Rm 310, 1 Spadina Circle
Toronto , Ontario , CANADA
416-457-8385
Shannon.Skov.Rackette@UToronto.ca
Research Interests
I conduct research in comparative cognition. I have investigated the rats' use of the “geometric module” to perceive changes in position of environmental stimuli and am currently working to understand the mechanisms which elicit remapping of hippocampal place cells. I am interested in the cognitive abilities of non-human animals and their theoretical and applied applications to human cognition.
Education
Ph.D. Psychology (Animal Learning & Behaviour) University of Toronto – IN PROGRESS
M.A. Psychology (Animal Learning & Behaviour) University of Toronto - 2004
B.Sc. Psychology University of Calgary - 2001
B.Sc. Anthropology - Primatology - University of Calgary – 2001
Volunteer Work
2003-2005 Academic Representative of the Psychology Graduate Students Association
2003-2004 Website Administrator of the Psychology Graduate Students Association
2003-2004 Computer Representative of the Psychology Graduate Students Association
2003-2004 Member of the PGSA Orientation Committee for the incoming class of 2004-2005
2003-2004 Let's Talk Science - Partnership Program
2003-2004 Let's Talk Science - Adventure Program
Teaching Experience
Teaching Assistant for:
Psychology 202 Statistics II (Summer 2003) Dr. Robindra Sidhu
Duties included: marking of weekly assignments and exams, providing feedback and statistical instruction to students, assisting students with data entry and computerized statistical analyses
Psychology 260 Introduction to Learning (Winter 2004) Dr. Eve DeRosa
Psychology 260 Introduction to Learning (Spring 2004) Dr. Cary Cogan
Psychology 260 Introduction to Learning (Winter 2005) Dr. Eve DeRosa
Duties included: marking of exams, weekly interactions with students, explanation of theoretical material, and exam proctoring.
Psychology 369 Learning and Conditioning Laboratory (Fall 2002, 2003, 2004) Dr. Sara Shettleworth
Duties included: course preparation, monitoring of experiments conducted by students, demonstration of animal handling for students, leading of class data analysis, and misc. assistant duties as required
Psychology 362 Animal Cognition (Winter 2003) Dr. Jennifer Sutton
Duties included: course preparation, assisting with exam development, marking of exams, marking of term papers, guest lecturing on: a) Roles of Exploratory Behavior, and b) Primate Diversity and Ecology
Psychology 401 A Biobehavioural Approach to Psychobiological Theories and Applications (Winter 2003, Spring 2004, Fall 2004) Dr. John Furedy
Duties included: marking term papers
Invited Talks
Skov-Rackette, S.I. (2004, March) Reinforcement & Behavior Control . Invited Presentation. University of Toronto , Toronto , ON
Skov-Rackette, S. I. (2003). Roles of Exploratory Behaviour . Invited Presentation. University of Toronto , Toronto , ON
Skov-Rackette, S. I. (2003). Primate Diversity and Ecology. Invited Presentation. University of Toronto , Toronto , ON
Skov-Rackette, S.I. (2003) To Explore or Not to Explore; A question of Spatial Navigation . Invited Presentation. University of Toronto at Scarborough , Toronto , ON
Conference Presentations:
Skov-Rackette, S. I., & Shettleworth, S. J. (2004, March) Senseless Spatial Learning . Paper presented at the 11 th Annual Conference on Comparative Cognition, Melbourne , FL.
Skov-Rackette, S. I., & Shettleworth, S. J. (2003). Exploration and the Geometric Module Poster presented at the 2003 University of Toronto Program in Neuroscience Departmental Conference
Skov-Rackette, S. I., & Shettleworth, S. J. (2003) Geometric Knowledge in the Rat: Tests with Exploratory Behaviour . Paper presented at the 10 th Annual Conference on Comparative Cognition, Melbourne , FL.
Skov-Rackette, S. I., & Shettleworth, S. J. (2003) Use of Exploratory Behaviour to Detect Positional and Geometric Changes . Poster presented at the 13 th Annual Meeting for the Canadian Society for Brain, Behaviour and Cognitive Science Conference
Skov-Rackette, S.I. & Bodner, G. (2001) Contextually Mediated Recognition. Paper presented at the 2001 University of Calgary Psychology Departmental Conference
Professional Memberships
Canadian Society for Brain, Behaviour and Cognitive Science
International Society of Comparative Cognition
Comparative Cognition Society