For full CV, click here (updated 9/7/22)

Peer-Reviewed Journals

Witczak L. R., Blozis, S. A., and Bales, K. L. (2022). Assessing variability in affiliative maintenance behaviors in captive coppery titi monkeys using longitudinal data. Animal Behaviour, 191, 117-124. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anbehav.2022.07.001

Arias-del Razo, R., Vazquez, M. D. L. V., Turcanu, P., Legrand, M., Floch, M., Weinstein, T. A., Goetze, L. R., Freeman, S. M., Baxter, A., Witczak, L. R., Sahagún, E., Berger, T., Jacob, S., Lawrence, R. H., Rothwell, E. S., Savidge, L. E., Solomon, M., Mendoza, S. P., and Bales, K. L. (2022). Long term effects of chronic intranasal oxytocin on adult pair bonding behavior and brain glucose uptake in titi monkeys (Plecturocebus cupreus). Hormones and Behavior, 140, 105126. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.yhbeh.2022.105126

Karaskiewicz, C. L., Witczak, L. R., Lau, A. R., Dufek, M. E., and Bales, K. L. (2021) Parenting costs time: Changes in pair bond maintenance across pregnancy and infant rearing in a monogamous primate (Plecturocebus cupreus). New Directions for Child and Adolescent Development. https://doi.org/10.1002/cad.20438

Witczak, L. R., Arias del Razo, R., Baxter, A., Conley, A. J., Dufek, M., Goetze, L. R., Lau, A. R., Mendoza, S. P., Savidge, L. E., and Bales, K. L. (2021). Relationships between cortisol and testosterone in female titi monkeys (Plecturocebus cupreus). General and Comparative Endocrinology, 314: 113927. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ygcen.2021.113927

Bales, K. L., Ardekani, C., Baxter, A., Karaskiewicz, C. L., Kuske, J., Lau, A., Savidge, L. E., Sayler, K. R., & Witczak, L. R. (2021). What is a pair bond? Hormones and Behavior, 136, 105062. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.yhbeh.2021.105062

Mercier, F., Witczak, L. R., and Bales, K. L. (2020). Coppery titi monkey (Plecturocebus cupreus ) pairs display coordinated behaviors in response to a simulated intruder. American Journal of Primatology, e23141. https://doi.org/10.1002/ajp.23141

Arias del Razo, R., Berger, T., Conley, A. J., Freeman, S. M., Goetze, L. R., Jacob, S., Lawrence, R. H., Mendoza, S. P., Rothwell, E. S., Savidge, L. E., Solomon, M., Weinstein, T. A. R., Witczak, L. R., and Bales, K. L. (2020). Effects of chronic intranasal oxytocin on social behavior, anxiety, and cerebral glucose uptake in juvenile titi monkeys. Psychoneuroendocrinology, 113: 104494. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psyneuen.2019.104494

Baxter, A., Wood, E. K., Witczak, L. R., Bales, K. L., and Higley, J. D. (2019). Sexual dimorphism in titi monkeys’ digit (2D:4D) ratio is associated with maternal urinary sex hormones during pregnancy. Developmental Psychobiology. https://doi.org/10.1002/dev.21899

Witczak, L. R., Ferrer, E., and Bales, K. L. (2018). Effects of aggressive temperament on endogenous oxytocin levels in adult titi monkeys (Callicebus cupreus). American Journal of Primatology, e22907. https://doi.org/10.1002/ajp.22907

Bales, K. L., Witczak, L. R., Simmons, T. C., Savidge L. E., Rothwell, E. S., Rogers, F. D., Manning, R., Heise, M. J., Englund, M., and Arias del Razo, R. (2018). Social touch during development: long-term effects on behavior and the brain. Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews, 95: 202-219. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neubiorev.2018.09.019

Bales, K. L., Arias del Razo, R., Conklin, Q. A., Hartman, S., Mayer, H. S., Rogers, F. D., Simmons, T. C., Smith, L. K., Williams, A., Williams, D. R., Witczak, L. R., and Wright, E. C. (2017). Titi monkeys as a novel non-human primate model for the neurobiology of pair bonding. Yale Journal of Biology and Medicine, 90(3): 373–387. PMID: 28955178

