Biology Professor Chris Templeton Awarded NSF Grant to Study Effects of Traffic Noise on Birds' Cognition

Biology Professor Chris Templeton was awarded a three-year, $350,000 grant from the National Science Foundation for his research project, Cognitive Effects of Traffic Noise on Avian Cognition. The project includes positions for undergraduate student researchers and a post-doctoral position. 

The project is intended to advance the work Templeton and his students have done to examine the ways human-caused traffic noise interferes with songbirds' ability to navigate, process information and otherwise function naturally. The new project will rigorously examine the differences in behaviors among lab-raised and wild birds, and will also study the behavior of birds that already are exposed to significant traffic noise.

In addition to providing paid research opportunities for students, especially those typically underrepresented in STEM fields, the project will produce videos intended to educate the general public. The video outreach will not only engage the public's interest in this research, but will have implications for species conservation and public policy.

(Photo: Ali Osbrink '19 and Prof. Chris Templeton researching songbird behavior.)