Laura Cisneros

Doctoral Student

Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology

Center for Environmental Sciences and Engineering

Research Interests

My research interests focus on the ecology and conservation of Neotropical bats.  I am considering a study of upper canopy bats because so little is known about these species, and their role in tropical ecosystems.

I graduated from Michigan State University in 2006 with a BS in Zoology with Honors.   Shortly after graduating I spent 3 months in Peru at Estacion Biologia Cocha Cashu as a field research assistant to Nicole Gibson, a Yale Ph.D. candidate.  My responsibilities included data gathering for a study of ecological and social factors that influence male reproductive strategies in white-bellied spider monkeys (Ateles belzebuth).  Currently, I am a research assistant for an on-going
project, Proyecto Primates, which is conducted at Estacion Biologia Tiputini, Ecuador.  I am specifically involved with data collection on the white-bellied spider monkeys (Ateles belzebuth) and the woolly monkeys (Lagothrix lagotricha).