The Microtus Shuffle (Dance my PhD Contest)

Danielle N. Lee
University of Missouri - St. Louis
Dissertation Title: Individual Differences in Exploratory Behavior of Prairie Voles

The Microtus Shuffle is a dance interpretation of my dissertation which examines individual differences in exploratory behavior of prairie voles in unfamiliar or novel settings.

Prairie voles are small field mice that live in grasslands and agriculture fields throughout much of the United States. Typical vole behavior includes self-grooming, running along tunnels and runways, and sniffing, scratching, and pawing at walls and other objects. Like other vole species they have brown fur, stocky bodies, and short tails. The scientific name - Microtus ochrogaster - translates as little ear orange belly. The dancing voles are wearing clothes that roughly represent the color of real prairie voles.
Like my real vole subjects, the dancing voles are observed in an exploratory maze. I can look over onto the maze and see the subjects. I record their behavior in the maze, i.e. latency to enter the maze, which arms and dead-ends they visit, and number of times they visit each.
The Dancing voles represent two subjects who are similar in a general way, but are noticeably 'different' in their behavior and reaction to the exploratory maze.
The Microtus Shuffle includes aspects of their natural behavior, turning around, sniffing, scratching at walls, and self-grooming. The Scientist part of the dance shows me observing the animals from above, recording data, and dealing with the initial challenges of experimental design and live observation. In the end, everything works out and I celebrate my experimental success.

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• 2009
• AAAS
• Dance
• Contest
• Your
• PhD
• Thesis
• arts
• sciences

[davevontexas]

Loved the music, the dancing was great, two thumbs up on the crane shot... but really, without a cavalcade of furries, what have you got here?

High five.

[dnlee5]

SOrry your music got disabled. But I look forward to the choreographed dance of your work at the AAAS meeting. I hope I get to meet you.

[dnlee5]

thanks all!

[thekarmamechanic]

fantastic! what is the song being played?

[dnlee5]

Amy Winehouse - Rehab instrumental version

[hpdutra]

who is the other girl dancing with you? Is it Laura? I love when you dance and take notes.

beto

[dnlee5]

yes, she is. Don't I have the best lab mates? Gena did the filming.

[uhusted]

This is hysterical- great job! :D

[Thinkfest]

That was brilliant. 8) If it wasn't for this vid I would never have known about those hip-scritching cheek-scrubbing voles. Thanks for making science more fun than ever!

[kohlenzange]

Oh, this is genius! (I now want to do my own PhD dance!)

Love it...