People

Principal Investigator

Dr. Aimee Sue Dunlap

Professor
Ph.D. in Ecology, Evolution & Behavior, University of Minnesota, 2009
M.S. in Biological Sciences, Northern Arizona University, 2002
B.S., B.A. in Biology, History, & English, University of Memphis, 2000
Partial B.S. studies, University of Helsinki, 1996-98

Office: 320 Research
Email: aimee.dunlap@umsl.edu
BlueSky: @msaimeesue.bsky.social

Aimee’s Teaching and Teaching Philosophy

Aimee’s Community Service and Outreach

Graduate Students

Becky Hansis-O’Neill

Ph.D. Candidate

B.S. in Psychology, Idaho State University
M.S. in Biological Sciences, Idaho State University

Research interests: animal cognition and welfare, science communication and outreach, employing digital museum specimens for education and outreach using digital interactives, augmented reality, and virtual reality

Office: 202 Benton
Email: bhc35@umsl.edu

Jeremy Howard

Ph.D. Candidate

B.S. in Biology, Juniata College, 2015
M.S. in Biological Sciences, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, 2019

Research interests: spatial behavior, spatial cognition, memory, navigation, learning, science and media

Office:
Email: jh5ym@umsystem.edu

Benjamin Krasnoff

M.S. student
B.S. in Biology, Washington University, 2022

Research Interests: cicadas, urban ecology, behavioral plasticity, human-wildlife interactions

Office: 237 Research
Email: bdk3kw@umsl.edu

George Todd

Ph.D. Candidate

B.S. in Biology, Purdue University, 2014
M.S. in Biology, Georgia Southern University, 2016

Research interests: hoverflies, urban ecology, behavioral plasticity, pollination, ecological tradeoffs

Office: 202 Benton
Email: gt6gr@umsl.edu

Undergraduate Students & Post-Bacc Researchers

  • Nick Ballenger, tarantula population biology
  • Taylor Boaz, bee learning and caffeine
  • Bethany Deffenbaugh, orchard pollination
  • Noah Gonia, bee gene expression and caffeine
  • Jordan Kolinski, tarantula color vision
  • Tim Lopez, tarantula population biology
  • Nathan Lu, orchard pollination
  • Blake Moore, bees and caffeine
  • Edwin Negron, bee learning and amino acids
  • Maddie Smith, effects of human disturbance on wild tarantulas
  • Kaylin Stokes, tarantula husbandry innovations

Lab Alumni

Ben Abts

M.S. in 2016
B.S. in Biology, Culver-Stockton College, 2010


Thesis: Forgetting and the value of information

Ben is now working in science education.

Dr. Matthew Austin

Ph.D. in 2020
B.S. in Biological Sciences, University of Missouri – Columbia, 2014

Dissertation: The role of plasticity in bumble bee responses to environmental variability

Matt is the Curator of Biodiversity Data at the Missouri Botanical Garden.

Michael Austin

M.S. 2025
B.S. in Biology, University of Missouri, St. Louis, 2017

Research Interests:  evolution of learning and the economics of decision making

Michael is working in Biotech in the St. Louis area.

Avery Baker

M.S. 2022

B.S. in Biology, University of Missouri, Columbia

Thesis: The effects of floral and social information on bumblebee forager learning and memory

Email: ahbb6f@umsystem.edu

Emily Beahm

M.S. 2024

B.S. in Biology, Missouri S&T, Rolla, Missouri

Thesis: Investigation of the sub-lethal effects of Beauveria bassisana on Bombus impatiens colonies

Emily is working in science education and communication

Dr. Rachel Brant

Ph.D. 2022

B.S. in Biology, Saint Louis University, 2016
M.S. in Biology, Saint Louis University, 2018

Dissertation: Bee brains: dissecting pollinator behavior and the importance of plasticity in the face of changing environments

Rachel’s Website

Rachel is the Manager for Business and Data Analytics with the St. Louis Cardinals

