May 28, 2025

12:00pm – 1:00pm Hershey Hall 158

Dr. Sara E. Lipshutz - Graduate Student Nominated Speaker
Duke University

" Sex Variation in Behavior, Hormones, and Brains Across Diverse Birds "

Scientists often rely on a binarized operationalization of animal sex, in which two discrete sexes are defined by gamete type. However, “biological sex” can describe a complex suite of traits across multiple organizational levels, including neural, endocrine, and behavioral. To capture the full range of sex variability and diversity, we must critically assess our research approaches for studying sex-associated traits. Using several case studies from wild, free-living birds, I provide practical guidance for conceptual frameworks, experimental designs, and analytical methods for studying sex. There inclusive approaches advance our biological understanding of sex and promote academically and socially responsible outcomes of our research

Host: Grad Student Nominated Speaker