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Interested in joining our lab? We’re not recruiting graduate students at the moment, but click here for information on what our group looks for in applicants and some tips on applying (here or elsewhere).
Dr. Alexander G. Ophir – Principal Investigator Cornell University Department of Psychology
Behavioral & Evolutionary Neuroscience
Email: ophir@cornell.edu
Twitter: @alexophir
Research Interests: Proximate & ultimate influences on social behavior: including individual variation in genes, brain and behavior; monogamy and social attachment; alternative reproductive tactics; parental care; early life social influence on development; social & spatial memory; mate choice; animal communication; reproductive decision-making. |
Dr. Jesus Madrid – Postdoctoral Fellow:2019 – Present
Cornell NextGen Future Professors Fellow
 PhD (2018), Stanford University
BA (2012) Columbia University Email: jem547@cornell.edu
Research Interests: Developmental plasticity, social perception, oxytocin, vasopressin, social behavior, mating strategies. |
Dr. Lindsay Sailer – Postdoctoral Fellow:2019 – Present
NIH National Research Service Award (NRSA) Fellow
 PhD (2018), Florida State University
BA (2010) University of North Florida Email: lls222@cornell.edu Research Interests: social bonding, partner preference, early-life experiences, social aggression, vasopressin, oxytocin, chemogenetics, epigenetics, individual differences. |
Rachael Beaumont – PhD Student:2022 – Present NSF Graduate Research Fellow  BS (2019) Georgia State University
Email: rb799@cornell.edu
Research Interests: neural mechanisms of social behavior, mating behavior, individual differences, vasopressin, oxytocin. |
Mary Elson – PhD Student:2022 – Present 
BS & BA (2016) University of Minnesota MSc (2018) University of Edinburgh Email: me436@cornell.edu
Research Interests: Evolutionary neuroscience, social behavior, pairing behavior, neuroethology, comparative neurobiology & cognition. |
Rikki Laser – PhD Student:2020 – Present
NSF Graduate Research Fellow
 BA (2020) University of Iowa
Email: rsl249@cornell.edu
Research Interests: Development, social behavior, neurobiology, neuroethology. |
Susanna Zheng – PhD Student:2021 – Present
 BA (2020) University of California, Davis
Email: sz272@cornell.edu
Research Interests: Stress, early experience, development, social behavior, neurobiology. |
| Lab Alumni: |
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David Zheng
PhD Student: 2009 – 2012
NSF Graduate Research Fellow
Position(s): PhD Student, University of Texas; Postdoc, University of Utah; Postdoc Cornell University (K. Tschida)
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PhD Student: 2009 – 2015
NSF Graduate Research Fellow
NSF Oklahoma Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (OK-LSAMP) Bridge to the Doctorate Fellow
Position(s): MD (University of Kansas), Residency (Pediatrics) Univ. of Texas Southwestern Children’s Medical Center
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Postdoc Associate: 2012-2016
TED Fellow
Position(s): Assistant Professor, Southern Illinois University
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PhD Student: 2011 – 2018
NSF Graduate Research Fellowship – two time Honorable Mention
Position(s): Postdoc, University of California, Berkeley; Private Industry
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Postdoc Associate: 2014-2018
NIH National Research Service Award (NRSA) Fellow
Position(s): Associate Professor, Emory University
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PhD Student: 2015-2020
NSF Graduate Research Fellowship
Position(s): NIH DP5 Fellow, Assistant Professor, University of Colorado, Boulder
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PhD Student: 2011-2020
NSF Graduate Research Fellowship
Position(s): Postdoc, Cornell University (M. Gonzalez, A. Burrow); Private Industry
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Postdoc Associate: 2017-2020
Position(s): Assistant Professor, Fu Jen Catholic University
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Postdoc Associate: 2017-2021
Position(s): Assistant Professor, Salisbury University
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PhD Student: 2016 – 2021
NSF Graduate Research Fellowship – Honorable Mention
Position(s): Postdoc, Harvard University
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PhD Student: 2018 – 2023
NSF Graduate Research Fellowship
Position(s): Research Scientist, MD Anderson Cancer Research Center
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Postdoc Associate: 2020-2024
NSF Postdoctoral Research Fellowship in Biology (PRFB) Fellow
Position(s): Postdoc, Cornell University, Sandkam Lab + Prior Lab
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