M.A. Sekhar

Sekhar joined the lab in January 2021 and successfully defended his PhD in May 2026! Sekhar joined us after several years teaching following his Masters from IISER Mohali. For his M.Sc., Sekhar focused on foraging behavior of wild zebrafish (Danio rerio, link) and for his dissertation focused on social behavior and indirect genetic effects in crickets.

Zach sweep

Zach joined the lab in June 2024 as a RaMP Fellow. As a RaMP Fellow Zach led DNA extractions of crickets used in some of our prior work and asked questions about rates of genomic versus phenotypic divergence. Zach hung around after finishing the RaMP program, starting his PhD Fall 2025. For his dissertation Zach will be asking questions about how urban, peri-urban, and rural environments shape behaviors and behavioral variation.

Katy Takumi

Katy joined the lab in July 2023 as a RaMP Fellow after graduating from Northern Arizona University. As a RaMP Fellow Katy tested models of genetic and phenotypic integration of morphology and behavior in crickets. Katy decided they liked North Dakota okay and rejoined the lab, starting a Masters in Fall of 2025. Katy is asking questions about maternal care in crickets!

Lab Alumni

Piper Zander

piper info

Liz Frias

liz info

Hieu Le

Hieu joined the lab during the Fall semester of 2022. While initially working on a large breeding project with Sekhar, most recently Hieu has been carrying out a novel research project revisiting classic expectations about how predation shapes behavioral correlations. This project combines extensive behavioral sampling and updated approaches to the estimation of selection gradients.

Jonah Dahlstrom

Jonah joined the lab Spring semester of 2024. Jonah is currently helping with a large breeding project and starting to work through the literature. Hopefully we can update with a novel research project he’s undertaking soon!

Dr. monica Anderson berdal

Monica Berdal was a Ph.D. student in Zoology and joined the lab Fall 2015. Monica joined us after finishing her Masters from NTNU. Monica's masters project examined behavioral syndrome structure in guppies (and a lot of collaborative work on other species). Monica looked at how phenotypic and genetic correlations interact with phenotypic plasticity to impact evolutionary responses of populations. Her dissertation combined modelling with lab and field experiments. Monica successfully defended her dissertation! Congratulations Dr. Anderson Berdal

Jeremy Dalos

Jeremy was an M.Sc. student in Biology and investigated trans-generational effects of exposure to predators as well as how among-individual variation in response to predators (and variation in other behaviors) differs across species. While much of his research has focused on the behavior of crickets, Jeremy also has extensive experience with aphids and their threat responses.

katie preston

Katie Preston was an M.Sc. student in Zoology and joined the lab Fall 2012--so with the initiation of the lab! She came to NDSU from Drake University. Prior to NDSU she most recently worked as a Field Conservation Intern for the Lincoln Park Zoo's Urban Wildlife Zoo working with small mammals. She's interested in conservation and restoration ecology with a focus on tallgrass prairies. Katie focused on community composition and population dynamics of small mammals in tallgrass systems. Katie successfully defended her M.Sc., making her the first student to graduate out of the lab! She's now with Audubon Dakota (link)!

Jeff Berens

Jeff Berens was an M.Sc. student in ECS and joined the lab Fall 2013 Jeff joined the lab as an EPSCoR Graduate Fellow after finishing his Bachelors from Valley City. Jeff looked at geometric morphometric variation in Peromyscus spp. and at biotic and abiotic predictors of community composition in tallgrass systems. Jeff successfully defended his M.Sc.! He's now with the Lincoln Soil and Water Conservation District!