Exploring the neurological & genetic basis of social behavior in bees

The Cook Lab at Marquette University

 

Studying collective behavior in a changing environment, from genes to society

 
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our research

Exploring the mechanisms of social behavior in a changing environment

How do organisms perceive the world, communicate with others, and organize to affect change in their environment? From genes to groups, we study how animals balance social and ecological information to determine collective action.

 
 
 

About our team

We believe in equity, justice, and accessible science.

 
 
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Major themes of our research

 
 
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Collective Behavior
Collective Behavior

We study how animals work together to accomplish remarkable tasks. Our goal is to define the process that animals move through to organize, especially when communicating with each other.

Sensory Physiology
Sensory Physiology

We explore what animals sense about their environment and how they use that information to behave. Our goal is to identify what information animals take in and how their brains synthesize that information.

Environmental Context
Environmental Context

We explore what information is relevant to animals when they make decisions, especially about collective behavior. Our goal is to identify what information matters and what happens to collective behavior when that information changes.

 
 
 

Outreach & Engagement

We use our research to bring knowledge, passion, and excitement about science to the communities around us, including underserved communities as well as workers like beekeepers and farmers, all of whom can benefit immensely from our work!

 

Featured News

Featured
Pollinator Week coverage of the mind of honeybees with Dr. Cook
Pollinator Week coverage of the mind of honeybees with Dr. Cook

Dr Cook discusses the minds of honeybees

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Join our lab team