Damaris Coralie Riedner serves as a Guest Researcher in the Department of Biology, Ecology and Evolution at the Faculty of Science, University of Copenhagen, focusing on conservation strategies for critically threatened Southern white rhinoceros populations. Education Ph.D. (2025), Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Copenhagen Her research integrates conservation biology, wildlife genetics, and bioacoustics to investigate inbreeding avoidance mechanisms through kin recognition and dispersal behaviors. This interdisciplinary approach addresses urgent threats including poaching and habitat fragmentation that exacerbate genetic isolation in rhinoceros populations. Recent publications demonstrate dual research thrusts: applying socio-spatial network analysis to rhinoceros conservation genetics and developing citizen science methodologies for carnivore protection in Kruger National Park. Both 2025 outputs highlight innovative technical approaches to wildlife monitoring and threat mitigation in fragmented ecosystems.
Dr. Kristen Hawkes is a distinguished Professor of Anthropology at the University of Utah, affiliated with the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences. She is renowned for her groundbreaking work on human evolution, particularly through field studies of hunter-gatherer societies like the Paraguayan Ache and Tanzanian Hazda. Education: B.S. in Sociology and Anthropology (Iowa State University), M.A. and Ph.D. in Anthropology (University of Washington) Research Focus: Hawkes' research centers on human life history evolution , with emphasis on grandmothering , male mating strategies , and longevity . Her Grandmother Theory explains how postmenopausal women enhance offspring survival through caregiving, driving natural selection for extended lifespans. She explores pair bonds , sex ratio dynamics , and cognitive evolution in ancestral contexts. Publication Trends: Recent work examines fire exploitation in hominin evolution , telomere dynamics , and comparative aging between humans and chimpanzees. Her studies span evolutionary biology , primatology , and ethnoarchaeology , with recurring themes in hunting hypothesis critiques and reproductive senescence . Awards and Recognition: Recipient of the Rosenblatt Prize (2002), elected to the National Academy of Sciences (2002), and served on the Leakey Foundation's executive committee. Her contributions have significantly advanced understanding of human evolutionary ecology.
Helga Veronica Tinnesand serves as Associate Professor at the University of South-Eastern Norway (USN), affiliated with the Institute for Nature, Health and the Environment within the Faculty of Technology, Natural Sciences and Maritime Studies. Based at Campus Bo, she holds critical administrative roles in research education, ethics oversight, and data management while maintaining an active research program in chemical ecology. Her research focuses on olfactory communication in nocturnal mammals , particularly Eurasian beavers and European badgers. Using advanced chemical analysis, she investigates how gland secretions convey information about individual identity, social status, group membership, and kinship. Her work reveals complex signal layers in anal and subcaudal gland secretions that enable territory defense, social coordination, and reproductive strategies. Analysis of her publications (2009-2020) shows consistent contributions to understanding chemical signaling mechanisms. Key themes include: territorial assessment strategies, context-dependent intruder responses, multi-layered chemical signatures, and methodological rigor in GC-MS data processing. Her research bridges analytical chemistry and behavioral ecology to decode animal communication systems. Scientific Recognition: 3rd Prize in Poster Competition at 5th International Beaver Symposium (Lithuania, 2009) Multiple presentations at international conferences including Chemical Signals in Vertebrates and International Behavioral Ecology Congresses As research education coordinator, she supervises graduate students in ecological fieldwork and chemical analysis techniques. Her international collaborations (UK, Germany, Australia) provide students with cross-institutional research opportunities. Her methodological publications establish best practices for chemical ecology data interpretation, enhancing research reliability in the field. Her laboratory work centers on chemical analysis of mammal secretions using gas-chromatography mass spectrometry, supported by chemometric data analysis to extract biological meaning from complex chemical profiles. This approach has revealed how animals encode social information in scent marks at individual and group levels.
Shannon Ringenbach is an Associate Professor at Arizona State University's College of Health Solutions, leading the Sensorimotor Development Research Lab. Her work focuses on Assisted Cycle Therapy (ACT) for neurological populations including Down syndrome, ADHD, ASD, and stroke survivors. Ph.D. in Motor Control/Motor Development, Purdue University (1998) M.Sc. in Human Biodynamics, McMaster University (1993) B.Pe., McMaster University (1991) Research interests span motor-cognitive interactions, neurological rehabilitation, and physical activity interventions. ACT studies show improvements in executive function, manual dexterity, and cardiorespiratory fitness across neurodiverse populations. Recent publications highlight ACT applications for sleep disorders, motor planning, and cognitive enhancement in Down syndrome. Awards include NASPSPA's Excellence in Research (2015), Devils Advocates' Apple Polisher (2015), and multiple ASU teaching recognitions. 2018 Outstanding Educator of the Year 2016 Outstanding Doctoral Mentor nomination 2015 Excellence in Research Award 2014 Super Mentor, BUILDing SCHOLARS Grant She teaches KIN 345 (Motor & Developmental Learning) and KIN 422 (Motor Control/Spcl Populations), advising Barrett Honors theses and graduate researchers. Her lab integrates neuroscience with clinical interventions, supported by NIH and World Down Syndrome Congress grants.
