Animal Comparative Economics lab

About me:

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I have always been fascinated by ants, and as a child spent many hours watching them go about their mysterious business. My growing interest in self-organizing systems and emergence led me to the study of the human brain and its ability to self-organize. In order to achieve a coherent understanding of this complex and interdisciplinary topic, I completed both a BSc in Psychology and an MSc in Biology.

 

I have also ventured into tropical ecology and nutrient fluxes in my Master’s thesis, investigating the role of fungal patches in the Azteca/Cecropia ant-plant symbiosis in Costa Rica with Dr. Veronika Mayer. About this time, I decided to remain in the interesting area of ant research for the future but to combine it with my other academic expertise in psychology and collective decision making.

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During an internship in Würzburg working with Prof. Dr. Flavio Roces I investigated task allocation in Acromyrmex lundi leaf-cutter ants. This equipped me with the skills and background I needed to begin my doctoral research here in the ACElab.

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As a doctoral researcher in the ACElab, I am using my knowledge of animal cognition and psychology to examine the effect of expectations on value perception as well as higher cognitive abilities in ants.

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The pheromone deposition behavior of Lasius niger can be easily recognized, providing us a powerful tool to address these topics.

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For a list of publications, please see the publications tab.