[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.16″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_margin=”5px|auto||auto||”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.16″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
Michael Baltzley<\/strong>:\u00a0My primary interest is in how nervous systems evolve to create novel behavioral patterns. However, I enjoy investigating many aspects of animal behavior and physiology. I’ve had students study locomotion in gastropods (slugs and snails), sensory neurons in leeches, and orientation in fruit flies. My research involves quantifying behavioral patterns in\u00a0different species, identifying neurons that underlie behaviors, and\u00a0comparing the features of neurons across species.<\/p>\n Sarah Boomer<\/strong>: I use DNA techniques to describe microbial populations. I encourage students to develop their own projects to study microbes from local environments. Recent projects have examined bacterial populations in soils, rivers, and tooth-plaque! Given safety and technical issues, students need to have done well in General Microbiology (BI 331) before proposing project ideas. Students (1-2 per year) develop project ideas in fall, execute in winter, and present in spring.<\/p>\n Bryan Dutton<\/strong>: I study evolutionary relationships among flowering plants (especially members of the Buttercup Family), local floras, plant distribution and demographics in urban areas, and invasive plant species. I currently have students working on research projects dealing with the distribution of trees in municipalities near Western Oregon University.<\/p>\n Gareth Hopkins<\/strong>: I am an ecologist interested in how organisms are affected by, and respond to, stressors in their environment, both natural and anthropogenic. This research spans multiple layers of biological organization, from the behavioral and physiological responses of individuals to the evolutionary responses of populations and the ecological responses of communities. My research centers mostly around amphibians, reptiles, and insects, and is underpinned by natural history. I actively work with students in the field and the lab interested in conservation, ecology, animal behavior, entomology, and herpetology. You can find out more about my research here: garethrhopkins.com<\/a><\/p>\n Ava Howard<\/strong>:\u00a0I study plant ecology and physiology focusing on water dynamics. Recent\u00a0studies include the anatomy and physiology of invasive plants and Oregon\u00a0oak-savannah ecology. Students in my lab read primary literature, learn\u00a0experimental design, collect data and typically present findings at a local\u00a0or national meeting.<\/p>\n Kristin Latham<\/strong>: I use the amazing fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster<\/em>, to study genetics, development, and behavior. Currently I have two projects, both of which involve undergraduate students: 1) analysis of how the fly immune system copes with exposure to pathogens and 2) examination of directional preference in flies. \u00a0Link to Dr. Latham’s Research page<\/a>.<\/p>\n Michael LeMaster<\/strong>:\u00a0My research focuses on chemical communication among vertebrates. More specifically, I am interested in chemical cues facilitating the reproductive [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Michael Baltzley:\u00a0My primary interest is in how…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":435,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"","_seopress_titles_title":"%%post_title%% | %%sitetitle%%","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","_lmt_disableupdate":"no","_lmt_disable":"","_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"Michael Baltzley<\/strong>:\u00a0My primary interest is in how nervous systems evolve to create novel behavioral patterns. However, I enjoy investigating many aspects of animal behavior and physiology. I've had students study locomotion in gastropods (slugs and snails), sensory neurons in leeches, and orientation in fruit flies. My research involves quantifying behavioral patterns in\u00a0different species, identifying neurons that underlie behaviors, and\u00a0comparing the features of neurons across species.\n\nErin Baumgartner<\/strong>: My research focuses on teaching and learning in science. I am most interested in understanding how we build and improve scientific literacy in non-scientists. I also am mentoring students who are interested in engaging in animal behavior research.\n\nSarah Boomer<\/strong>: I use DNA techniques to describe microbial populations. I encourage students to develop their own projects to study microbes from local environments. Recent projects have examined bacterial populations in soils, rivers, and tooth-plaque! Given safety and technical issues, students need to have done well in General Microbiology (BI 331) before proposing project ideas. Students (1-2 per year) develop project ideas in fall, execute in winter, and present in spring.\n\nBryan Dutton<\/strong>: I study evolutionary relationships among flowering plants (especially members of the Buttercup Family), local floras, plant distribution and demographics in urban areas, and invasive plant species. I currently have students working on research projects dealing with the distribution of trees in municipalities near Western Oregon University.\n\nGareth Hopkins<\/strong>: I am an ecologist interested in how organisms are affected by, and respond to, stressors in their environment, both natural and anthropogenic. This research spans multiple layers of biological organization, from the behavioral and physiological responses of individuals to the evolutionary responses of populations and the ecological responses of communities. My research centers mostly around amphibians, reptiles, and insects, and is underpinned by natural history. I actively work with students in the field and the lab interested in conservation, ecology, animal behavior, entomology, and herpetology. You can find out more about my research here: garethrhopkins.com<\/a>\n\nAva Howard<\/strong>:\u00a0I study plant ecology and physiology focusing on water dynamics. Recent\u00a0studies include the anatomy and physiology of invasive plants and Oregon\u00a0oak-savannah ecology. Students in my lab read primary literature, learn\u00a0experimental design, collect data and typically present findings at a local\u00a0or national meeting.\n\nKristin Latham<\/strong>: I use the amazing fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster<\/em>, to study genetics, development, and behavior. Currently I have two projects, both of which involve undergraduate students: 1) analysis of how the fly immune system copes with exposure to pathogens and 2) examination of directional preference in flies. \u00a0Link to Dr. Latham's Research page<\/a>.\n\nMichael LeMaster<\/strong>:\u00a0My research focuses on chemical communication among vertebrates. More specifically, I am interested in chemical cues facilitating the reproductive\nprocess. The study of these sex pheromones involves both field- and laboratory-based experimentation using the garter snake as a model system.","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"class_list":["post-853","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/wou.edu\/biology\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/853","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/wou.edu\/biology\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/wou.edu\/biology\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wou.edu\/biology\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/435"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wou.edu\/biology\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=853"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/wou.edu\/biology\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/853\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/wou.edu\/biology\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=853"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
process. The study of these sex pheromones involves both field- and laboratory-based experimentation using the garter snake as a model system.<\/p>\n