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Behavioral neuroscience major Lauren Moses ’02 of Everett, Wash., is assisting Wendy Hill, professor of psychology and head of neuroscience, and EXCEL Scholar Sarah Ballard ’03 in ongoing research involving the manipulation of testosterone levels and observed aggression in male zebra finches.
“We’re trying to understand the full ramifications of the effect of hormone levels on these birds’ behavior in semi-natural conditions,” says Hill. “We’re trying to research the full range of their behaviors.”
Moses has been assisting with the laborious effort of transcribing data from Ballard’s observations. “I am helping transfer the data Sarah collected over the summer from cassette tapes to a computer program that will statistically analyze the data,” she says. “As soon as we have the desired data, we will be able to make further assessments regarding male colonial zebra finch behavior.” Based on the data findings, Moses will then devise an experimental proposal.
“I think it’s fascinating to discover the links between behavior and physiology,” she says. “By manipulating the testosterone levels in these colonial birds, we may eventually be able to trace the relationship between the fluctuating hormone levels and the behavior that accompanies them. Behavioral neuroscience is all about finding the ties that link our physiological processes to the behavior that we exhibit. It’s exciting being a part of the research that will someday help us to understand how the human mind works.”
Moses enjoys the opportunity to participate in research outside the classroom environment. Intent on applying the skills learned in class, she was “thrilled when Dr. Hill said I could join in on this experiment.” Describing her adviser as a “true mentor,” Moses appreciates the attention she receives through this research.
“Dr. Hill’s patience, insight, and caring towards the people she works with are remarkable. She won the Pennsylvania Professor of the Year Award for a reason,” says Moses.
After graduation, Moses plans to join the Navy and become a hospital corpsman. Eventually, she hopes to become a physician’s assistant. She credits this research as preparing her for whatever may lie ahead.
“Lafayette has a small college environment with big university opportunities,” she says. “I get the focused attention I need to excel here as well as the chance to contribute to larger projects. Lafayette is a great steppingstone into real world graduate school experience, all while maintaining a small and charming feel.
“I’m beginning to really realize how much this school has meant to me. I have loved my four years here, and it’s only getting better. I find that I want to share my experiences with other students so that they may have just as good a time as I have.”
A graduate of the Annie Wright School, Moses is a coxswain for the Crew Club, property coordinator for her sorority, Alpha Gamma Delta, and a member of the Neuroscience Society and Played Out, a theater group dedicated to educating students about important health issues. In her sophomore year, she was a member of the McKelvy House Scholars Program, in which about 20 students of high academic achievement and promise reside in an historic off-campus house and participate in shared intellectual and social activities.
A National Leader in Undergraduate Research. Lauren Moses ’02 made a presentation on research she did under the direction of Wendy Hill, Rappolt Professor in Neuroscience, at the National Conference on Undergraduate Research.