Rachael is a third-year graduate candidate in the Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior. She is a Graduate Instructor for BIOL4590 (Coral Reef Ecology) and is a recipient of the 3M Fellowship and the National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship. Rachael received her BA with magna cum laude from the University of Colorado Boulder in Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, Environmental Studies, and Atmospheric & Oceanic Sciences. She has extensive research experience across the fields of animal behavior, biomedical and environmental sciences resulting in scientific articles, media coverage, awards, and novel experimental approaches. Rachael’s research interests include understanding neural mechanisms responsible for cognitive function in organismal models, how these behaviors flux in response to environmental stress, and to explore these connections to better understand ecosystem health. For her PhD, she will be taking an interdisciplinary approach to investigate how neuroecology of cephalopods can be used as an indicator for marine ecosystem resilience. Additionally, Rachael would like to engage with stakeholders and the public so that her research can help manage marine ecosystems by policy decisions related to fisheries, climate, and human health. When not in the lab, Rachael enjoys traveling, scuba diving, partaking in photography and art. But for the most part, you can always find her hiking, gardening, and enjoying the outdoors with her husband and two big furry dogs!
Current project:
Rachael will be investigating cephalopod neuroecology using the hummingbird bobtail squid (Euprymna berryi). Rachael aims to understand how their neurodevelopment (neural circuits underlying camouflage) and experiential learning (prey capture) can be used as an indicator for marine ecosystem resilience. Due to the multi-component nature of neuroecology, she is applying an interdisciplinary approach (molecular, behavioral, computational, physiological, ecological methods) to her project. She will use high-speed videography of behavior, generating ‘big data’, which will be computationally mined to resolve how marine animals cope with ecosystem change.
Research interests: neuroecology, marine ecosystem resilience, data science
Selected Media & Outreach:
Invited Speaker: Joynoëlle Coral Reef Inspirational Fashion Show
https://cbs.umn.edu/blog-posts/fact-and-fashion
Radio Interview: UPR (Utah Public Radio) UnDisciplined hosted by Matthew LaPlante
Episode 9: The Bee Biologist and The Behavioral Neuroscientist
https://www.upr.org/post/undisciplined-bee-biologist-and-behavioral-neuroscientist
Selected publications:
Current project:
Rachael will be investigating cephalopod neuroecology using the hummingbird bobtail squid (Euprymna berryi). Rachael aims to understand how their neurodevelopment (neural circuits underlying camouflage) and experiential learning (prey capture) can be used as an indicator for marine ecosystem resilience. Due to the multi-component nature of neuroecology, she is applying an interdisciplinary approach (molecular, behavioral, computational, physiological, ecological methods) to her project. She will use high-speed videography of behavior, generating ‘big data’, which will be computationally mined to resolve how marine animals cope with ecosystem change.
Research interests: neuroecology, marine ecosystem resilience, data science
Selected Media & Outreach:
Invited Speaker: Joynoëlle Coral Reef Inspirational Fashion Show
https://cbs.umn.edu/blog-posts/fact-and-fashion
Radio Interview: UPR (Utah Public Radio) UnDisciplined hosted by Matthew LaPlante
Episode 9: The Bee Biologist and The Behavioral Neuroscientist
https://www.upr.org/post/undisciplined-bee-biologist-and-behavioral-neuroscientist
Selected publications:
- Dickinson KL , Monaghan AJ, Rivera IJ, Hu L, Kanyomse E, Alirigia R, Adoctor J, Kaspar RE, Oduro AR, Wiedinmyer C. (2016). Changing weather and climate in Northern Ghana: comparison of local perceptions with meteorological and land cover data. Regional Environmental Change 17: 915–928. DOI: 10.1007/s10113-016-1082-4
- Kaspar RE, Cook CN, Breed MD. (2018). Experienced individuals influence the thermoregulatory fanning behaviour in honey bee colonies. Animal Behaviour 142: 69–76. DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2018.06.004
- Johnson AM, Bullock BL, Neuwelt AJ, Poczobutt JM, Kaspar RE, Li HY, Kwak JW, Hopp K, Weiser-Evans MCM, Heasley LE, Schenk EL, Clambey ET, Nemenoff RA. (2020). Cancer cell-intrinsic expression of MHCII regulates the immune microenvironment and response to anti-PD1-1 therapy in lung adenocarcinoma. The Journal of Immunology 204: 2295–2307. DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.1900778
