Research Summary
My research group in Utah is focused on understanding the neural underpinnings of naturally occurring behaviors or neuroethology. We primarily study moth flight behaviors that are mediated by odors, such as mate finding and foraging. Then, using this behavioral framework as context, we investigate the neurobiology of the olfactory system (sense of smell) to uncover how the brain detects, processes and discriminates between odors in a way that allows the animal to respond adaptively to odors.
Education
- Ph.D., Entomology, University of California, Riverside. Project: Pheromone‑mediated olfactory and behavioral mechanisms in the tobacco budworm, Heliothis virescens (F.).
- B.Sc. (Hons.), Biology, Imperial College of Science and Technology
Biography
I am originally from the U.K. Following my undergraduate degree (B.Sc. Biology 1987) from Imperial College, London, I entered the Ph.D graduate program in Entomology at the University of California, Riverside and graduated in 1992. After two postdoctoral stints (Iowa State University and University of Arizona), I was hired as an Assistant Professor at the University of Utah.