People
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We are fortunate to work with excellent undergraduate students! Mentoring students is an important component of our lab. Central to our mentoring philosophy is identifying the students’ goals to help them grow towards them. By developing a relationship founded on mutual respect, we promote a friendly and engaging environment for students to learn through inquiry.
Undergrads in the lab participate in projects both at Purdue University (West Lafayette, IN) and at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (Gamboa, Panama), where our main lab and field facilities are located. Some of our undergrad students have also been involved in research projects with us at other locations including field sites in Florida (USA) and Irimote Island (Okinawa, Japan). Click here to see the undergraduate researchers in our lab |
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Katherine González
Graduate Student I am a tropical biologist from the National University of Costa Rica. After graduating I studied the ecology and post-reproductive movements of a Neotropical toad in the tropical dry forest. More recently I worked with tree frogs in the Osa Peninsula studying adaptive embryo behavior and environmentally cue hatching. I am interested in exploring the roles that eavesdroppers play in anuran communication and behavior during mating aggregations. I also plan to investigate how predation and parasitism could be altered by the presence of heterospecific anuran signalers. Email: kgonzalez@purdue.edu |
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Andrew Mularo
Graduate Student I received my bachelors degree in Evolution and Ecology from Ohio State University, with a minor in Entomology. While there, I conducted research on the chemical ecology and population genetics of Neo-tropical ants, as well as worked as a seasonal park naturalist. Here at Purdue, I am interested in using genetic and behavioral approaches to study various aspects of population dynamics in túngara frogs. Email: amularo@purdue.edu |
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Brian Leavell
Graduate Student Brian comes from Dr. Jesse Barber's lab at Boise State University where he studied sensory ecology, behavior and evolution within bat-insect interactions. Here, Brian aims to continue along these lines of inquiry while focusing on frog-biting midges. He is particularly interested in understanding the auditory system of the frog-biting midges and the effects this parasitic eavesdropper has on sexual selection in anurans. Email: bleavell@purdue.edu |
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Stephanie Gutierrez
Graduate Student I graduated from the University of Texas at Arlington in 2015 with a bachelors degree in Biology and Science Education. While earning my undergraduate degree I worked as a biology teacher at James Bowie High School and with the volunteer department at the Perot Museum of Nature and Science. As a graduate student at Purdue, I am co-advised between Dr. Bernal and Dr. Minchella. I am interested in studying the effects of trypanosomes on the behavior of anurans as well as the population biology, evolution, and genetics of host-parasite interactions. Email: gutier68@purdue.edu |
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Henry Legett
Graduate Student I am interested in the role of animal communication networks in the evolution of signaling strategies, and how animal behaviors change in response to anthropogenic pressures. Using field and laboratory experiments in Gamboa, Panama, I am investigating the selective pressures imposed by intended (females) and unintended receivers (eavesdroppers) on the calling strategies of túngara frogs (Engystomops pustulosus) and pug-nosed tree frogs (Smilisca sila). Email: hlegett@purdue.edu |
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Hoover Pantoja
Postdoctoral Researcher I am a bioengineer with a doctoral degree from the Universidad de Antioquia in Medellin, Colombia. I am interested in mosquito behavior and hearing. Email: hpantoja@gmail.com |
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