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BACKGROUND
Animal behaviorist and ornithologist with interests in bird song and evolution of social behavior. Currently pursuing PhD in birdsong laboratory of Dr. Michael Beecher at the University of Washington. Eight years of experience conducting ornithological field studies. 

EDUCATION
PhD, Zoology – University of Washington, Seattle (Expected 2010)
Post Graduate Certificate, Science Illustration – University of California Santa Cruz (1999) 

Tropical Biology Program, Costa Rica – UC Education Abroad Program (1993)
BA, Biology, Ecology and Evolution – University of California Santa Cruz (1991 - 1995)


PUBLICATIONS

Illes, A. E., & Yunez-Jimenez, L. In Press. A female songbird out-sings male conspecifics during simulated territorial intrustions. Proceedings of the Royal Society Series B. 

Hall, M. L., Molles, L. E., Illes, A. E., & Vehrencamp, S. L. In Press. Singing in the face of death: male banded wrens sing more to playback in their last breeding season. Journal of Avian Biology.

Illes, A. E., Hall, M. L. & Vehrencamp, S. L. 2006. Vocal performance influences male receiver response in banded wrens. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London – Series B 273, 1907-1912.

Hall, M. L., Illes, A. & Vehrencamp, S. L. 2006. Overlapping signals in banded wrens: long-term effects of prior experience on males and females. Behavioral Ecology 17, 260-269.

Farji-Brener, A. G. & Illes, A. E. 2000. Do leaf-cutting ant nests make "bottom-up" gaps in Neotropical rain forests? A critical review of the evidence. Ecology Letters 3(3): 219-227.

RESEARCH POSITIONS

Trainee, NIH/UW Auditory Neurosciences Training Grant (2008 - 2009)
Project: Testing the seasonal model for the physiological control of vocal signaling in a passerine with a sex-role reversal in singing behavior 

Graduate Research Assistant, University of Washington Beecher Lab (2005 - 2006)
Project: Social factors that influence song learning in Song Sparrows (Melospiza melodia), WA Principle Investigator: Dr. Michael Beecher; Collaborators: Dr. John Burt, Christopher Templeton

Graduate Research Assistant, University of Washington Boersma Lab (2005)
Project: Magellanic Penguin Project (Spheniscus magellanicus), Punta Tombo, Argentina and WA Principle Investigator: Dr. P. Dee Boersma
 
Research Aide, Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Bioacoustics Research Program (2003 - 2005) Project: Vocal communication in the Banded Wren (Thryothorus pleurostictus) (Costa Rica) Principle Investigator: Dr. Sandra Vehrencamp; Postdoc: Dr. Michelle Hall

Field Assistant, Timber, Fish and Wildlife/University of Eastern Washington (1998)
Project: Cavity Nesting Bird Study in Logged and Unlogged Habitat, WA

Field Assistant, Organization for Tropical Studies (1996 - 1997)
Project: Bird Monitoring Program, La Selva Biological Station, Costa Rica
Supervisor: Dr. Bruce Young

Intern, National Biological Service (1995 - 1996)
Project: Critically Endangered Honeycreeper Project, Maui, HI

Intern promoted to Co-coordinator, Ventana Wilderness Sanctuary (1995)
Project: Big Sur Ornithology Lab, Constant Effort Mist-netting Program, Big Sur, CA

TEACHING POSITIONS
Teaching Assistant, University of Washington, Biology Department (2006 - 2008) Courses: Sociobiology, Foundations in Ecology, Introduction to Plant and Animal Physiology

Teaching Assistant, Univ. California Santa Cruz, Science Communication Dept. (1999) Course: Introduction to Scientific Illustration

Teaching Assistant, Organization for Tropical Studies (1998)
Course: Tropical Ecology Field Course, Latin American group  

PRESENTATIONS AND POSTERS

Illes, A. E. 2008. Female stripe-headed sparrows out-sing male conspecifics in multiple contexts. International Society for Behavioral Ecology Congress; Ithaca, New York, USA. Presentation.

Illes, A. E. 2006. Elaborate female song in Stripe-headed Sparrows (Aimophila ruficauda). North American Ornithological Congress; Veracruz, Mexico. Poster.

Illes, A. E., Hall, M. H. & Vehrencamp, S. L. 2006. Vocal performance influences male receiver response in banded wrens. International Society for Behavioral Ecology Congress; Tours, France. Presentation.

Illes, A. E., Hall, M. H. & Vehrencamp, S.L. 2005. Vocal performance influences male receiver response in banded wrens. Animal Behavior Society Annual Meeting; Snowbird, Utah USA. Poster.

LANGUAGES
Native English speaker and proficient in Spanish

FUNDING, HONORS AND AWARDS

- Auditory Neuroscience NIH Training Grant, University of Washington, 2008 - 2009

- International Society of Behavioral Ecology, Student Travel Award, 2008

- Wilson Ornithological Society, Paul A. Stewart Award, 2008

- American Museum of Natural History, Chapman Award, 2007 & 2008

- Animal Behavior Society, Student Research Grant, 2007
- American Ornithological Society, Student Research Award, 2007
- Sigma Delta Epsilon Graduate Women in Science, Vessa Notchev Fellowship, 2007
- Explorer’s Club, Explorer’s Fund Award, 2007
- University of Washington Biology Department, Field & Experimental Ecology Award, 2007
- University of Washington Biology Department, Sargent Award, 2007
- National Science Foundation, Graduate Research Fellow Honorable Mention, 2005 & 2007
- University of Washington, Wadsworth Fellow, 2005

PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS

- American Ornithologist’s Union
- Animal Behaviour Society
- Association of Field Ornithologists
- International Society for Behavioral Ecology
- Sigma Delta Epsilon Graduate Women in Science
- Wilson Ornithological Society