Instructor: Dr. David Yager
Ph.D. (1989) Cornell University. Neurobiology and Behavior
Teaching
• Experience - more than 30 years of undergraduate teaching at Cornell University and here at UMD
• Administration - three years as Director of Graduate Studies for the Neuroscience and Cognitive Science Program; two years as Associate Chair for Undergraduate Studies in Psychology; 14 years as director of various summer undergraduate research programs (photo); Development Committee for Neuroscience Major; PSYC Undergraduate Committee
• Awards - Department of Psychology Teaching Award; BSOS College Excellence in Teaching Award
Research
• Primary interest - behavioral neuroscience of hearing, especially as it applies to animal communication
• Publications/presentations - >100 papers, book chapters, reports, and invited talks at professional conferences, many with undergraduate authors (photo)
Sanity maintenance
• photography (mostly of tiny creatures), kayaking, and travel, with a fair amount of film and music thrown in. Sleep is also nice.
• Experience - more than 30 years of undergraduate teaching at Cornell University and here at UMD
• Administration - three years as Director of Graduate Studies for the Neuroscience and Cognitive Science Program; two years as Associate Chair for Undergraduate Studies in Psychology; 14 years as director of various summer undergraduate research programs (photo); Development Committee for Neuroscience Major; PSYC Undergraduate Committee
• Awards - Department of Psychology Teaching Award; BSOS College Excellence in Teaching Award
Research
• Primary interest - behavioral neuroscience of hearing, especially as it applies to animal communication
• Publications/presentations - >100 papers, book chapters, reports, and invited talks at professional conferences, many with undergraduate authors (photo)
Sanity maintenance
• photography (mostly of tiny creatures), kayaking, and travel, with a fair amount of film and music thrown in. Sleep is also nice.
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Click on image to enlarge
      All photographs ©2020 David D. Yager
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Teaching Assistant: James Baldassano
B.A. (2016), State University of New York at Binghamton. Biology.
After a time doing research on taste perception and its relationship to obesity, James joined the lab of Dr. Katrina MacLeod to continue his research on sensory perception as a doctoral student in the Neuroscience and Cognitive Science Program (NACS). Given his love of music (favorite bands: Vulfpeck and Snarky Puppy), it's only natural that his research focuses on the neural basis of hearing.
James' recreational time is filled with basketball, board games, and playing the piano.
James' recreational time is filled with basketball, board games, and playing the piano.
Teaching Assistant: Katherine Pizano
B.A. (2018), Princeton University. Molecular Biology.
Katherine is a first-year doctoral student in the Neuroscience and Cognitive Science Program (NACS). She works in Dr. Joshua Singer’s lab, studying a unique type of photoreceptive neuron in the retina that helps coordinate our daily biological rhythms with changes in light levels in the environment.
Outside of lab, Katherine enjoys learning to play the ukulele, a newly acquired quarantine activity, playing Frisbee and going on hikes (when it’s not cold outside).
Outside of lab, Katherine enjoys learning to play the ukulele, a newly acquired quarantine activity, playing Frisbee and going on hikes (when it’s not cold outside).
Teaching Assistant: Jackie Minehart
B.A. (2015), Towson University. Biology
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Jackie is a third year NACS student co-mentored by Drs. Speer and Singer in the Biology Department. Her scientific interests include retinal connectomics and super-resolution microscopy. Before starting her doctoral degree, she completed the two-year post-baccalaureate research program at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda.
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