Dr. Andréia Figueiredo Dexheimer

Ph.D. in 2021

B.S. in Biology, Universidade Federal do Maranhão, Brazil, 2014
M.B.A. in Project Management – Escola de Negocios Excellence, Brazil

Dissertation: Cognitive Ecology of Color Vision in Orchid Bees

Andréia is a Research Development Associate with Washington University in St. Louis

Pablo Iturralde

M.S. in 2018, co-advised with Wendy Olivas
Bachelor in interdisciplinary studies (Chemistry, Management & Anthropology), University of Missouri, St. Louis, 2013
A.A. in business management, Miami Dade College, 2004
Thesis: Transcriptomics of learning

Pablo is now a PhD candidate at Brown University.

Jill Lee

M.S. in 2022
B.S. in Animal Science, Missouri State University, 2017

Thesis: The effects of overshadowing in Drosophila melanogaster with experimentally evolved preference

Jill works as a scientist in agricultural biotech in St. Louis.

Dr. Priya Maharaj

Ph.D. in 2016, co-advised with Godfrey Bourne
M.S. in Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of Warwick, 2011
B.Sc. in Biology, University of Guyana, 2005
Dissertation: Color-mediated foraging by pollinators: A comparative study of two passionflower butterflies at Lantana camara

Priya is now the Director, Centre for Study of Biological Diversity, University of Guyana.

Mellissa Marcus

M.S. in 2016
B.S. in Biochemistry/Biotechnology, University of Missouri- St. Louis, 2012
Thesis: Experimental evolution of color preference in Drosophila melanogaster

Mellissa is now working as a lab tech in the St. Louis area.

Itachi Mills

M.S. in 2017
B.S. in Fisheries & Wildlife, University of Minnesota- Twin Cities, 2012
Thesis: The ecology of fear: a fruit fly (Drosophila melanogaster) perspective

Itachi is now working in the St. Louis area as a lab tech while continuing research on flies.

Dr. Isabel Rojas-Ferrer

M.S. in 2016
Thesis: Predicting choices in bumblebees (Bombus impatiens): learning rules and the two-armed bandit

Isabel received her PhD from the University of Ottawa and is now an Assistant Professor at the Universidad de Puerto Rico – Humacao

Dr. Nancy Kohn

Postdoc, 2012-2014

Nancy is an Associate Professor at Cottey College in Nevada, Missouri.

 

Undergraduate Alumni

Independent Research Credit Students and Research Assistants (Students working on thesis or extensive capstone projects denoted with *)