Sarah Orr is an Assistant Professor in the Biology Department at the University of Tampa, specializing in insect ecotoxicology with a focus on environmental stressors' impacts on social insect pollinators including bees and wasps. She employs molecular, physiological, and behavioral approaches to study gene-environment interactions across biological scales from gene expression to colony performance. Her educational background includes: Ph.D. in Toxicology from North Carolina State University (2022), dissertation: Physiological Mechanisms of Major Ion Toxicity in Aquatic Insects M.S. in Biomedical Sciences from Mercer University (2018), thesis: Potential Mechanisms of Inorganic Mercury Intoxication in Rat Kidney Cells B.S. in Biology from University of North Georgia (2016) Dr. Orr's research centers on understanding how pesticides and heat disrupt pollinator development, behavior, and reproduction. Current projects investigate sulfoxaflor's effects on bumblebee reproduction, caste-specific gene expression in wasps, and morphological plasticity under stress. Her work bridges ecotoxicology, genetics, and conservation biology to address pollinator decline in agricultural landscapes. Analysis of her 23+ publications reveals consistent focus on pesticide impacts (particularly sulfoxaflor), social insect genomics, and physiological adaptations to environmental stressors. Key themes include caste differentiation mechanisms, reproductive toxicity, and evolutionary signatures of sociality in Hymenoptera, published in journals like Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry and Heredity . Her scientific recognition includes: Georgia Institute of Technology College of Sciences Outstanding Junior Research Faculty Award (2025) USDA NIFA Postdoctoral Fellowship (2023-2025) University of North Georgia “20 Under 40” Award (2023) Dr. Orr actively mentors 11+ students across institutions including Georgia Tech and Agnes Scott College, with current projects funded by a USDA NIFA Fellowship on pesticide-induced developmental disruption. She serves as a journal peer reviewer and conducts community outreach through K-12 programming and events like the Atlanta Science Festival. She leads a research laboratory at the University of Tampa investigating pollinator health through molecular, physiological, and behavioral assays, collaborating with teams at Georgia Tech and other institutions on projects spanning from gene expression to colony-level performance metrics.
Sergio Pellis is a Professor at the Canadian Centre for Behavioural Neuroscience (CCBN) at the University of Lethbridge, conducting cross-species research on social behavior mechanisms. His work integrates neuroscience, ethology, and cybernetics to examine play fighting, movement organization, and social cognition. His research focuses on play fighting in juvenile rats and its role in social brain development, comparative analysis of primate play evolution , and neural computation in movement orchestration . Key methodologies include behavioral observation across species (rats, fish, arthropods, pigs, primates), neural lesion studies, and cybernetic modeling of combat sequences. Major grants include NSERC-funded projects: Brain-behaviour relationships in social behavior development ($43,134, 2008-13) and international collaborations like The evolution of social play in primates with Bernard Thierry (University of Louis Pasteur). Current work involves data collection at global locations including San Diego Zoo. Principal Investigator for grants analyzing brain-behavior relationships Co-researcher with Bryan Kolb (University of Lethbridge) on neural mechanisms Collaborator with international institutions on primate behavior studies His educational background includes a B.Sc. (Hons.) in Zoology and Genetics, Diploma of Education, and Ph.D. in Zoology/Ethology. Media features include CCBN Researchers - A"head" of the Game (Legend, November 2001). Expertise spans brain mechanisms in social cognition, behavioral development, movement organization, and social interactions, with proficiency in Italian.
