BECO lab members
Eduardo Santos
My name is Eduardo Santos, I am currently a lecturer at the Universidade de São Paulo in Brazil. I was born in Brasília, Brazil, but have spent quite a bit of time living in other places. I conducted my BSc at the Universidade Católica de Brasília (2006), my MSc at the Universidade de Brasília (2009), both in Brazil, and my PhD at the University of Otago (2012), New Zealand. After that I moved to São Paulo for a post-doctoral position in Glauco Machado's lab at Universidade de São Paulo (USP, 2015). I have been a lecturer in the Departamento de Zoologia at USP since 2015. Most of my work lies on investigations of mating systems, sexual selection and parental investment, and I am currently investigating macro-ecological and evolutionary questions.
I have previously worked with Dr. Shinichi Nakagawa at the University of Otago in New Zealand. Under Dr. Nakagawa's supervision I conducted my PhD on the mating system and parental care dynamics of dunnocks (Prunella modularis). I have also worked with Dr. Regina Macedo at Universidade de Brasilia. With Regina, I studied maternal investment in southern lapwings (Vanellus chilensis) and male-male competition in blue-black grassquits (Volatinia jacarina).
You can find a copy of my CV here.
My name is Eduardo Santos, I am currently a lecturer at the Universidade de São Paulo in Brazil. I was born in Brasília, Brazil, but have spent quite a bit of time living in other places. I conducted my BSc at the Universidade Católica de Brasília (2006), my MSc at the Universidade de Brasília (2009), both in Brazil, and my PhD at the University of Otago (2012), New Zealand. After that I moved to São Paulo for a post-doctoral position in Glauco Machado's lab at Universidade de São Paulo (USP, 2015). I have been a lecturer in the Departamento de Zoologia at USP since 2015. Most of my work lies on investigations of mating systems, sexual selection and parental investment, and I am currently investigating macro-ecological and evolutionary questions.
I have previously worked with Dr. Shinichi Nakagawa at the University of Otago in New Zealand. Under Dr. Nakagawa's supervision I conducted my PhD on the mating system and parental care dynamics of dunnocks (Prunella modularis). I have also worked with Dr. Regina Macedo at Universidade de Brasilia. With Regina, I studied maternal investment in southern lapwings (Vanellus chilensis) and male-male competition in blue-black grassquits (Volatinia jacarina).
You can find a copy of my CV here.
André V. Rodrigues
andrevrodrigues1987(-at-)gmail(-dot-)com
I am currently a Ph.D. student from the Zoology graduate program. My background experience lies in behavioural experiments. During my undergrad, I studied the use of visual and scent cues by stingless bees as the flew through a maze. Later, in my Masters, I tested the difference in cognitive capacity between sit-and-wait lizards from different territorial harshness. Although behavioural experiments are amusing, there are several limitations to these proximal approaches. Recently, I became interested to learn more about meta-analysis and comparative tools to answer ultimate questions about animal behaviour. My Ph.D. project aims to study the evolution of a complex set of traits, called domesticated phenotypes, that supposedly emerge as the result of a specific selective regime. In essence, I have experience in behavioural experimental design, statistics, programming, and teaching.
andrevrodrigues1987(-at-)gmail(-dot-)com
I am currently a Ph.D. student from the Zoology graduate program. My background experience lies in behavioural experiments. During my undergrad, I studied the use of visual and scent cues by stingless bees as the flew through a maze. Later, in my Masters, I tested the difference in cognitive capacity between sit-and-wait lizards from different territorial harshness. Although behavioural experiments are amusing, there are several limitations to these proximal approaches. Recently, I became interested to learn more about meta-analysis and comparative tools to answer ultimate questions about animal behaviour. My Ph.D. project aims to study the evolution of a complex set of traits, called domesticated phenotypes, that supposedly emerge as the result of a specific selective regime. In essence, I have experience in behavioural experimental design, statistics, programming, and teaching.
