Members of the O'Connell lab investigate the behavioral mechanisms animals may use to navigate their ecological and social environments. Ultimately, we aim to describe and quantify behavioral resilience which can advance effective wildlife management and animal welfare.

 

To address these questions, we develop custom collection methods and integrate field-based research with lab experiments. This process allows us to build rich datasets that are critical for data-driven conservation and welfare management.  

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We pride ourselves on fostering a collaborative environment that engages with our local community and species. For example, we are excited to work with researchers at Thomas More's Biological Field Station and the WAVE foundation at the Newport Aquarium to describe and quantify Hellbender behavior prior to their introduction into the wild. 

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The O'Connell Lab is led by Dr. Claire L. O'Connell and was started at Thomas More University in August 2026. Find more information about our research and about joining the lab!

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