Field Studies in the Evolution of Animal Behavior

I first came to the Flathead Lake Biological Station in 1980, when I took my first serious course in animal behavior, taught by Allen W. Stokes of Utah State University. Allen was a widely respected animal behaviorist who taught at the station for many summers, with his wife Alice Stokes by his side. That 8-week course absolutely marked the beginning of what became a long-term research program on the sexual selection system of the Sierra dome spider - work that continues to this day. Importantly, Dr. Stokes's enthusiasm for my initial observations on the spider propelled me forward.

My doctoral work on the Sierra dome spider was completed in 1988 at Cornell University's Section of NB&B under the supervision of S.T. Emlen and P.W. Sherman, over the course of 6.5 wonderful years. A big factor in getting accepted into that dream lab group was the fact that I had the spider project working, had written about it, and had a compelling argument that the system was very well suited to test cutting edge questions in the field of sexual selection.

In 1994, after several fantastic postdoc years with Randy Thornhill and William D. Hamilton, I began teaching Field Studies in the Evolution of Animal Behavior at the Biostation. Over the years that followed, the course was offered roughly every other summer, concluding with its final offering in 2025.

I am deeply grateful to the Biostation for the privilege of following in Allen W. Stokes's footsteps, teaching my version of his animal behavior course. Thanks also to all my brilliant and generous mentors who never stopped teaching me and unlocking doors of opportunity for me to push open.

I especially wish to emphasize here that I am equally grateful to the scores of fine students who chose to spend their summers working with me at the Biostation — they added more to my life than they could possibly realize at the time.