PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

James Nieh
e-mail: jnieh

James Nieh is interested in the evolution of multimodal communication in social bees.  Currently, he is studying how olfactory eavesdropping may have influenced different food location communication strategies in stingless bees.  A second focus is on olfactory, tactile, acoustic, and thermal signals or cues that are involved in foraging and food alertment or recruitment in the social bees (Bombini, Apini, and Meliponini).  The goal is develop a greater understanding of potentially homologous or convergent communication signals within the social bees through studies mapping communication traits onto social bee phylogenies.  His field sites include San Diego; Tapachula, Mexico; Barro Colorado Island, Panama; and São Simao, Brazil where he collaborates with researchers from Harvard and UC Riverside; El Colegio de la Frontera Sur, and the University of São Paulo Ribeirão Preto.

POSTDOCS

Brian Johnson

Brian studies task allocation in social insects.  More info coming soon

GRADUATE STUDENTS

Meg Eckles
PhD student
e-mail: meckles

Meg joined the lab in 2004 while she was an undergraduate, and began UCSD's PhD program in 2005. Her work focuses on cognition in bumblebees and behavioral ecology of stingless bees.  Previous work has included behavioral thermoregulation in yellowjackets (Vespula pennsylvanica) and optic flow use in bumblebees (Bombus impatiens).  Future work will involve spatial orientation and navigational abilities of stingless bees (Melipona spp.) as well as learning and memory testing in bumblebees (B. impatiens). Her general research interests include cognition, learning and behavioral ecology of wasps and stingless bees.

Meg graduated from UCSD in 2005 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Environmental Systems: Ecology, Behavior and Evolution.

Elinor Lichtenberg
PhD candidate
e-mail: elichten
Elinor's CV

Elinor joined the Nieh lab in 2005.  Her research focuses on use of scent marks by social bees in making foraging decisions.  General research interests communication, social foraging, aggression and competition.  Elinor is currently studying 1) olfactory eavesdropping by stingless bees and 2) whether honey bees use "footprints" to improve within-patch foraging efficiency.  As an undergraduate, Elinor studied a visual communication system in stalk-eyed flies (Cyrtodiopsis whitei) in the lab of Dr. Jerry Wilkinson.  Prior to beginning UCSD's PhD program, she participated in an internship at the National Zoo in Washington, D.C., seeking to improve captive kori bustard (Ardeotis kori) breeding success through behavioral research.

Elinor obtained her Bachelor of Science (Biology: Behavior, Ecology, Evolution and Systematics) from the University of Maryland, College Park in 2003.

Traci Kitaoka
Masters student
e-mail: tkitaoka

Traci studies bumblebee pollen recruitment.