Neuroscience

Ron received a B.A. in Biology from the University of South Florida in 1975 and a Ph.D. in Zoology from the University of California, Berkeley, in 1984. Before joining the faculty at Allegheny, he spent two years at Cornell University as a postdoctoral research associate in the Section of Neurobiology and Behavior. Ron’s primary teaching responsibilities at Allegheny include Introductory Biology, Evolution, and Animal Behavior.

Ron’s major research interests are animal behavior and avian behavioral ecology. Since 2010 his research has focused on the the relationship between plumage pattern and foraging performance in the Hooded Warbler, a species that uses displays of its conspicuous white tail spots to startle potential insect prey and enhance foraging success. Ron’s field work on this species is conducted at Hemlock Hill Field Station located near Cambridge Springs, 16 miles NE of the Allegheny College campus. Research projects conducted by Ron’s students at Allegheny have covered a wide spectrum of topics in animal behavior, and have included work on the behavior of insects, fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals.