ANDREA SUE GRUNST

 

Assistant Professor

Indiana State University

Department of Biology

Terre Haute, IN 47809

Email: andrea.grunst@indstate.edu

ORCID ID: 0000-0001-5705-9845

​

EDUCATION

12/2013            Ph.D., Evolution, Ecology and Organismal Biology, University of California, Riverside.  

Advisor:          Dr. John Rotenberry.

6/2004            B.A., Biology, Carleton College, Northfield, MN. Magna Cum Laude, Phi Beta Kappa

 

APPOINTMENTS 

July 2020-May 2023         

Marie Curie Postdoctoral Research Fellow

Research: Behavioural ecotoxicology meets climate change: Interactive effects of mercury pollution and climate change on behaviour, physiology and fitness in a keystone Arctic seabird (BehavToxArc)

Location: Institute Littoral Environnement et Sociétés (LIENSs), La Rochelle University, France

Supervisor: Dr. Jérôme Fort (jerome.fort@univ-lr.fr)

​

2017-2020                    

Research Foundation of Flanders (FWO) Postdoctoral Fellow

Research: Metal pollution and oxidative stress: exploring effects on aging rate, behaviour and fitness.

Location: Behavioural Ecology & Ecophysiology (BECO) group, University of Antwerp, Belgium

Supervisor: Prof. Marcel Eens (marcel.eens@uantwerpen.be)

 

2014-2016                    

Postdoctoral Researcher

Research: Alternative reproductive strategies, sexual signaling and demographic senescence in a dimorphic species, the white-throated sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis)

Location: Indiana State University (ISU), Terre Haute, IN, USA

Supervisor: Profs. Rusty Gonser (rusty.gonser@indstate.edu) and Elaina Tuttle

 

2007-2013                    

Graduate Student Researcher and Teaching Assistant

Research: Alternative reproductive strategies, sexual signaling and oxidative stress in yellow warblers (Setophaga petechia)

Location: University of California, Riverside (UCR), CA, USA

Supervisor: Prof. John Rotenberry (jrotenbe@umn.edu)

 

GRANTS AND FELLOWSHIPS

2020                Marie SkŁodowska-Curie individual fellowship (European Commission)

2017                 FWO (Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek, Vlaanderen) Postdoctoral Research Grant

2016                 FWO Postdoctoral Research Fellowship

2014                 Postdoctoral travel award from the American Ornithologists’ Union        

2013                 Graduate student travel award from the International Society for Behavioral Ecology

2012                 Doctoral Dissertation Improvement Grant, National Science Foundation

2012                 Dissertation Year Fellowship, University of California, Riverside, Graduate Division

2011                 Sigma Xi Grants-in-aid-of-Research

2010, 2011        Mildred E. Mathias Graduate Student Research Grant

2010, 2011        Valentine Eastern Sierra Reserve Graduate Student Research Grant 

2010                 Chapman Grant, American Museum of Natural History

2010                 Newell Award, University of California, Riverside, Department of Biology

2010                 Dissertation Research Grant, University of California, Riverside, Graduate Division                     

2007-2008       Chancellor’s Distinguished Fellowship Award, University of California, Riverside

​

DISSERTATION

Grunst AS. 2013. Condition-dependence, Reproductive Strategies, and the Information Content of Multiple Sexual Pigments in the Yellow Warbler (Setophaga petechia). University of California, Riverside. ProQuest, UMI Dissertations Publishing.

​

PUBLICATIONS: See publications page.

 

CONFERENCE PRESENTATIONS

1. Grunst AS, Grunst ML, Kato K, Alberts C, Brisson-Curadeau É, Clairbaux M, Cruz-Flores M, Gentès S, Perret S, Ste Marie E, Bustamante P, Wojczulanis-Jakubas K, Grémillet K, Fort J. 2022. Chemical contamination challenges the behavioral response of a keystone marine species to Arctic climate change. Oral Presentation. Virtual Conference of the Animal Behavior Society.

