My name is Emma Halter and I am a neuroscientist, marine biologist, photographer, scuba diver, triathlete, animal lover and more! As a long time cat owner, I have always been awed by the connection and amount of information that can be passed between species. Many creatures can interact outside of their own species, recognizing alarm calls, or even being able to acknowledge emotions, as we may experience with our pet companions. This is why I aim to expand our view of the world by researching animal and human behavior and learning more about cognition and the brain. This has led me to explore many areas of animal behavior and cognitive research. 

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I received my Bachelors degree in Neuroscience and Behavior from Wesleyan University in 2017, with my capstone research focusing on taste perception in rats exposed to junk-food. There I learned the massive amount of work and patience needed to work with animals, both in and out of the lab. During my time as an undergrad I spent a semester abroad in the Turks & Caicos scuba diving and learning to multitask underwater completing coral and fish surveys. I realized I was never unhappy underwater, and quickly pursued higher certifications. By February 2019 I earned my PADI Divemaster certification and officially entered the professional level. During this period, I also earned my Master of Science in Marine Biology thanks to Northeastern's intense Three Seas Program. My thesis focused on the visual cognition of beluga whales, and was published in Animal Cognition in the fall of 2022. 

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Animal behavior is a broad field and through these experiences I have realized I enjoy projects most if they aid human actions as well as add to our knowledge of non-human species. Neuroscience is a great example of practical animal behavior experiments that give us insight into human cognition or neurodegenerative diseases. My time as a lab manager at Providence College in collaboration with Brown University allowed me to develop greater proficiency as a leader in this field. In my present position at the University of Pennsylvania I have been able to run my own NIH funded rodent research in parallel with expanding my skills as a project manager for a large animal NIH and DoD funded project. I look forward to my next steps! Meanwhile, if you need me, I'll be underwater. Just follow the bubbles!

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Emma