Witczak, L. R., Guzy, J., Price, S. J., Gibbons, J. W., and Dorcas, M. E. (2014). Temporal and spatial variation of diamondback terrapins (Malaclemys terrapin). Chelonian Conservation and Biology, 13(2): 146-151. https://doi.org/10.2744/CCB-1090.1

Price, S. J., Guzy, J., Witczak, L. R. and Dorcas, M. E. (2013). Do ponds on golf courses provide suitable habitat for wetland-dependent animals in suburban areas? An assessment of turtle abundances. Journal of Herpetology, 47(2): 243-250. https://doi.org/10.1670/12-107

Witczak, L. R. and Dorcas, M. E. (2009). What are frogs and snakes worth? The economic value of reptiles and amphibians inhabiting the Charlotte-metropolitan area of North Carolina. Journal of the North Carolina Academy of Science, 125(4): 131-137. https://www.jstor.org/stable/24336044

Book Chapters

Witczak, L. R., Simmons, T. C. and Bales, K. L. (2019). Social bond paradoxes. In L. Welling and T. Shackelford (Eds.), The Oxford Handbook on Evolutionary Psychology and Behavioral Endocrinology. Rochester, MI: Oxford University Press. DOI: 1093/oxfordhb/9780190649739.013.18

Associate Instructor, University of California, Davis

PSC 101: Intro to Biological Psychology, Summer Session 1 2020, Spring 2021, & Summer Session 1 2021

Designed and taught 24 lectures, developed an online laboratory assignment on the action potential, created a writing assignment where students explored research techniques in biological psychology to answer their own research question, wrote six exams, and introduced students to researchers from underrepresented groups who are conducting research related to the day’s topic in every lecture through my “Researcher Highlights” series.

Co-Instructor, University of California, Davis

PSC101: Intro to Biological Psychology, Spring 2020

Wrote class syllabus, designed and presented five lectures, wrote exam questions, wrote daily quiz questions, and graded all assignments as part of the Psychology Department Teaching Practicum (PSC391).

Lead Teaching Assistant, University of California, Davis

Laboratory courses

PSC121: Physiological Psychology, Fall 2016

PSC103A: Statistical Analysis of Psychological Data, Spring 2021

Designed the syllabus, taught all laboratory sessions, wrote laboratory exams, and graded all laboratory and lecture assignments.

Hybrid course

PSC1Y: General Psychology, Fall 2018, Spring 2019, Fall 2019, Fall 2020

Lead four discussion sections per week. Discussion sections were held in a small-group setting, using the flipped classroom approach to encourage all students to actively participate in each discussion. Graded exams.

Writing course

PSC170: Psychology of Religion, Spring 2016

Graded weekly writing assignments and exams and provided feedback to improve students’ writing abilities.

Small lecture courses

PSC125: Behavioral Epigenetics, Fall 2017

PSC159: Gender and Human Reproduction, Spring 2018

Gave guest lectures and lead classroom activities. Graded writing assignments, presentations, and exams. Provided feedback for improvement for talks and essays for classes of 70+ students.

Large lecture courses

PSC123: Hormones and Behavior, Summer Session 1 2016, Fall 2017

PSC126: Health Psychology, Winter 2016, Winter 2017, Winter 2018, Fall 2021, Spring

2022

PSC140: Developmental Psychology, Winter 2022

PSC161: Psychology of the Self, Winter 2019

Held review sessions, gave guest lectures, and graded all exams and assignments for classes of 250+ students.

Fellowships

Fulbright Future Scholarship (funded by The Kinghorn Foundation). Is love just a chemical attraction? Pair bonding in the Australian sleepy lizard. AUD$45700.

University of California, Davis Professors for the Future Fellowship 2020. Unlocking the inspiring aspects of teaching: asynchronous workshop series on mentorship, inclusivity and engagement. $3000.

University of California, Davis Department of Psychology Dissertation Enhancement Fellowship, 2019. The behavioral, physiological, and neural correlates of attachment in female coppery titi monkeys (Callicebus cupreus): Transition from filial attachment to adult pair-bonds. $13411.42.

University of California, Davis Department of Psychology Summer Research Fellowship, 2017. The effects of acute manipulations of intranasal arginine-vasopressin on stress response and pair-bonding in coppery titi monkeys (Callicebus cupreus). $5000

National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Honorable Mention, 2016. The effects of acute manipulations of intranasal arginine-vasopressin on stress response and pair-bonding in coppery titi monkeys (Callicebus cupreus).

