Erica L. Westerman Source Confirmed

Affiliation confirmed via AI analysis of OpenAlex, ORCID, and web sources.

Federal Grant PI

Researcher

University of Arkansas at Fayetteville

faculty

17 h-index 62 pubs 1,022 cited

Research Areas

Genomics and Phylogenetic Studies Insect and Arachnid Ecology and Behavior Neuroscience and Neural Engineering Neural and Behavioral Psychology Studies Wildlife Ecology and Conservation Behavioral and Psychological Studies Ecology and Vegetation Dynamics Studies

Links

ORCID Lab Website

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OverviewAI-generated summary

Erica L. Westerman's research investigates the genetic, developmental, and neural underpinnings of animal behavior and sensory systems. Her work often focuses on butterflies, examining how traits like color vision, mate preference, and learning are shaped by evolutionary history and environmental light conditions. She has explored the genomic basis for locomotor adaptation in *Heliconius* butterflies and the neurogenomic responses to learning experiences in *Bicyclus anynana*.

Westerman's federally funded projects include a CAREER award from the NSF to study the role of light environment and genetics in visual and behavioral plasticity, and another NSF grant focused on extracellular RNA in intercellular and interkingdom communication. She also serves as a Co-PI on an NSF REU SITE grant supporting research on ecosystem services at the nexus of food, energy, and water systems. Her scholarship metrics include an h-index of 17, 62 total publications, and over 1,000 citations. She collaborates with several researchers at the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville.

Metrics

  • h-index: 17
  • Publications: 62
  • Citations: 1,022

Selected Publications

  • Female olfactory sensitivity is temporally asynchronous with male courtship in a butterfly (2025) DOI
  • Synchronous seasonal plasticity in coloration, behaviour and visual gene expression in a wild butterfly population (2025) DOI
  • Divergent sensory transcriptomic profiles in positive and negative learning in Bicyclus Anynana butterflies (2025) DOI
  • Sex-limited diversification of the eye in Heliconius cydno butterflies (2025) DOI
  • Introduction to Plant–Pollinator Interactions in a Changing Landscape: Embracing Integrative Approaches Across Scales (2025) DOI
  • The role of epigenetics and non-genetic inheritance in plant–pollinator interactions: A perspective (2025) DOI
  • Plant-Pollinator Interactions in the Anthropocene: Why We Need a Systems Approach (2025) DOI
  • Every Hue Has Its Fan Club: Diverse Patterns of Color-Dependent Flower Visitation across Lepidoptera (2025) DOI
  • Female Olfactory Sensitivity Is Temporally Asynchronous with Male Courtship in a Butterfly (2024) DOI
  • Behavioural changes in aposematic Heliconius melpomene butterflies in response to their predatory bird calls (2024) DOI
  • Synchronous seasonal plasticity in colouration, behaviour, and visual gene expression in a wild butterfly population (2024) DOI
  • Asynchronous temporal variance in learning behaviour and neural gene expression in a butterfly (2024) DOI
  • Behavioural changes in aposematic <i>Heliconius melpomene</i> butterflies in response to their predatory bird calls (2023) DOI
  • From kelp forests to cunner: The long-tendrilled impact of a 50-year career studying marine ecology in the Gulf of Maine (2023) DOI
  • One size does not fit all: Family specific differences in seasonal patterns of abundance and behavior in butterfly communities (2023) DOI

Federal Grants 3 $2,615,757 total

NSF Co-PI

REU SITE: Assessment and sustainable management of ecosystem services at the nexus of food, energy, and water systems

RSCH EXPER FOR UNDERGRAD SITES, EPSCoR Co-Funding $491,183
NSF PI

CAREER: The Role of Light Environment and Genetics in Shaping Visual and Behavioral Plasticity

Animal Behavior, Cross-BIO Activities $1,353,503
NSF PI

Collaborative Research: Ideas Lab: The Role of Extracellular RNA in Intercellular and Interkingdom Communication

Cross-BIO Activities, Plant Genome Research Project $771,071

Collaborators

Researchers in the database who share publications

Sushant Potdar University of Arkansas at Fayetteville 6 shared publications Matthew J. Murphy University of Arkansas at Fayetteville 5 shared publications Grace E. Hirzel University of Arkansas at Fayetteville 4 shared publications Yi Ting Ter University of Arkansas at Fayetteville 4 shared publications Neelendra K. Joshi University of Arkansas at Fayetteville 3 shared publications Abbigail N. Merrill University of Arkansas at Fayetteville 3 shared publications Gabrielle A. Agcaoili University of Arkansas at Fayetteville 2 shared publications Stephen M. Robertson University of Arkansas at Fayetteville 1 shared publication

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