Principal Investigator
Kim Hoke
Fearless Leader
If you get the chance to actually meet Kim in between her long field trips, she might tell you about her research. Kim’s master plan is to understand why animals behave the way they do, and her integrative approach relies on expert collaborators from around the world. Her mentoring strategy includes keeping the lab productive via intermittent reinforcement with food rewards.
Bonus: Full of enthusiastic recommendations for books on mixed models and thin plate splines
Favorite lab items: Grad students
Culinary skill level: (5 stars) Iron chef
Fearless Leader
If you get the chance to actually meet Kim in between her long field trips, she might tell you about her research. Kim’s master plan is to understand why animals behave the way they do, and her integrative approach relies on expert collaborators from around the world. Her mentoring strategy includes keeping the lab productive via intermittent reinforcement with food rewards.
Bonus: Full of enthusiastic recommendations for books on mixed models and thin plate splines
Favorite lab items: Grad students
Culinary skill level: (5 stars) Iron chef
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Postdocs and Graduate Students
Mariana Rodriguez Santiago
Postdoctoral Fellow Allow us to introduce the one and only Mariana Rodriguez-Santiago - a neuroscientist with a passion for understanding the complex world of social behavior. From stressed-out rodents to singing frogs, Mariana has dabbled in it all. We're still not entirely sure what she means by "the organization, modulation, and timing of social interactions," but hey, we're impressed nonetheless. And when she's not busy uncovering the mysteries of the animal kingdom, you can find Mariana living her best life with her furry companion Loki, throwing some punches in the boxing ring, or lounging in a hammock (because let's be real, who doesn't love hammock life?). So if you're ever in need of some scientific expertise or just want to hang out with a cool scientist, Mariana's your gal! Favorite lab item: Pipette puller Culinary skill level: (3 stars) Adds sofrito to everything Website: https://neuromari.weebly.com/ |
Zach Laubach
Postdoctoral Fellow Meet Zach Laubach, PhD extraordinaire! When he's not busy decoding the mysteries of how early life environments shape phenotypes, he can usually be found traipsing through fields of wildflowers or casting a line into a babbling brook (hopefully not at the same time). He's done groundbreaking research on birds, spotted hyenas, and even humans, because apparently, it's not enough to just understand ourselves - we need to know how animals work, too! But let's be real, the real question on everyone's mind is whether he's ever tried fly fishing with a hyena. We're waiting for the answer, Zach! Favorite lab Item: Coffee mug Culinary skill level: (1 star) can make pasta with sauce in a jar Website: |
Amir Alayoubi
PhD Candidate Introducing our lab's resident jack-of-all-trades, Amir Alayoubi! With a Bachelor's in Psychological Science and now a Biological Science PhD candidate, Amir is a true Renaissance man. He's spent years studying the brains of mice, guppies, and even tree frogs (because why not?). But his talents don't stop there - when he's not in the lab, you can find Amir jamming out on his guitar or drums with his band, building impressive structures, or trying to conquer the slopes on a snowboard (emphasis on trying). And if you're lucky enough to be invited to one of his cookouts, you'll quickly learn that he's just as skilled on the grill as he is in the lab. We're not sure how he manages to excel at so many things, but we're just glad he's part of our team! Favorite lab item: Microscope, kimwipes Culinary skill level: (4 stars) Grillmaster |
Julianna Mendez
PhD Candidate Introducing Julianna, the amphibian aficionado who's making waves in the world of animal behavior! With a passion for understanding the nuances of communication among creatures great and small, Julianna dives deep into the cacophony of chorusing frogs during South America's rainy seasons, where love is in the air—and in the calls. Armed with a laser Doppler vibrometer and a penchant for jiggling branches, she's the master of deciphering the secrets hidden within bimodal acoustic signals, unraveling the mysteries of sound and vibrations in the animal kingdom. When she's not knee-deep in froggy business, you can catch Julianna grooving to tunes from eras past, marveling at wildlife photography masterpieces, or getting lost in the lush landscapes of rainforest documentaries. With Julianna, it's always a ribbiting adventure! Favorite lab item: My collection of items I find in the field in South America (motmot feather, black rock from a black beach, a piece of washed up stag horn coral, and a seed from a river in the Amazon) Culinary skill level: (2.5 stars) -unless competing or trying to impress someone, then a 5 |
Undergraduates
Daisey Solt
