In December 2018, Robin Tinghitella, an assistant professor in the Department of Biological Sciences, received a National Science Foundation (NSF) faculty early career development (CAREER) award for her groundbreaking research on the rapid evolution of crickets.
Tinghitella’s most recent publication in American Naturalist documents her discovery of a new communication mechanism unique to Pacific field crickets in Hawaii. Teleogryllus oceanicus, a species which had evolved to be silent in response to invasive predatory flies on the islands, is now purring to attract mates. They are the first species of cricket ever observed exhibiting this behavior.
The biology professor's publication and story were picked up by Newsweek earlier this year.
