Nakajima @ The Phipps Center for the Arts

Bernd Budelmann

Dr. Budelmann is a native of Hamburg, Germany. He conducted his dissertation research at the Max-Planck-Institute for Behavioral Physiology in Seewiesen, Germany and earned his PhD in Zoology in 1970 from the University of Munich, Germany. He joined the Marine Biomedical Institute of University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston. In 2009 he retired as Professor in the Departments of Neuroscience & Cell Biology and Otolaryngology.  Dr. Budelmann’s research interests focus on cephalopod equilibrium receptor systems, their relevant brain structures, the oculomotor system, and all other sensory and motor systems that are involved in equilibrium orientation. His more recent work was on the actions of transmitters in the cephalopod equilibrium receptor systems. His other research interests include the cephalopod’s lateral line analogue system and other cephalopod mechanoreceptors, as well as invertebrate receptor hair cells.

Yuzuru Ikeda, Professor

Dr. Yuzuru Ikeda received his PhD in 1993 from Division of Biology & Aquaculture, Graduate School of Hokkaido University with an emphasis on squid biology and behavior.  He continued his research at such institutions as Division of Bioscience, Kyoto University, Hopkins Marine Station, Stanford University and Brain Science Institute of RIKEN.  Currently, He is a professor at Department of Chemistry, Biology and Marine Sciences at University of the Ryukyus, Okinawa.  His research focuses on the social system and intelligence of cephalopods.

Jesse E. Purdy, professor

Dr. Jesse E. Purdy received his PhD in 1978 from Colorado State University. He graduated with an emphasis in experimental psychology with specialization in animal learning and animal behavior. He is a professor of psychology and has held the Brown Distinguished Research Professorship in the Department of Psychology at Southwestern University where he has been since 1978. The focus of his work is on basic animal learning processes in aquatic animals where he addresses questions related to basic learning processes in cephalopods, questions related to the evolution of learning, and the role of learning in defensive and anti-predatory behavior in fishes. His work has been highlighted on the Discovery Channel’s World of Wonder and on a NOVA show entitled “Kings of Camouflage.”

Shuichi Shigeno, professor

Dr. Shuichi Shigeno received his PhD in 2002 from Okayama University, the graduate school of Natural science and Technology with an emphasis on comparative brain development on cephalopods related to their life strategies.  He is currently an assistant professor/Research Associate at Department of Neurobiology, University of Chicago, where he is working on identifying mammalian-like analogical systems in molecular architecture of octopus brain.