Fall 2021 Meet Daisey Solt, the 4th-year neuroscience major with a cellular and molecular concentration. She's the kind of person who knows how to dissect a brain and create a masterpiece with her hands – just not at the same time. Aspiring to become a physician or clinical researcher, Daisey's ultimate goal is to create an environment where everyone feels included and cared for. She believes that healthcare should be accessible to all, regardless of their background or identity. In other words, she's not just a brainiac, but also a compassionate human being. When Daisey isn't busy saving lives, you can find her covered in paint or wielding a hammer. She loves all forms of art, from painting to sculpting, and occasionally even turns her attention to wood working. Her art skills are so impressive that her lab partners are secretly hoping she'll make them a new set of pipettes. Overall, Daisey is a unique blend of brains, heart, and creativity. Just don't ask her to perform brain surgery with a paintbrush – that could get messy. |
Rachel Jacks
Spring 2022 Meet Rachel Jacks, the newest addition to our lab and resident crochet queen. As a sophomore Biology major, Rachel has already set her sights on becoming a big-shot PI and professor - and we have no doubt she'll make it happen. When she's not busy hitting the books, you can find Rachel whipping up some delicious treats in the kitchen (seriously, have you tried her cupcakes? They're out of this world), or using her position in ASCSU to make the world a better place (or at least the student government). And if you ever find yourself in need of a cozy scarf or handmade sweater, just give Rachel a shout - she'll hook you up (pun intended). We're thrilled to have Rachel as part of our team and can't wait to see where her bright future takes her! Favorite lab Item: Cryostat, parafilm Culinary skill level: (2 stars) Can cook well if desired |
Cameron Badger
Fall 2022 Meet Cameron Badger, the lab's very own mad scientist! This junior Neuroscience major with a cognitive/behavioral concentration is on a mission to unravel the mysteries of animal behavior and stress responses. When Cameron's not busy conducting groundbreaking experiments, they're indulging in their many hobbies and passions. Their passion for sewing is unmatched, and they've even been known to make lab coats for their professors on the side. Cameron also loves to hit the stage, where they always manage to steal the show. And when they're not performing, they can be found exploring the great outdoors, from camping and hiking to snowboarding and all the typical Colorado activities in between. With their boundless energy and infectious enthusiasm, Cameron is sure to make a big splash in the world of industry research. Favorite lab Item: Separatory funnel Culinary skill level: (4 stars) Wants to feed you |
Eliza Fuhs
Summer 2023 Introducing Eliza, the lab maestro whose amphibian adventures and computer capers are the stuff of legend! With a flair for deciphering frog symphonies, Eliza's current escapade involves dissecting Boana Pulchella audio files, all while reminiscing about her past exploits in unraveling the love lives of Hyla Chrysoscelis. But beyond the microscope, her heart yearns for the great outdoors, where she dreams of tracking invasive species and conducting fieldwork galore. When she's not busy being a science savant, you'll find Eliza immersed in books, conquering triathlons, or simply enjoying nature's embrace with her partner and their feline sidekick. From froggy romances to digital wizardry, Eliza's journey is a whirlwind of discovery, laughter, and the occasional ribbit! Favorite lab item: BORIS Culinary Skill Level: (2.5 stars) more advanced than your average college student at creating new dishes, but anything using a recipe is sure to fail. |
Maddie Gaasch Summer 2023 Meet Maddie, the junior neuroscience wiz with a knack for unraveling the mysteries of the brain while gracefully maneuvering through life's slopes. When she's not dissecting the intricacies of neural pathways, you can find her shredding on the ski slopes or whipping up gourmet delights in the kitchen. In the lab, Maddie's research on aromatase in Hyla Chrysoscelis has her nose deep in ISH and HCR protocols, chasing after frog secrets with a fervor only matched by her enthusiasm for hiking up mountains. And when she's not sciencing away, you'll catch her out on the town, treating herself to dinner with friends or scavenging for treasures in thrift stores, all while plotting her next literary conquest. Maddie: where brains, brawn, and banter collide! Favorite lab item: Pink labeling tape Culinary skill level: (4 stars) foodie meets college budget |
Lab Alumni
Eva Fischer
Was: PhD Student
Now: Faculty Member, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Having given up her ambition to become a lounge singer, Evita is pursuing her alternate plan to integrate every research technique in biology. The mysteries that plague Eva include the neural mechanisms that underlie behavioral evolution and how environmental influences fit in to it all.
