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...An individual’s social world emerges from, and persists within, their sensory experiences.

Research Team

We are researchers and students!

Cultivating curiosity, compassion and rigor in research.

You can read more about us all below.

Our research is made possible because of many others. Check out our core collaborators both inside and outside of Cornell.

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Spring 2024 - Stewart Park

Spring 2024 - Stewart Park

Back row: Paula, Mary, Precious, Clare, Pamela, Karim, Martin, Sasha. Front Row: Alana , Graciella, Celia, Josephine, Nora, Rosie, Sophia.

Fall 2023

Fall 2023

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Nora H Prior

Principal Investigator

Assistant Professor

Nora joined Cornell as a PI in 2021, and started as an Assistant Professor in Psychology in July 2024. Her backgrounds spans ecology, animal behavior, neuroendocrinology, and psychology of perception.

Post Doctoral Researchers

Post Doctoral Fellow

Paula Olivio, PhD

Project: Neuroendocrine Mechanisms of vocal dynamics in paired zebra finches - with a focus on the role of glucocorticoids in the social behavior network, song control system and sensory circuits.

Post Doctoral Research

Ehren Bentz

Project: Effect of social bonding on neurogenomic state of sensory cortices - focused on the effect of social experiences on chromatin remodeling.

Co-advised with Ben Sandkam in NBB

Graduate Students

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PhD Student

Celia McLean, MSc

Project: The function of Acoustic Fine structure in communication in birds.

PhD Student

Mary Elson, MSc

Project: Dynamic vocal interactions in paired and unpaired zebra finches.

Co-advised with Alex Ophir

Undergraduate Researchers

Graciella Rivera

Graciella Rivera

BIOG 4990/Senior Thesis

Fall 2022- Current

Project: Role of female calling in interactive vocal exchanges.

Martin Kim

Martin Kim

Psych 4700/Senior Thesis

Previous SURF Fellow

Spring 2023 - Current

Project: Conditioned-Place Preference tests in paired and unpaired zebra finches.

Sasha Smalls

Sasha Smalls

BIOG 4990 / Senior Thesis

Fall 2022 - Current

Project: Auditory discrimination of social partners in female zebra finches.

Jeremiah Gorman

Jeremiah Gorman

BIOG 4990/ Senior Thesis

Spring 2022-Current

Project: Effects of environmental water restriction on courtship behavior in zebra finches.

Rosie Hsu

Rosie Hsu

BIOG 4990 Student

Fall 2022 - Current

Research Assistant: Coding zebra finch vocal dynamics, managing experiments. Works with Mary Elson.

Sophia Huynh

BIOG 4990 Student

Fall 2023 - Current

Research Assistant: Scores partner preference tests in voles. Works with Nora and Gianna.

Alana Carrasco

BIOG 4990 Student

Fall 2023 - Current

Research Assistant: Codes social interactions in zebra finches. Works with Mary Elson.

Josephine Kelly

BIOG 4990 Student

Fall 2023 - Current

Research Assistant: Codes social interactions in zebra finches. Works with Mary Elson.

Core Collabortors

We are lucky to work closely with several labs at Cornell University and have core collaborations with:

Ophir's Integrative Neuroethology Lab (Psychology Department) and Sandkam's Behavioral Ecology and Evolution Lab (Department of Neurobiology and Behavior).

Past members

Gianna Morales, BIOG 4990 Senior Thesis Student (Fall 2022 - Fall 2024)
Precious Oyewole, Birdsong Program Coordinator (Summer 2023 - Fall 2024)
Pamela Anderson, Research Specialist (Fall 2023 - Fall 2024)
Kathleen Anderson, BIOG 4990 Artist in Residence (Spring 2022-Fall 2023)
Karim Sorour, BIOG 4990 Student (Spring 2022-Spring 2024)
Kristen Briney, BSc Research Specialist (March - December 2023)
Katrianna Galloway BIOG 4990 Student (Spring 2022-Spring 2023)
Tyleah Brown BIOG 4990 Student (Fall 2023 - Spring 2023)

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