Renato Macedo-Rego
chaves736(-at-)gmail(-dot-)com
I am a PhD student in my third year and I have a MSc degree in Ecology. In my MSc degree, I focused my research in the pre-copulatory reproductive effort of males of a nuptial gift-giving spider. I investigated whether males modulate their reproductive investment once they face the risk of sperm competition and I also investigated whether the nuptial gift represents an honest signal of male quality (and it seems it does!). Now, I’m interested in broader questions in sexual selection theory. Mainly, I’m trying to understand what shapes pre- and post-mating sexual selection intensity. For these new questions, I’m adopting a theoretical approach (i.e. meta-analysis). Additionally, as a PhD student, I wrote two reviews, one on the Polygyny Threshold Model and the other on the concept of Harem. I have experience in the development of laboratory experiments, fieldwork, lecturing, teaching and in the depilation of spider’s epigynes.
chaves736(-at-)gmail(-dot-)com
I am a PhD student in my third year and I have a MSc degree in Ecology. In my MSc degree, I focused my research in the pre-copulatory reproductive effort of males of a nuptial gift-giving spider. I investigated whether males modulate their reproductive investment once they face the risk of sperm competition and I also investigated whether the nuptial gift represents an honest signal of male quality (and it seems it does!). Now, I’m interested in broader questions in sexual selection theory. Mainly, I’m trying to understand what shapes pre- and post-mating sexual selection intensity. For these new questions, I’m adopting a theoretical approach (i.e. meta-analysis). Additionally, as a PhD student, I wrote two reviews, one on the Polygyny Threshold Model and the other on the concept of Harem. I have experience in the development of laboratory experiments, fieldwork, lecturing, teaching and in the depilation of spider’s epigynes.
Ingrid Pinheiro
ingrid(-dot-)paschoaletto(-at-)gmail(-dot-)com I am currently a M.Sc. student in Zoology at the Universidade de Sao Paulo. My project lies within the areas of parental care and sexual selection in a species with variable mating system, the dunnock. In other words, I aim to study if and how parental individuals coordinate their nest provisioning visits to care for the offspring and how, in turn, this affects the fitness of reproductive pairs and groups. My B.Sc. degree in Biological Sciences was obtained at Universidade de Brasília (UnB), where I felt in love with animal behavior and that led me to BECO. |
past lab members
João Menezes
jocateme(-at-)gmail(-dot)com I am currently working towards a M.Sc. degree in Ecology at the Universidade de São Paulo. My dissertation lies within the areas of animal communication and sexual selection. More specifically, I am studying if and how environmental factors may influence the evolution of aerial displays — sexually-selected signals — in birds. Before being admitted to the master’s program, I received my B.Sc. degree in Biological Sciences from the Universidade Presbiteriana Mackenzie. I have been a bird enthusiast since childhood, which is the reason why I chose to study biology in the first place. Now I find myself in a great situation in which I get to try to ask interesting theoretical questions, and answer them using birds as model organisms. |
Lygia Del Matto
lygia(-dot-)delmatto(-at-)gmail(-dot-)com Lygia was an honour's student here in the BECO during 2015 and then a MSc student between 2016-2018. She conducted her undergraduate thesis on male mating tactics in Nephila clavipes spiders. During her MSc, Lygia used a meta-analysis to investigate predictions about sperm competition investment in species with male alternative mating tactics. |
Pietro Pollo
pietro(-underline-)pollo(-at-)hotmail(-dot-)com
Pietro was a MSc student in the lab between 2016 and 2018. He is now a PhD candidate at UNSW working with Michael Kasumovic. Pietro is originally from the south of Brazil and obtained his degree in biology at the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS). He also spent one year of his undergrad at the University of Toronto, where he worked with Dr. Andrew Mason.
pietro(-underline-)pollo(-at-)hotmail(-dot-)com
Pietro was a MSc student in the lab between 2016 and 2018. He is now a PhD candidate at UNSW working with Michael Kasumovic. Pietro is originally from the south of Brazil and obtained his degree in biology at the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS). He also spent one year of his undergrad at the University of Toronto, where he worked with Dr. Andrew Mason.
Priscila Pazzini
priscila(-dot-)pazzini(-at-)usp(-dot-)br Priscila is an undergrad student in Biological Sciences at the Universidade de São Paulo. She is very interested in animal behaviour. Priscila studied male Nephila clavipes morphology and its relation with their different reproductive tactics as an intern in the lab between 2017-2018. |
COLLABORATORS
- Prof Michael Jennions, Australian National University, Australia: Meta-analysis of pre/post-copulatory sexual selection. [Supervisor of Renato Macedo-Rego during Renato's oversea internship]
- Dr Alistair Senior, University of Sydney, Australia: Meta-analysis of heterogeneity.
- Dr Diego Gil, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales, Spain: Comparative analyses of South American bird behaviour.
- Prof Glauco Machado, Universidade de São Paulo, Brazil: Macro-ecology of sexual selection.
- Prof Shinichi Nakagawa, University of New South Wales, Australia: Long term dunnock project.
- Prof Regina Macedo, Universidade de Brasília, Brazil.