The Neuroscience and Behavior Focus Group includes faculty interested in organismal form and function. Research interests span a wide range of problems, but emphasize the mechanistic analysis of behavior. A particular strength of the group is common faculty interest in neuroethology, the neural basis of naturally occurring animal behavior. The faculty specialize in the chemoreception, acoustic and chemical communication, locomotion, social insects, and biological clocks. Focus group faculty provide expertise in techniques such as electrophysiology, acoustic and ultrasonic recording, kinematics of movement, electromyography, neuroanatomy, confocal microscopy, electron microscopy, and calcium imaging.
Faculty offer several graduate seminar courses; subjects are chosen according to current faculty and student interests. Recent seminars have included Bioinspiration and Biomimetics, Neural Circuits and Behavior, and Conservation Physiology.
We strongly encourage prospective graduate students to email, call, and/or visit the individual faculty members of the Neurobiology and Behavior group to explore opportunities for research leading to MS or PhD degrees.