Bonus: OCD is productive. See mopped floor and baked goods.
Favorite lab items: cryostat, sequenza, parafilm, colored tape
Culinary skill level: (4 stars) sous chef
Website: www.evakfisch.weebly.com
Was: PhD Student
Now: Faculty Member, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Having given up her ambition to become a lounge singer, Evita is pursuing her alternate plan to integrate every research technique in biology. The mysteries that plague Eva include the neural mechanisms that underlie behavioral evolution and how environmental influences fit in to it all.
Bonus: OCD is productive. See mopped floor and baked goods.
Favorite lab items: cryostat, sequenza, parafilm, colored tape
Culinary skill level: (4 stars) sous chef
Website: www.evakfisch.weebly.com
Sarah Westrick
Was: Professional Research Associate
Now: Post-doc, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Pickles’ first photographer, Sarah, has worked in many capacities in the lab from feeding and cleaning, to behavioral trials and befriending McGruber, the resident oscar. Sarah is a CSU zoology/biology graduate and hopes to continue feeding her passion for behavioral research through graduate school. When not in the lab, Sarah likes to perfect her pie recipes, train her friend’s cat, and hike any trail Colorado has to offer.
Website: sewestrick.strikingly.com/
Was: Professional Research Associate
Now: Post-doc, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Pickles’ first photographer, Sarah, has worked in many capacities in the lab from feeding and cleaning, to behavioral trials and befriending McGruber, the resident oscar. Sarah is a CSU zoology/biology graduate and hopes to continue feeding her passion for behavioral research through graduate school. When not in the lab, Sarah likes to perfect her pie recipes, train her friend’s cat, and hike any trail Colorado has to offer.
Website: sewestrick.strikingly.com/
Molly Womack
Was: PhD Student
Now: Faculty Member, Utah State University
Lil M left beaches and cloacas for mountains and ears. She enjoys studying the mechanisms responsible for behaviors we see in nature. Molly is currently investigating the forces driving ear loss in frogs. Lil M brings down the average height in the lab, but brings up our mean athletic ability.
Bonus: living proof that blood circulation is optional.
Favorite lab items: histoclear, microtome
Culinary skill level: (2 stars) ez bake oven
Website: http://www.strikingly.com/mcw
Was: PhD Student
Now: Faculty Member, Utah State University
Lil M left beaches and cloacas for mountains and ears. She enjoys studying the mechanisms responsible for behaviors we see in nature. Molly is currently investigating the forces driving ear loss in frogs. Lil M brings down the average height in the lab, but brings up our mean athletic ability.
Bonus: living proof that blood circulation is optional.
Favorite lab items: histoclear, microtome
Culinary skill level: (2 stars) ez bake oven
Website: http://www.strikingly.com/mcw
Jacob Edwards
Was: MS Student
Now: PhD student , Columbia University
After whetting his scientific appetite immersed in the swampy mire of ancient plant reproduction, Jacob (nickname in development) joined the lab in hopes of understanding where brains come from. Long-term goals include producing a hip-hop album, seeing the earth from outer space, and completely integrating into a cyborg body.
Bonus: Will serenade you on your birthday
Favorite lab items: Kimwipes, microscope
Culinary skill level: (3 stars) Cooks eggs in >2 ways
Was: MS Student
Now: PhD student , Columbia University
After whetting his scientific appetite immersed in the swampy mire of ancient plant reproduction, Jacob (nickname in development) joined the lab in hopes of understanding where brains come from. Long-term goals include producing a hip-hop album, seeing the earth from outer space, and completely integrating into a cyborg body.