2. Grunst AS, Grunst ML, Wojczulanis-Jakubas K, Fort J. Behavioral plasticity in a keystone Arctic seabird facing climate change impacts. Poster Presentation. Virtual Conference of the Society for the Study of Animal Behaviour.

3. Grunst AS, Grunst ML, Pinxten R, Eens M. 2021. Serotonin transporter (SERT) polymorphisms, personality and problem-solving in urban great tits. Lightning Oral Presentation. Virtual Conference of the Animal Behavior Society.

4. Grunst AS, Grunst ML, Pinxten R, Eens M. 2020. Variation in problem-solving in urban great tits.  Lightning Oral Presentation. Virtual Conference of the Animal Behavior Society.

5. Grunst AS, Grunst ML, Thys B, Raap R, Pinxten R, Eens M. 2018. Variation in personality traits 

across a metal pollution gradient in a free-living songbird. Oral Presentation. Congress of the International Society for Behavioral Ecology, Minneapolis, MN.

6. Grunst AS, Grunst ML, Korody ML, Forrette LM, Gonser RA, Tuttle EM. 2017. Extra-pair mating and the strength of sexual selection: insights from a polymorphic species. Presented by LM Forrette. Oral Presentation. Joint meeting ofthe American Ornithological Society and Society of Canadian Ornithologists. East Lansing, MI.

7. Grunst AS, Rathbun NA, Hubbard JK, Safran RJ, Gonser RA, Tuttle EM. 2016. Disruptive selection 

on plumage coloration across genetically determined morphs of the white-throated sparrow. Oral Presentation. Annual Conference of the Animal Behavior Society, Columbia, MO.

8. Grunst AS, Rotenberry JT, Grunst ML. 2014. Age-dependent relationships between multiple sexual 

pigments and condition in males and females. Oral Presentation. Meeting of the American Ornithologists’ Union, Cooper Ornithological Society and Society of Canadian Ornithologists, Estes Park, CO.

9. Grunst AS, Rotenberry JT. 2013. Sexual pigmentation predicts reproductive performance in male 

Yellow Warblers (Setophaga petechia). Oral Presentation. Annual Conference of the Animal Behavior Society. Boulder, CO.

10. Grunst AS, Salgado Ortiz J, Rotenberry JT. 2013. Sexual coloration predicts oxidative stress in 

northern Yellow Warblers and Mangrove Warblers. Oral Presentation. Meeting of the American Ornithologists’ Union and Cooper Ornithological Society, Chicago, IL.

11. Grunst AS. 2012. Does phaeomelanic pigmentation predict antioxidant capacity and paternal effort 

in yellow warbler (Setophaga petechia)?  Oral Presentation.  The Mathias Symposium, UC Natural Reserve System, Bodega Marine Reserve.

12. Grunst AS. 2012. Sexual coloration, antioxidant status, and reproductive strategies in Yellow 

Warbler. Oral Presentation. Congress of the International Society for Behavioral Ecology, Lund, Sweden.

 

INVITED PRESENTATIONS

1. Grunst AS, Grunst ML. 2020.  Interconnections between behavior, sexual selection and senescence in a dimorphic bird with a supergene.  Max Planck Institute for Ornithology.

2. Grunst AS, Grunst ML. 2021.  Interconnections between behavior, sexual selection and senescence in 

a dimorphic bird with a supergene.  Indiana State University.

 

INSTITUTIONAL PRESENTATIONS

1. Grunst AS. 2019. Personality variation in wild birds: causes and consequences. Oral Presentation. 

Biology Research Day. University of Antwerp, Belgium.

2. Grunst AS. 2018. Effects of metal pollution on behavioral patterns and aging rate in a free-living 

songbird. Oral Presentation. Seminars in Ecology and Evolution. University of Antwerp, Belgium.