Mirna Guha is Senior Lecturer in Sociology and Deputy Head of School (History, International Relations, Politics, Philosophy, Sociology) at Anglia Ruskin University's School of Humanities and Social Sciences. She concurrently serves as External Examiner for Oxford Brookes University's BA Sociology programme and Visiting Senior Research Fellow in Gendered Violence and Social Justice at the University of Suffolk's Institute for Social Justice and Crime. Her educational background includes: PhD in International Development (University of East Anglia, fully funded by Postgraduate Internationalisation Studentship) MA in Gender and International Development (University of Warwick, fully funded by Commonwealth Shared Scholarship) MA in English (Jadavpur University, India) BA in English (Hons) (Jadavpur University, India) Guha's research critically examines gender-based violence and social (in)justice within marginalized communities globally, with particular focus on sex work in India and domestic abuse among Asian women in England. Her interdisciplinary approach bridges sociology, criminology, development studies, and public health , emphasizing decolonial methodologies and centering marginalized voices. She actively challenges victim-blaming narratives while documenting resistance strategies and care networks in oppressive contexts. Her recent publications (2018-2024) reveal consistent thematic focus on everyday violence , structural oppression , and community-led resistance across India and England. Key patterns include ethnographic analysis of sex workers' lived experiences, critical examination of anti-trafficking interventions, and innovative research on domestic abuse service provision for racialized women. Her work consistently advocates for 'nothing about us without us' approaches in policy and practice. Scientific recognition includes: Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (HEA) Guha supervises doctoral research on gender-based violence in Nigeria and EAL pupil inclusion in English schools. Her grant portfolio features a £249,721 Medical Research Council project ( Nothing about us without us ) investigating Black and racialised women's leadership in domestic abuse services, alongside ARU-funded research on Asian women's vulnerabilities. She actively translates research into practice through awareness campaigns, statutory agency training, and Home Office-commissioned evaluations for Peterborough Women’s Aid. Her research team collaborates across institutional boundaries with the University of Suffolk's Institute for Social Justice and Crime, Cambridgeshire domestic abuse services, and specialist agencies serving Asian survivors. This network actively develops evidence-based models for 'led by and for' service provision in East England.
Keith A. Berven is an Associate Professor in the Department of Biological Sciences at Oakland University. He has maintained a long-term research program focused on amphibian ecology, particularly wood frogs, with continuous monitoring of a single population for over 35 years. His office is located in Dodge Hall Room 375, and his laboratory facilities are in Rooms 302 and 351 DH at Oakland University's Rochester, Michigan campus. Dr. Berven's research interests center on amphibian population dynamics, larval ecology, and metamorphic development. He has dedicated decades to studying wood frogs, examining environmental influences, density-dependent factors, and parasite interactions that affect population fluctuations. His work spans ecological stoichiometry, kin recognition, and competitive interactions among amphibians. Dr. Berven's research program demonstrates remarkable continuity, with some studies building on data collected over multiple decades. His publication record shows consistent contributions to amphibian ecology spanning from the late 1970s to the present. The research trends reveal an evolution from foundational work on genetic adaptation and mate choice to contemporary investigations of ecological stoichiometry, parasite dynamics, and the effects of environmental factors on amphibian development. His work frequently appears in high-impact ecology journals including Ecology, Oecologia, and Journal of Animal Ecology. Dr. Berven actively mentors students, currently supervising four undergraduate researchers and one graduate student on projects related to amphibian ecology. His teaching portfolio includes BIO 1300 (Biology II), BIO 3312 (Field Botany), BIO 3320 (Vertebrate Zoology), BIO 3332 (Field Biology), and BIO 4970 (Scientific Inquiry and Communication), demonstrating his commitment to both foundational biological education and advanced research training.
Michael Brecht is a Professor at Humboldt University of Berlin, Faculty of Life Sciences, Department of Biology. His research focuses on neural mechanisms underlying somatosensory processing, memory consolidation, kinship behavior, and social play. He leads a research group investigating brain circuits related to these functions, with particular emphasis on the lateral septum, periaqueductal gray, and somatosensory cortex. Professor Brecht's research interests include: Neural circuits for somatosensory processing and body map representation Mechanisms of memory consolidation from synapses to systems Neural basis of kinship behavior and social recognition Neurobiology of social play and vocal communication Spatial coding and navigation systems in the brain His recent publications reveal a consistent focus on understanding how specific brain regions encode social and sensory information. Brecht's work frequently employs advanced techniques including electrophysiology, calcium imaging, optogenetics, and large-scale neural recording to investigate circuit mechanisms. A notable trend in his research is the investigation of sex differences in neural processing, particularly in genital somatosensory representation, and the identification of specialized neural architectures for social behaviors like kinship recognition. Scientific contributions include: Discovery of nepotopy (topographical representation of kin/nonkin) in the lateral septum Demonstration of sex differences in genital cortex representation Identification of glycine-dependent mechanisms in social play behavior Mapping of vocalization-related activity in brainstem nuclei Elucidation of perirhinal input mechanisms for neocortical learning Professor Brecht actively mentors students and collaborates with researchers across multiple institutions. His laboratory investigates both fundamental neural mechanisms and their implications for understanding social behavior. Current work appears focused on understanding the molecular and circuit-level basis of kinship memory and the neural substrates of social play behavior across development.