Awards

2020-2021 Outstanding Graduate Student Teaching Award. This award, which is sponsored by Graduate Studies, recognizes excellence in teaching by graduate students on the UC Davis campus. $500.

Finalist in Warder Clyde Allee Session for Best Student Paper Competition at 2022 Animal Behavior Society conference

First Place in American Society of Primatologist Student Competition at 42nd meeting of the American Society of Primatologists

First Place in Graduate Student Poster Competition at UC Davis 2017 Spring Psychology Department Conference

Grants

American Society of Primatologists General Small Grant, 2016. The effects of adverse early life conditions and acute manipulations of intranasal arginine-vasopressin on aggression and pair bonding in coppery titi monkeys (Callicebus cupreus). $1500

David Grant Travel Award, 2011. Variation in survivorship and recruitment of Malaclemys terrapin over three decades. $1000

Davidson Research Initiative, 2009. The effects of urbanization on reproductive success and juvenile survivorship in semi-aquatic turtles. $7000

Invited Symposium Presentations

Witczak, L. R., E. Ferrer, and K. L. Bales. 2022. Father-daughter bonds mediate distress responses following an acute social separation in coppery titi monkeys (Plecturocebus cupreus). Oral Presentation. International Society for Developmental Psychobiology Hybrid Meeting. 9-11 November. Columbia in the City Sponsored Symposium.

Witczak, L. R., J. P. Capitanio, E. Ferrer, and K. L. Bales. 2022. Father-daughter bonds mediate neurobiology in female titi monkey (Plecturocebus cupreus) attachment. Oral Presentation. Animal Behavior Society 2022. 20-23 July. Finalist in Warder Clyde Allee Session for Best Student Paper Competition.

Conference Presentations

Witczak, L.R. 2022. Empowering students through representation of diverse voices. Oral Presentation. Neuroscience Teaching Conference 2022. 21-22 July.

Witczak, L. R. and K. L. Bales. 2021. The roles of oxytocin and vasopressin in captive coppery titi monkey attachment behaviors. Oral Presentation. Animal Behavior Society 2021 Virtual Meeting. 3-6 August.

Witczak L. R., S. A. Blozis, and K. L. Bales. 2020. Assessing variability in affiliative maintenance behaviors in captive coppery titi monkeys using longitudinal data. Oral Presentation. The 57th Annual Conference of the Animal Behavior Society. 28-31 July.

Witczak, L. R., E. Ferrer, and K. L. Bales. 2019. Effects of aggressive temperament on oxytocin in titi monkeys. Online Presentation. American Society of Primatologists Hot Topics in Animal Welfare. October. https://www.asp.org/2019/12/02/effects-of-aggressive-temperament-on-oxytocin-in-titi-monkeys/

Witczak, L. R., E. Ferrer, M. Rhemtulla, and K. L. Bales. 2019. Assessing variability in affiliative maintenance behaviors in captive coppery titi monkeys using longitudinal data. Oral Presentation. The 42nd meeting of the American Society of Primatologists. 21-24 August. First Place in ASP Student Competition.

Witczak, L. R., E. Ferrer, M. Rhemtulla, and K. L. Bales. 2018. Multiple group modeling of the effects of male aggressive temperament on longitudinal changes in affiliative maintenance behaviors in captive coppery titi monkeys. Poster Presentation. The 41st meeting of the American Society of Primatologists. 8-11 August. Finalist in ASP Student Competition.

Witczak, L.R., J. P. Capitanio, E. Ferrer, and K. L. Bales. 2017. Effects of early-life experience on pair-mate interactions and physiology in response to a simulated intruder in monogamous primates. Poster Presentation. University of California, Davis Psychology Department Conference. 5 May. First place in graduate student poster competition.

Witczak, L.R., J. P. Capitanio, E. Ferrer, and K. L. Bales. 2017. Effects of early-life experience on pair-mate interactions and physiology in response to a simulated intruder in monogamous primates. Poster Presentation. Center for Neuroscience Public Seminar Day. 11 March. Second place in poster competition.

Witczak, L. R., J. Guzy, S. J. Price, J. W. Gibbons and M. E. Dorcas. 2011. Variation in survivorship and recruitment of Malaclemys terrapin over three decades. Oral presentation. Joint Meeting of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists. 6-11 July.