UROP Research Mentor Project Submission Portal: Submission #804

Research Mentor Information
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Primary Research Mentor Name: Daniel Gutierrez
Research Mentor Preferred Pronouns: he/him/his
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Contact Email (FSU Email if affiliated): dag23@fsu.edu
Position Title: Graduate Student
Faculty Advisor Name: Emily DuVal
Faculty Advisor's FSU Email: ehduval@bio.fsu.edu
FSU College (if applicable): Arts and Sciences
FSU Department or Non-FSU Organization Affiliation: Biological Sciences
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Additional Research Mentor(s)
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Overall Project Details
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Title of the Project: Exploring adjustment in vocal production to different territorial intruders in an Andean songbird
Project Keywords: animal behavior, birds, territoriality, behavioral plasticity, individual recognition
Are you currently looking for research assistants?: No
Number of Research Assistants Needed : 1
Relevant Research Assistant Major(s):
Biology or relevant field (preferred)
Bioinformatics
Other majors (to be considered on an individual basis)

Project Location:: On FSU Main Campus
If the project location is off campus, does the research assistant(s) need to provide their own transportation?: No, the project is remote
Please select the choice that most accurately describes your expectations for the research assistant(s):: In-person
Approximately how many hours a week would the research assistant(s) need to work?: 5-10
Roughly what time frame do you expect research assistant(s) to work?: Flexible schedule (Combination of business and outside of business. TBD between student and research mentor.)
Overall Research Project Description:
This project will explore how behavior is adjusted based on conspecific interactions. More specifically, we will address how interactions with territorial neighbors lead to adjustments in vocal production in a tropical songbird, the Grey-browed Brushfinch (Arremon assimilis). This is a monogamous high elevation sparrow found in the Andes that defends territories year round. Previous work on this species showed that males adjust aggressive territorial behavior towards intruders based on the identity of the intruder, the location from which the intrusion is perceived and the season of their annual cycle. This study looked into metrics of behavioral performance, such as movement, singing duration or singing pace. However, little is known on whether social interactions also result in changes in the production of vocalizations. During this project, the student will work with me (Daniel Gutierrez) on taking bioacoustic measurements of recordings from behavioral experiments to understand to understand the effect that the type of intrusion has on sound production in these birds. 
Students will learn how to 1) search and read scientific literature, 2) create standardize data collection protocols, 3) use the software RavenPro to take bioacoustic measurements, 4) engage in data analysis and discussion, 5) effectively communicate this results through a poster. 

Research Tasks:
Literature review; data processing; data analysis and interpretation; communication of results

Skills that research assistant(s) may need::
Required: interest in animal behavior, able to work independently, good communication skills; reliable
Recommended: coding experience; experience with audio editing software (Raven Pro preferred, but others are also acceptable)

Mentoring Philosophy:
As an undergraduate, I benefited from having had the opportunity to work with great mentors, both professors and graduate students, and I strongly feel that those experiences contributed greatly to my career path and the position I am in right now. I would like to provide the same type of opportunities that I received to new aspiring scientists. As a mentor, I try to provide each student with the right environment and opportunities that would allow them to develop on areas that they wish to improve on while also continue furthering their strengths. I believe recognizing that each student comes with a diverse background and set of skills is key to establish an optimal rapport between mentor and student that facilitates learning and promotes asking questions. Lastly, I learned from my experience with previous mentors that learning is bidirectional in a mentor-mentee relationship so I strongly encourage students to share their experience and skills with me; I can also learn a lot from students. 

Please provide a link to your publications, a video clip, or a website for your research project (if applicable):: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0003347223000350; https://birdsoftheworld.org/bow/species/sthbrf8/cur/introduction
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Are you interested in participating in the UROP Research Mentor Roundtable?: No
Roundtable times and Zoom links:
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UROP Program Elements
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Mentor Handbook, FAQs, and Communication: Yes
UROP Performance Evaluation: Yes
Materials Grant: Yes
UROP Poster Presentation: Yes
Faculty Advisor Confirmation: Yes

Are you interested in attending in a UROP Research Mentor Workshop Series?: Yes
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Year: 2024
update url: https://cre.fsu.edu/urop-research-mentor-project-submission-portal?token=aoNKlR9s2ZP8vNxCveGzB1XvMSVIw0cugvPjHpW4Ao4