3. Grunst AS. 2015. Condition-dependence, reproductive strategies and the expression of multiple sexual 

pigments in the yellow warbler. Oral Presentation. Molecules to Ecosystems Seminar Series. Indiana State University, Terre Haute, IN.

4. Grunst AS. 2015. Morph-specific relationships between plumage coloration and lifetime fitness in the 

white-throated sparrow. Oral Presentation. Indiana State University Sequicentennial, Terre Haute, IN.

5. Grunst AS, Rotenberry JT. 2013. Age and sex affect the condition-dependence of multiple sexual 

pigments. Poster Presentation. Annual symposium of the UC Riverside Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology graduate program. Riverside, CA.

6. Grunst AS. 2011. Condition-dependence and alternative strategies in sexual coloration and paternal 

allocation.  Oral Presentation.  Annual symposium of the UC Riverside Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology graduate program, Riverside, CA.

 

TEACHING

1. Biology 101 (Introduction to Ecology and Evolution), Indiana State University, 2023.

2. Guest Lecturer for Ornithology, “Anthropogenic Impacts on Birds”. University of Antwerp. 2022.

3. Served as a Teaching Assistant for the following courses at the University of California, Riverside (UCR): 

i. Biology 005C: Introductory Evolution and Ecology, Laboratory 

ii. Biology 005A: Introduction to Cell and Molecular Biology, Laboratory

iii. Biology 005A: Introduction to Cell and Molecular Biology, Discussion 

iv. Biology 005B: Introduction to Organismal Biology, Laboratory 

v. Biology 102: Introduction to Genetics, Discussion 

 

MENTORING

1.  Supervised two Masters internships at La Rochelle University:

Salomé Friry, Thesis title: The neophobic response of little auks confronted by multiple novel objects during the chick-rearing period.

Aby Giraud, Thesis title: Mercury contamination and neophobia behavior in little auks

2. Advised one Masters and one Bachelors project during postdoc work at the University of Antwerp:

Masters Student: Natasha Daem, Thesis title: Personality traits differ in adult great tits along a pollution gradient in Antwerp.

Bachelors Student: Cas Jorissen, Project title: Nest size of great tits across a metal pollution gradient

3. As a postdoctoral researcher mentored and collaborated with the following Ph.D. students at Indiana State University (ISU): Adam Betuel, Margarida Barcelo-Serra, Lindsay Forrette.

4. At ISU, helped train undergraduate biology majors in avian field research techniques: 

Morgan Chaney, Eunha Chang.

5. As a doctoral student, mentored the following undergraduate biology majors at UCR: Laura Soto, Eric Nyugen, Megan Bohannon, William Splinter, Stephanie Arnold, Jaclyn Fielder, Mindy Hernandez, Kenneth Rangel, Austin Stypa.

 

OUTREACH ACTIVITIES

At UCR, regularly judged projects at the science fairs of elementary and secondary students in Riverside, CA, and introduced students at my field research site (the Eastern Sierra Nevada Aquatic Research Laboratory) to avian field research methods. At ISU, presented information about The Center for Genomic Advocacy and genomics of the white-throated sparrow to the public as part of annual science symposia. At the University of Antwerp, talked to several news organizations about my research regarding the effects of metal pollution on avian personality traits (New Scientist, Chemical & Engineering News), and explained my research to visitors of the Fort 7 Natuurpunt in Antwerp.

 

PROFESSIONAL SOCIETY MEMBERSHIP

Animal Behavior Society, American Ornithologists’ Union, International Society for Behavioral Ecology, Sigma Xi

 

REVIEWER FOR

Animal Behaviour, The Auk, Behavioral Ecology, Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, Environmental Pollution, Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution, General and Comparative Endocrinology, The Ibis, Journal of Animal Ecology, Molecular Ecology, Physiological and Biochemical Zoology, Proceedings of the Royal Society of London B, Science of the Total Environment, Wilson Journal of Ornithology 

​