Join the Starks Lab
If you are interested in how behavior scales—from individuals to societies—and how organisms respond to environmental stress, we may be a good fit.
Our work integrates behavioral ecology and evolutionary medicine to understand how decision-making rules shape outcomes at larger scales—from insect colonies to human health.
Research Focus
The lab studies how individual behavioral rules scale into collective outcomes, with a current emphasis on honey bee colonies as adaptive systems under stress.
Core questions include:
- How do colonies detect and respond to thermal and nutritional stress?
- How do individual movement and decision rules generate colony-level organization?
- When do collective systems remain resilient—and when do they fail?
We approach these questions by combining:
- Behavioral tracking within observation hives
- Experimental manipulation of environmental stressors
- Conceptual frameworks from behavioral ecology and evolutionary theory
While honey bees are the primary system, the broader goal is to develop general principles that apply across biological systems, including human health.
Lab Philosophy
The lab is highly interactive and collaborative. Students are expected to:
- Engage deeply with ideas across levels (mechanism → behavior → evolution)
- Work both independently and as part of a team
- Contribute to a publication-oriented research pipeline
Undergraduate researchers in the lab frequently become co-authors on peer-reviewed work.
Undergraduate Researchers
Undergraduates are a central part of the lab. If you are interested, email Dr. Starks with:
- Your academic background
- Your research interests
- A brief description of why you want to join the lab
Students who thrive in the lab are typically curious, reliable, and excited to move from ideas → data → writing.
Graduate Students
I anticipate taking a graduate student in the next application cycle, with a primary focus on honey bee behavioral ecology and colony-level responses to environmental stress.
Successful applicants will typically have:
- Strong academic preparation in biology or related fields;
- Prior research experience
- Interest in linking individual behavior to collective outcomes
Students specifically interested in honey bees, social insects, or collective behavior under environmental stress are especially encouraged to contact Dr. Starks.
Admission to the Tufts Biology graduate program is competitive. For application logistics, please visit the Graduate Programs page.
Postdoctoral Fellows
I do not currently have dedicated funding for postdoctoral researchers, but I welcome:
- Candidates with independent funding
- Collaborative development of fellowship proposals
Please reach out to Dr. Starks if you are interested in building a project together.