People

 

  • OctOphir Fest 2021. Probst!

 

 

Dr. Alexander G. Ophir – Principal Investigator


Cornell University
Department of Psychology
Behavioral & Evolutionary Neuroscience
Email: ophir@cornell.edu
Twitter: @alexophir

 

Research Interests: Proximate & ultimate influences on social behavior: including individual variation in genes, brain and behavior; monogamy and social attachment; alternative reproductive tactics; parental care; early life social influence on development; social & spatial memory; mate choice; animal communication; reproductive decision-making.

Dr. Jesus Madrid – Postdoctoral Fellow:

2019 – Present
Cornell NextGen Future Professors Fellow
 
PhD (2018), Stanford University

BA (2012) Columbia University

Email: jem547@cornell.edu

 

Research Interests: Developmental plasticity, social perception, oxytocin, vasopressin, social behavior, mating strategies.

Dr. Lindsay Sailer – Postdoctoral Fellow:

2019 – Present
NIH National Research Service Award (NRSA) Fellow
PhD (2018), Florida State University

BA (2010) University of North Florida

Email: lls222@cornell.edu

Personal webpage

Research Interests: social bonding, partner preference, early-life experiences, social aggression, vasopressin, oxytocin, chemogenetics, epigenetics, individual differences.

Rachael Beaumont – PhD Student:

2022 – Present

NSF Graduate Research  Fellow

BS (2019) Georgia State University

Email: rb799@cornell.edu

 

 

 

Research Interests: neural mechanisms of social behavior, mating behavior, individual differences, vasopressin, oxytocin.

Mary Elson – PhD Student:

2022 – Present

 

BS & BA (2016) University of Minnesota

MSc (2018) University of Edinburgh

Email: me436@cornell.edu

 

 

 

Research Interests: Evolutionary neuroscience, social behavior, pairing behavior, neuroethology, comparative neurobiology & cognition.

Rikki Laser – PhD Student:

2020 – Present
NSF Graduate Research Fellow
BA (2020) University of Iowa

Email: rsl249@cornell.edu

 

Research Interests: Development, social behavior, neurobiology, neuroethology.

Susanna Zheng – PhD Student:

2021 – Present
BA (2020) University of California, Davis

Email: sz272@cornell.edu

 

Research Interests: Stress, early experience, development, social behavior, neurobiology.

 Lab Alumni:
David Zheng
PhD Student: 2009 – 2012
NSF Graduate Research Fellow
Position(s): PhD Student, University of Texas; Postdoc, University of Utah; Postdoc Cornell University (K. Tschida)
PhD Student: 2009 – 2015
NSF Graduate Research Fellow
NSF Oklahoma Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (OK-LSAMP) Bridge to the Doctorate Fellow
Position(s): MD (University of Kansas), Residency (Pediatrics) Univ. of Texas Southwestern Children’s Medical Center
Postdoc Associate: 2012-2016
TED Fellow
Position(s): Assistant Professor, Southern Illinois University
PhD Student: 2011 – 2018
NSF Graduate Research Fellowship – two time Honorable Mention
Position(s): Postdoc, University of California, Berkeley; Private Industry
Postdoc Associate: 2014-2018
NIH National Research Service Award (NRSA) Fellow
Position(s): Associate Professor, Emory University
PhD Student: 2015-2020
NSF Graduate Research Fellowship
Position(s): NIH DP5 Fellow, Assistant Professor, University of Colorado, Boulder
PhD Student: 2011-2020
NSF Graduate Research Fellowship
Position(s): Postdoc, Cornell University (M. Gonzalez, A. Burrow); Private Industry
Postdoc Associate: 2017-2020
Position(s): Assistant Professor, Fu Jen Catholic University
Postdoc Associate: 2017-2021
Position(s): Assistant Professor, Salisbury University
PhD Student: 2016 – 2021
NSF Graduate Research Fellowship – Honorable Mention
Position(s): Postdoc, Harvard University
PhD Student: 2018 – 2023
NSF Graduate Research Fellowship
Position(s): Research Scientist, MD Anderson Cancer Research Center
Postdoc Associate: 2020-2024
NSF Postdoctoral Research Fellowship in Biology (PRFB) Fellow
Position(s): Postdoc, Cornell University, Sandkam Lab + Prior Lab