Bonus: Will serenade you on your birthday
Favorite lab items: Kimwipes, microscope
Culinary skill level: (3 stars) Cooks eggs in >2 ways
Jenny Stynoski
Was: AAUW Postdoctoral fellow
Now: Faculty Member, Universidad de Costa Rica
Digressing from vibrating poison frog tadpoles and a life of chasing students around the rainforests of Costa Rica, Jenny now wrinkles her forehead at the behavior and evolutionary development of toads and their occasionally absent ears in Peru and Ecuador. Jenny works best with precipitation (frozen or not), and speaks great Spanglish.
Bonus: Useless with a ball but can run in a straight line for a seriously long time
Favorite lab items: HPC, turkey baster, RNAlater, passport
Culinary skill level: (4 stars) Specializing in latin-asian fusion Website: stynoski.wordpress.com
Was: AAUW Postdoctoral fellow
Now: Faculty Member, Universidad de Costa Rica
Digressing from vibrating poison frog tadpoles and a life of chasing students around the rainforests of Costa Rica, Jenny now wrinkles her forehead at the behavior and evolutionary development of toads and their occasionally absent ears in Peru and Ecuador. Jenny works best with precipitation (frozen or not), and speaks great Spanglish.
Bonus: Useless with a ball but can run in a straight line for a seriously long time
Favorite lab items: HPC, turkey baster, RNAlater, passport
Culinary skill level: (4 stars) Specializing in latin-asian fusion Website: stynoski.wordpress.com
Leorah McGinnis
Was: Lab Manager & Resident Science Angel Now: Masters Student, Penn State University Leorah first started pestering the Hoke lab while getting her B.S. in Zoology at Colorado State University. After undergrad she ventured off to Americorps and The Smithsonian Environmental Research Center before returning to CSU as a Research Associate in the Hoke Lab. When not running around the lab "living the dream," Leorah can most often be found watching “Game of Thrones” with her cat. Bonus: Can install a toilet in under 15 minutes. Favorite lab item: Screwdriver & Twitter Culinary skill level: (4 stars) Makes overnight oats |
Laura Stein
Was: NSF Postdoctoral Fellow Now: Faculty Member at University of Oklahoma After years uncovering the secrets of stickleback dads and the various ways in which they affect their kids in the vast corn deserts of Illinois, Laura now peers into the brains of guppies to investigate just how early experience translates into behavioral phenotypes. When not bothering fish or figuring out bioinformatics and molecular protocols, you can probably find Laura out in the mountains (although she is still likely to be bothering fish or herps). Bonus: Full of useless trivia about animals and television; can probably beat you at darts; likes to pick up and put down heavy things Favorite lab items: Guppies, vortexer, parafilm Culinary skill level: (3 stars) Guacamole for days Website: http://laurastein.weebly.com |
Kim Dolphin
Was: PhD Candidate Now: Faculty member, Hutchinson Community College Kim D. graduated from watching Drosophila sexual selection behaviors in an ultimate evolutionary context to stealing guppy brains to understand a more proximate reasoning behind decision-making strategies in reproductive contexts. Kim D. figured out what to do when that frozen water stuff falls from the sky and now resides in the plains, and is learning the intricacies of chicken ownership and teaching as a faculty member at Hutchinson Community College. Bonus: Likes to go up rock faces the hard(ish) way, because stairs are for wimps. Favorite lab item: Behavioral closet and the cryostat Culinary skill level: (3 stars) * has improved greatly to a 3 star cook (learning to master spices) and a 5 star baker (sometimes)! Website: https://kimberlydolphin.weebly.com |
Nathan Phipps