Jean Adkins (2013-2014), Dannice Alexander* (2019-2020), May Allgire (2014-2015), Moses Alshimary (2019-2020), Grey Andre (Fall 2020), Marissa Antrainer (2020-2021), Keeandra Archambault (2017), Michael Austin* (2015-2017), Abdullah Baig (Spring 2023), Bryson Barkley (Fall 2022), Randall Beck (2016), Charles Blanton (2018), Sharvitti Broussard (2019), Emanda Brown (2013), Michaela Browne (2019), Colton Burris (Spring 2023), Evan Carlen (2019), Binisha Chhetri (2018), Kayle Cohen (Spring 2023), Vivian Congleton (Summer 2022), Amanda Corrado* (2013-2015), Kevin Corrigan (Spring 2023), Jennifer Cosgrove (2012-2015), Magnus Creed (2016), Emily Cuttle (2017), Matthew Czarnecki (2012), Jessica Dean* (2012-2013), Rebecca Dickerson (2012), Tiffany Dinh* (2021-22), Alexander Entwhistle (Spring 2024), Misbah Faniad (2018), Sydnee Feldmann (2018), Hannah Franko* (2014-2016), Jenna Freund (2015), Cameron George (2023), Harmeet Ghai (2020), Lilli Goldman (2018), Abigail Green (2012), Brock Greene (Summer 2022), Ashley Gregory-rives (Spring 2024), Amina Hamza (2021), Katelyn Hanners* (2019-2020), Winter Harmsen (2024), Alexandra Haselman (2017), Noreen Heyari (2017), Joshua Higgins (2013-2014), Victoria Hines (2017), Christina Hoffman* (2015-2016), Patricia Horack* (2013-2015), Hassan Hossayrami (2015), Kevin Huck (2016), Lynn Huffman (2016), Rula Ibraheem (2018), Owen Ireton* (2021-2023), Maria Irving (2016), Kathryn Janssen (2014-2015), William Kannady (2014-2015), Sukvir Kaur (2017), Stephanie Kennedy (2024), McKenzie King (2020), Jacob Kottmier (2019), Candice Krull (2019-2020), Ezra Kruzich* (2020), Lucas Lauter* (2021-22), Zachary Lindsay (2017), Shelby Lipe (2023), Safia Madani (2014-2016), Robyn Mahoney (2013-2015), Connor Magner-Sackman (2020), Hilmo Malkic (2017-2018), Tian Manning* (2018-2020), Omar Manzoor (2021), Mellissa Marcus (2012-2013), Hibah Mazri (Fall 2022), Sierra McAlister (2018), Stephanie McDonald (2022), Brooke McGlasson (2017), Rachel Milliot (2018), Brittany Minor* (2019-2020), Kristin Moseley (2014), Jake Mullen (2013), Melisa Muminovic (2018), Maria Nguyen (2016), Kate O’Sullivan (2023), Gabi Ortiz (2021), Ki Baek Park (2017), Darshan Patel (2015), Raj Patel (2014), Sheilamae Paytocan (2013), Randall Perkins II (2017), Logan Philpott (2019), Olivia Ransin (2019), Melia Reeves-Long (2019), Joseph Rund (2015-2017), Jacob Ryno (2019-2020), Alaa Saffaf (2017), Abrar Salameh (2022), Gracie Schmidt (2021), Youngsoo Shin (2019), Kunal Singh (2018), Caitlyn Smith (2015), Emina Spahic (2018), Carly Spielberg (2019-2020), Lynnsey Street* (2016-2017), Lauren Szyhowski (2016), Merhawit Teame (2017), Adam Thompson (2015-2017), Dana Townsend (2013-2014), Sahil Vaid (2019), Tyler Wagner (2017), Katherine West* (2015-2017), Stephanie Wooten (2014), Sarah Wyne (2015), Marisa Yoder (2013-2014)

Summer High School Student Alumni

From Jennings High School and/or the CLIMB Program

Nikita Allen (2018), Makayla Glen (2025), Shivaunye Ivy (2015), Mya McClain (2017), Marniesha Perry (2016), Kyrnn Peoples (2017), Paris Prince (2023), Rosie Puckett (2024), Cameron Stith (2016), Kaylan Waters (2018), Javant Watson (2022), Amoni White (2018) 

From the Students and Teachers as Research Scientists (STARS) Program

Sindhu Bala (2019, Lindbergh HS), Della Cox (2017, University City HS, University of Missouri, Columbia), Amanda Crawford (2014, Parkway North HS, Carleton College), Alexander Donovan (2017, Mary Institute & St. Louis County Day School, Stanford University), Bolatito Fatoki (2015, Whitfield School, Georgia Tech), Ellie Gira (2021, Mary Institute & St. Louis County Day School), Christopher Halen (2014, Whitfield School, Washington University), Deena Iqbal (2021, Lafayette HS), Laurie Lee (2017, Francis Howell HS, Washington & Lee University), Yushin Lee (2015-2016, Zumwalt North HS, Washington University), Kamau MuseMorris (2019-2020, Maplewood Richmond Heights HS), Alexandra Rice (2016-2017, Ladue High School, Princeton University), Lucas Shanker (2015, Parkway Central HS, Purdue University), Lily Sheets (2018, John Burroughs School), Surya Sompalli (2021, Fort Zumwalt West HS), Adam Urish (2018, St. Louis Priory School, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign), Danielle Zhang (2021, Ladue Horton Watkins HS)