Jace Kuske

My name is Jace Kuske (they/them/theirs) and I am a 5^th-year PhD candidate and NSF GRFP Fellow in the Biological Psychology program. I joined the Bales lab in 2024 and I am currently working on my dissertation exploring the neural and hormonal basis of female territorial aggression. 

As an undergraduate and transfer student, I was involved in social psychology, biomedical, ecology, and neuroscience research through my participation in preparatory programs for marginalized scholars. Through the-NIH funded MARC program, I worked at three different research laboratories, but my host laboratory was at my home institution at Cal State San Marcos with Dr. D’Anna-Hernandez. From traditional lab mice, rats, and wild birds, I engaged in basic and translational research and found a passion for studying females, brains, and hormones. I have since applied this passion to my research where I exclusively study female animals and use experimental and theoretical approaches to understand the conditions and underlying biology of female territorial aggression.

Outside of lab, I work with the UC Davis ASPIRE program as an assistant co-director, and as the graduate student representative for the UC Davis Graduate and Postdoc chapter of SACNAS. As a proud Mexican, Native (Taos), and queer scientist, I work to mentor fellow underrepresented minorities in science in an inclusive and equitable manner. 

As I wrap up my degree, I am pursuing careers in science policy, research administration, and science/medical writing.

For copies of my GRFP application materials, questions about access to my research articles, or anything else, please contact at jkkuske@ucdavis.edu