| Linda Rayor
Professional Overview and ObjectivesResearch: I am an arthropod behavioral ecologist. My research program is focused on a comparative study of the behavioral ecology, physiology, and phylogeny of social and solitary Australian huntsman spider species to determine the costs and benefits and costs associated with group living in these cannibalistic spiders. Sociality is found in less than 1% of all arachnids. All huntsman spiders are attentive mothers, and thus preadapted to social behavior, yet only a single species, Delena cancerides, is social. My research has demonstrated that Delena have reduced their metabolic rates as an adaptation for group living, suffer minimal costs and many benefits of living with older family members, and live in saturated habitats that do not allow subadults to successfully disperse. This contrasts with the high metabolic rates, cannibalism, and open habitats available to 11 solitary huntsman species.Teaching: I teach seven quality courses every two years and have the deserved reputation as an outstanding teacher. My courses provide important contributions to the CALS Biology Curriculum in two important ways: providing diversity training in organismal biology and providing courses with an exceptional component of experiential or service-learning (Spider Biology 215, Spider Biology 315, Naturalist Outreach Practicum, Insect Behavior) and have been productively integrated with my research program. I closely mentor and teach behavioral research skills to a large number of talented undergraduate students in my program. Within the last year, I have won the 2007 CALS Innovative Teacher and Entomology Society of America Distinguished Achievement in Teaching Award (Eastern Branch). Outreach: My Naturalist Outreach Speakers Bureau is a response to national needs to attract students into science, for scientists who can communicate the value of their work to the public, and to enhance public appreciation for the environment. My program sends Cornell University students into local classrooms and community groups to give free talks about natural history, ecology, and behavior. Since its inception, 105 Cornell students have spoken to 920 groups and reached over 22,150 people in individual presentations and 11,800 people through large scale outreach events (Insectapalooza, State Fair, etc.). Audiences from 6 to 80 of age have heard these presentations in school classrooms, at civic organization meetings, and at community events. Areas of ExpertiseBehavioral ecology; Animal Behavior; Arachnology; Spiders; Arthropod behavior; Social Evolution; Scientific outreach; Training effective outreach skillsCourses TaughtEntom 2150 Spider Biology: Life on a Silken ThreadEntom 3150 Spider Biology Entom 3250 Insect Behavior Entom 3350 Naturalist Outreach Practicum Entom 3360 Naturalist Outreach in Biology Extension and OutreachThe Naturalist Outreach Speakers Bureau is a response to national needs to attract students into science, for scientists who can communicate the value of their work to the public, and to enhance public appreciation for the environment. The program, developed and directed by Senior Research Associate Dr. Linda S. Rayor, sends Cornell University students into local classrooms and community groups to give free talks about natural history, ecology, and behavior. Since its inception, 105 Cornell students have spoken to 920 groups and reached over 22,150 people in individual presentations and 11,800 people through large scale outreach events (Insectapalooza, State Fair, etc.). Audiences from 6 to 80 of age have heard these presentations in school classrooms, at civic organization meetings, and at community events. Beginning in 2005, Dr. Rayor formalized her outreach program into an innovative, interdisciplinary course: Naturalist Outreach Practicum. By reaching across campus to bring together experts in pedagogy, communication, and the sciences, Dr. Rayor has developed a ground-breaking course that addresses a groundswell of student interest in careers that combine their passion for science, education, and civic engagement. As they graduate from Cornell, over 30% of the students have gone on to take leadership roles in communicating science, initiating or seeking opportunities to continue doing scientific outreach around the country.Publications* Undergraduates who have done research with meGilbert, C., A. Zimmerman*, L.S. Rayor. Depressed metabolic rate as an adaptation for group living in social carnivores. (Turned down by Nature, Science, Proceeding of the Royal Society, currently in revision for the Comparative Journal of Physiology) WebsitesNaturalist Outreach Web site: http://www.entomology.cornell.edu/NaturalistOutreach/Spider Science Web Page: http://www.entomology.cornell.edu/SpiderOutreach/ Cornell Cybertower Study Room: ‘A Romance with Spiders by Linda S. Rayor http://cybertower.cornell.edu/ |
