Biological Sciences
Dr. Sharon Gill
Assistant Professor
E-mail:sharon.gill@wmich.edu 
Office:
3157 Wood Hall
Lab: 4046 Haenicke Hall
Office Phone: 269-387-5613
Lab phone: 269-387-0026
Visit her personal page (Click here)
Research Description
Area of Research:
Behavioral Ecology and Endocrinology
In most altricial vertebrates, offspring disperse once they become nutritionally independent from their parents, a strategy though to maximize lifetime reproductive success. In some social species, offspring may postpone dispersal and remain with their parents for prolonged periods of time in family groups. Such family living is an important evolutionary step in sociality , as it may lead to more complex social systems and behaviors, including cooperative breeding. My main research interest focuses on understanding family living in the absence of more complex forms of sociality. Specifically, I am investigating the dynamics of delayed dispersal, hormonal and functional aspects of family living, and the behavioral interactions that occur with family groups. I take many approaches in my research, integrating animal behavior, endocrinology, ecology, evolution, life history and physiology. My research is conducted on free-living animals in the wild, which allows me to gain a better understanding of the function of and hormonal mechanisms underlying social interactions under natural conditions, but aspects of my work are conducted in the laboratory.