Program Director
Sarah Meerts (B.A., Vassar College, Ph.D., Dartmouth College) teaches courses in behavioral neuroscience, hormones and behavior and the neurobiology of motivated behaviors like sexual behavior and parenting. Sarah’s research focuses on the hormonal and neural mechanisms that mediate sexual motivation and reward. Her research uses behavioral techniques and immunocytochemistry to better understand female rat sexual behavior and the neuroendocrine changes that occur during puberty to facilitate adult sexual behavior.
Core Faculty
Mayra Gisel Flores-Montoya (M.A. Experimental Psychology, Ph.D. in Psychology with a concentration in Neuroscience, The University of Texas at El Paso) teaches courses in Health Psychology and Neuroscience. Her research focuses on examining how early chronic exposure to low-level lead alters memory in children.
Eric Hoopfer (B.S., University of Michigan, Ph.D., Stanford University) studies the genetic and neural basis of social behavior. He uses genetic and molecular approaches to investigate the neural circuit mechanisms that control aggression and courtship behaviors in the fruit fly. He teaches courses in neuroscience, developmental neurobiology, and the genetic and neural circuit basis of behavior.
Book an appointment: erichoopfer.youcanbook.me
Dr. Jaramillo is a neurobiologist interested in sensory systems. His work focuses on the hair cell, the mechanosensory receptor of the auditory, vestibular, and lateral line systems. His current research interests include the study of mechanoelectrical transduction, molecular motors in the hair cell, the role of noise in sensory processing, and the physiology of synaptic transmission. He teaches Neurobiology, Human Physiology, and a Neuroscience seminar.
Dr. Rand, a vertebrate reproductive biologist, studies the hormonal mediation and function of sexually dimorphic traits. Currently he is looking at the role of genes in determining pigment differences in Sceloporus lizards. He teaches Animal Physiology, Vertebrate Morphology, a seminar on Behavioral Genetics, part of Introductory Biology, and a non-majors course that explores the biological basis of reproduction and sexuality in Humans.
Professor of Biology
Dr. Wolff is a developmental biologist interested in the embryonic development of the nervous system. She is currently using genetic and molecular approaches to investigate how male-specific neurons that control mating arise during development in the model organism C. elegans. She teaches Animal Developmental Biology, Developmental Neurobiology, part of Introductory Biology, and Biotechnology, Health, and Society.
Program Director of Neuroscience
Larry Wichlinski (Ph.D., Southern Illinois University) teaches courses in behavioral neuroscience, psychopharmacology, and sleep and dreaming. His research interests include the pharmacology of memory and anxiety, the behavioral and neurochemical effects of drug abuse, and sleep and dreaming.
Affiliated Faculty
Chair of Music
Neiworth website (click primates!) primates,
Professor of Psychology
