
2009 Ph.D. University of Texas at Austin | Neuroscience
2002 B.S. University of Utah | Biology
Academic Positions
2019– Associate Professor
Biology Department | Swarthmore College
2013–19 Assistant Professor
Biology Department | Swarthmore College
2010–13 Postdoctoral Fellow (with M. Hau & K. van Oers)
Max Planck Institute-Animal Behavior and the Netherlands Inst. Ecology
2004–09 Ph.D. Student (with M. Ryan)
Integrative Biol. & Neuroscience (UT-Austin) and STRI (Panama)
2003–04 Research Technician (with F. Goller & G. Rose)
Biology Department | University of Utah
2001–03 Curatorial Assistant (with E. Rickart)
Utah Museum of Natural History | University of Utah
Awards
2016 NSF MRI #1626008: Development of an observatory for quantitative analysis of collective behavior in animals. Collaborator (PI: Marc Schmidt, UPenn) $339,174
2016 James A. Michener Faculty Fellowship Swarthmore College, $81,500
2011 Alexander von Humboldt Foundation Post-doctoral Research Funding, €82,800
2010 Max Planck Society International Post-doctoral Research Funding, €27,600
2009 Animal Behavior Society Travel Grant, $1000
2009 NSF Travel Grant, $1000
2009 Animal Behavior Society Travel Grant, $500
2009 Animal Behavior Society Allee Best Student Presentation, Honorable Mention
2009 University of Texas Center for Perceptual Systems Travel Grant, $1000
2008 University of Texas Homer Lindsey Bruce Endowed Fellowship, $20,600
2007 University of Texas Center for Perceptual Systems Travel Grant, $1000
2007 Animal Behavior Society Research Grant, $500
2007 University of Texas Professional Development Award, $1000
2004 Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service (NIH) in Neurobiology, $22,750
2004 University of Texas Dean’s Excellence Award, $1000
2004 NSF Graduate Fellowship Program Honorable Mention
2002 Magna cum laude | University of Utah
2002 University of Utah Biology Undergraduate Research Program Grant, $1000
2002 University of Utah Senate Research Grant, $2500
2002 Packard Foundation Research Grant, $1000
2001 Bamfield Marine Station (Canada) Academic Merit Scholarship, $1500
1997 University of Utah Biology Department Seville Flowers Fellowship (declined)
1997 University of Utah Achievement Scholarship $1000
1997 Utah Creditors Association Merit Scholarship $1000