Was: MS Student Nathan started volunteering in the Hoke Lab in 2018 after graduating from Lewis & Clark College with a B.A. in Biology. His interests include fish and cephalopod behavior and physiology, as well as developing his shower singing career. Outside the lab, Nathan can often be found wandering in the mountains or planning his next trip to the ocean. Bonus: Can cook minute rice in only 59 seconds Favorite lab item: Micropipetter Culinary skill level: (3 stars) Ultimate grilled cheese master |
Rachel Fleming
Was: MS Student Now: PhD Student, Brown Rachel joined the lab with a background in bio-inspired engineering, from which she discovered her passion for the evolution and morphology of animals. Her mind is now mostly occupied with wondering how morphological structures evolve and function. She enjoys squinting curiously at CT scans, creating 3D models, and learning new skills in quantitative morphology. When not in the lab, Rachel might be plotting her next art project or observing the various animals (cat, fish, hedgehog, and frog) that live in her home. Bonus: is a top Spotify listener of the indie-folk band Lord Huron Favorite lab item: three-button computer mouse, new markers Culinary skill level: (3 stars) good at following recipes, cooking attempts are becoming more common Website: https://flemingrachel.wixsite.com/morpho |
Miles Whedbee
PhD Candidate Meet Miles Whedbee, the lab's resident rocket man! With a Ph.D. in sight and a background in microbial biology, Miles is a force to be reckoned with. He's tackled everything from viruses to cell and molecular biology, and even studied Alzheimer's disease in sea squirt invert models. But now, Miles is all about the guppies. Specifically, he's obsessed with the plasticity and evolution of these little fish, and he's leaving no stone unturned in his quest to understand their small RNA characterization, microRNAs, piRNAs, and AtoI RNA editing. When he's not busy with his groundbreaking research, Miles likes to take a break and let off some steam with his amateur rockets. And whether he's road biking, mountain biking, snowboarding, or strumming a little guitar, you can always count on him to be living his best Colorado life if he's not too preoccupied with contemplating the fundamental nature of consciousness and if (or rather when) human AI will rise to global domination. Bonus: Has memorized way too many lines from mid-90s Adam Sandler and Jim Carrey movies Favorite lab item: Laptop with internet and server access Culinary skill level: (2 stars) Used to be 3 stars |
Alex Trillo
Avery Bodlack
Chelsey Gilley-Dunn
Claire Crookston (REU)
Conley Flynn
Dain Manella (REU)
Duncan Ziegler
Emily Sikora
Emma Lloyd
Haley Peterson
Hannah Alt
Hannah Buchek
Hilary Burr
Jaime Pack
Jesse Espinoza
Jordan Slick
Justine Stalnaker (REU)
Kat Archer
Koedi Lawley
Kyle Pfeiffer
Lauren Hartsough
Madison Propp (REU)
Maggie Sinner (REU)
Maimona Fadlelmula
Mikaila Medinger
Natalie Pitts
Nichole Benton
Nick Jones
Quinn Iffert (REU)
Rachel Mansfield
Richard Evans (REU)
Sam Bunnell
Sarah Coler (REU)
Scott Abela
Sean Streich
Selena Aguiniga (REU)
Shelley Bayard de Volo
Stephanie McMahon
Tanya Bojesen Lauridsen
Ty Fiero
Avery Bodlack
Chelsey Gilley-Dunn
Claire Crookston (REU)
Conley Flynn
Dain Manella (REU)
Duncan Ziegler
Emily Sikora
Emma Lloyd
Haley Peterson
Hannah Alt
Hannah Buchek
Hilary Burr
Jaime Pack
Jesse Espinoza
Jordan Slick
Justine Stalnaker (REU)
Kat Archer
Koedi Lawley
Kyle Pfeiffer
Lauren Hartsough
Madison Propp (REU)
Maggie Sinner (REU)
Maimona Fadlelmula
Mikaila Medinger
Natalie Pitts
Nichole Benton
Nick Jones
Quinn Iffert (REU)
Rachel Mansfield
Richard Evans (REU)
Sam Bunnell
Sarah Coler (REU)
Scott Abela
Sean Streich
Selena Aguiniga (REU)
Shelley Bayard de Volo
Stephanie McMahon
Tanya Bojesen Lauridsen
Ty Fiero
Come meet us on Twitter with #meetthehokelab! Our Twitter handle is @HokeCSU