Erick Bayala

As a Ph.D. student, I am interested in how color patterns are form and change in nature from a developmental perspective? Mainly focusing into characterizing the different steps of forming a color pattern across development and how alterations to these steps can promote color diversity. I am using butterflies as models to start analyzing some of these developmental mechanisms for color pattern specification and formation.

Awards

Spring 2015
Awarded a position in the program, Initiative to Maximize Student Development (IMSD) of University of Chicago (Starting Summer 2015). This program grant provides funding (full tuition and research funds), mentoring and support for the awardee during the first two years of his Ph.D.

Spring 2016
Awarded an Honorable Mention by the National Science Foundation (NSF) Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP) 2015 application (Application Number: 1000229645).

Spring 2016
Awarded a position in the AAAS/Science Program for Excellence in Science

Fall 2016
Selected to form part of the Arts, Science & Culture Fellows group.

 

Education

2010 – 2015
Bachelor in General Sciences with a Major in Microbiology
University of Puerto Rico at Humacao

2015 – present
PhD. in Integrative Biology, from the Organismal Biology and Anatomy (OBA) department
University of Chicago

Publications

Westerman*, E.L, N. VanKuren*, D. Massardo, A. Tenger-Trolander, W. Zhang, R. I. Hill, M. Perry, E. Bayala, K. Barr, N. Chamberlain, T. E. Douglas, N. Buerkle, S. Palmer & M. R. Kronforst. Aristaless controls butterfly wing color variation used in mimicry and mate choice. Current Biology, 2018. *Equal contribution.